10/16/2026
We asked alumni in our AAC Together alumni app a question: What was underneath your drug or alcohol use?
We gave them eight options, including trauma, grief, depression, family struggles, shame, and loneliness.
But their answers went beyond checking a box.
One person shared how losing a loved one led to years of drinking. Another talked about childhood experiences and never feeling like they belonged. Someone else described growing up in a home where addiction felt normal.
And some responses said it all: “Where's the option for all of the above?”
These are real words from people in our alumni community. Their experiences are different, but they show us why it's worth looking beyond substance use to understand what someone has been going through.
Look Closer. đź’š