Thankfully, today, the topic of mental health is a much more open discussion than ever before. People have banded together to raise awareness, spreading the word across social media and sharing knowledge with those who are less enlightened. Mental health has become a common topic of conversation, especially in light of the recent, tragic deaths of stars Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain.

So, what's the negative part? Well, while any activism and awareness in regards to mental health is a step in the right direction, there are a lot of cases where this activism and positivity applies to everything except, for one example, substance abuse. When it comes to these struggles, a large number of people associate them with an extremely negative connotation and choose to disregard them or offer criticisms rather than support.

Here's the problem. In the US, as of 2013, about 22.7 million people suffer from substance abuse problems that leave them in need of treatment. That's 8.6%, and sadly only around 0.9% have received that necessary treatment. There are many factors that could be playing a part in this, but I believe a big part of it has to do with the way that we, as a society, view substance abuse. Due to the stigma surrounding drug dependencies and addiction, society often leaves people struggling in isolation, simply blaming them for their pain instead of offering support.

Let's take a second to talk about Demi Lovato's recent overdose. As a celebrity, the situation instantly caught the attention of millions of people, whether it be television watchers who caught wind of it through their favorite news stations or dedicated fans who spread the news across social media. As a social media user myself, I've read many, many posts about this, and while there has been an overwhelming amount of supportive, positive, love-filled posts wishing Demi a steady recovery, there has also been a large number of people radiating negativity and pessimism through attempts to demonize her.

By that, I mean that a large number of people have been sharing posts that consist of messages along the lines of "it's her own fault", and "she signed up for an addiction". What these people aren't taking into account is the amount of pain a person has to be feeling to turn to drugs in the first place or the amount of pressure. People who offer these words of criticism probably don't have enough of an understanding of the circumstances to be speaking so confidently.

For example, bipolar disorder and addiction have been proven to be linked. Rates of drug abuse, including alcohol, are much higher among individuals suffering from bipolar disorder.

Specifically, people with bipolar disorder may turn to drugs and alcohol as an attempt to self-medicate and alleviate their symptoms, which brings me right back to the idea of stigmas. The mental health stigma is another factor that plays a huge role here because if the discussion surrounding mental illness was more open and accepting, people who are struggling would potentially be more inclined to speak up about their pain and seek help, but this isn't the case. Considering the fact that Demi Lovato has talked about her struggles with bipolar disorder, it is important to keep this relationship in mind.

Mental illnesses and disorders are not a choice, and both bipolar disorder and addiction fall into those categories.

Let me rephrase that.

Addiction is not a choice, and it needs to stop being labeled as one. Someone who chooses to try a drug is not choosing to get addicted, just like how someone who chooses to get on a plane isn't choosing to crash.

In a way, it's like driving a car. You get in the car knowing the risks but hoping you won't find yourself in danger. Similarly, people try drugs knowing the risks (or, in some cases, not even knowing the risks. Drug use can start at a very young age when the user may not be fully aware of the possible consequences), but still choosing to proceed whether it be due to some kind of trauma, intense pressure from friends or others, or personal pain. That being said, I don't believe it is fair to blame addiction entirely on the user themselves.

Imagine what it's like to have an addiction and have no idea how you ended up there. Imagine looking back and wishing you could change your past self's mind. Imagine wanting, so badly, to get better, but being unable to do that because there aren't treatment options available to you, you have a poor support system, or you can't seem to break the cycle no matter how hard you try. You might think its simple for someone to seek help, but it really isn't. If someone isn't surrounded by people who are there to support them and push them in the right direction, it is so easy to turn back down the wrong path even without meaning to. It is so easy to say "just get help", but actually getting help isn't that easy.

Why, when it is revealed that someone is struggling with substance abuse, doesn't anyone ever say "It's heartbreaking that they were feeling so much pain they thought this was the only option".

Why doesn't anyone say "Maybe we should be taking a closer look at how these situations are stigmatized", or "Maybe we should take a closer look at what we can all do to prevent this from happening again". It is not just the responsibility of drug users to improve the situation. It is on all of us. It is all of our responsibilities. As human beings, as friends, and family, and lovers, and sometimes fans, we need to watch out for each other. We need to be willing to step up and do what we can to help when we see someone in need.

Conditional mental health advocacy isn't enough. Just because you don't fully understand a certain mental illness or disorder does not mean you should be excluding it from your words of support. Educate yourself. Do your research, and really learn, because otherwise, you'll find that you're ignoring people who might actually be in need of your comfort the most.