Today, we commemorate World Mental Health Day, with a particular focus on this year’s theme, “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change”, announced by the World Health Organisation. With this year’s theme, attention is being placed on the importance of including people with lived experience in mental health and beyond – not only to share their stories, but to have meaningful opportunities to influence the policies, programmes, services, and decisions that affect their lives. It is also a reminder that mental health needs to be considered across different areas of health and social programmes, including substance use prevention, treatment and recovery.

Mental health cannot be considered separately in this field. Experiences of trauma, mental health challenges and substance use can intersect in complex ways, making it important that prevention, treatment and recovery programmes consider the whole person and the circumstances in which substance use occurs, while providing access to mental health support where required.

This is important at every age. For example, in the WFAD Global Youth Declaration, young people highlighted mental health as a significant concern in relation to substance use and the factors surrounding it, alongside peer pressure, economic difficulties and a lack of awareness about substance-related risks. Mental health was a recurring concern among young people aged 15 to 29, with those aged 15–17 identifying mental health and peer pressure among their most pressing concerns.

Furthermore, research shows that the intersection between mental health and substance use is not limited to young people. Mental health conditions and substance use disorders frequently co-occur, and people experiencing both may face additional barriers to receiving appropriate and integrated support. This makes it particularly important to consider mental health within substance use programmes, including when working with young people. Supporting young people’s mental health and addressing substance use risks should not be treated as separate conversations. Early support and appropriate prevention can help ensure that young people are not left without the support they need.

While highlighting the issue remains important, lived experiences are essential to consider in the conversation. Not just as stories, but as experiences that can inform how responses are designed. People with lived experience, including both young people and adults, should have meaningful opportunities to contribute to programme development, implementation and evaluation, as well as policy development.

Initiatives such as the Youth Advisory Boards established in East Africa through the Voices for Change project are one example of creating such structures. The project is implemented by WFAD, WFAD DRC, UYDEL, C-SEMA, and the WFAD East African Liaison Office, with support from Sida. As these structures develop, it is important that opportunities for young people to contribute to programmes and decisions are not seen as something that ends with a project, but as a meaningful part of how programmes are developed and implemented.

Furthermore, the integration of trauma-informed practices in prevention, treatment, and recovery is essential. Understanding the experiences and circumstances that can shape substance use can help practitioners respond in ways that are more appropriate, supportive, and evidence-based, while recognising that people’s experiences are diverse. This can contribute to more appropriate and sustained support throughout a person’s recovery journey.

However, mental health and trauma are often left out of the conversation or are not sufficiently understood. Myths can spread, and people can be misunderstood, potentially affecting their access to appropriate support and their recovery journey.

Therefore, WFAD, together with DFAF, published the From Myth to Action Toolkit in November 2025. The toolkit aims to support practitioners in better understanding the relationship between trauma and substance use, challenging common myths and applying practical, neuroscience-informed tools. It is designed for those working directly with people in communities, families and substance use disorder programmes, supporting practical approaches to prevention and recovery through trauma-informed action.

The toolkit is freely available in English and Spanish.

Learn more about the From Myth to Action Toolkit