Looking through the surface of pop culture, it seems to glorify addiction with songs such as “Blame It” and television shows such as Euphoria. In this season though, the HBO Max series illustrates the ugly truth of addiction and how it can not only negatively impact your life, but also the lives of those around you.

The protagonist of the series, Rue Bennett, faces a drug addiction throughout the two seasons of the show,  recently hitting rock bottom. She finally gets caught due to her partner at the time, Jules Vaughn, finding out about her not being clean and telling her mother. This is where things take a turn. 

When approached about the matter, Rue’s personality completely changes. It even gets to a point where she scares her own mother and sister along with her friends. She eventually escapes the house and stirs up more trouble by disclosing a secret relationship between Callie Howards and Nate Jacobs, which causes a tear in the relationship between Callie and her best friend, Maddy Perez.

She also goes through withdrawal, which isn’t a pretty sight to say the least. Viewers learn how both a physical and emotional toll have put on her, and how now she’s trying to go back and try to make things better. 

Although triggering to some, at least Euphoria is not glamorizing, much less promoting, the devastatingly toll substance abuse has on family, friends, and society in general. Perhaps this airing will encourage those who struggle to seek the help they need.