This moderated presentation will be a comprehensive examination of substance abuse across various cultures. This presentation will seek to illuminate and outline and review the symptoms, triggers and genetic factors of substance abuse, including neurophysiological effects. We will describe the unique and varied barriers and issues that difference cultures face in preventing and treating substance abuse. These barriers include stigma in admitting substance abuse, societal pressures to engage in substance use, social and gender norms. This program will identify and provide insight upon elements of professional, academic, and social culture that often interfere with or prevent addressing issues of substance abuse. This presentation will additionally examine substance abuse within our own profession, and how we can seek to reduce stigma, judgment as well as improve treatment and support for colleagues and peers. These elements may include the fear of being seen as incompetent, psychologically weak. Additional discussion will provide insight and psychoeducation regarding triggers for cultural conflicts when discussing substance abuse, such as access to resources based on cultural background, socioeconomic status. These phenomena can lead to inadequate education in psychology graduate programs regarding issues of substance abuse amongst our diverse culture, and how different cultures experience substance abuse uniquely, and are faced with different barriers to receiving the appropriate treatment. The panelists will discuss potential remedies to these problems and facilitate an authentic discussion.