The immigrant experience in the U.S. brings both opportunity and hardship. For many, stress, trauma, and cultural dislocation can quietly give way to substance use.

At Advanced Human Services, we offer compassionate, culturally informed care—especially for those from Ukraine, the former Soviet Union, and the Bukharian Jewish community.

Why Immigrants Are at Unique Risk

  • Acculturative Stress & Substance Use

  • Language barriers & isolation

  • Economic hardship

  • War & political trauma (Ukraine, FSU)

  • Normalization of alcohol & sedative use

🧠 “Self-medication for anxiety and depression often leads to substance dependence when culturally familiar treatments are misused.”

The Hidden Risk of Valocordin

Valocordin, still trusted by many Eastern European immigrants, contains barbiturates and is illegal in the U.S. But it continues to circulate quietly—putting users at high risk of addiction, confusion, and dangerous withdrawal symptoms.


Did You Know? Many believe Valocordin is an herbal remedy. It’s NOT. Chronic use can lead to:

  • Dependency

  • Cognitive impairment

  • Dangerous withdrawals

Bukharian Jewish Community Spotlight

Key Issues:

  • Silence around mental health

  • Youth pressures (academics, cultural expectations)

  • Overdose events in NYC-area communities

Action Taken:

  • Naloxone education

  • Support from synagogues and local leaders

  • Shifting the view: addiction as a health issue, not a moral failure

📣 Recommendations :

  1. 🧑‍🏫 Cultural Competency Training
     Train staff in FSU languages, customs, and healing attitudes.

  2. 📢 Targeted Awareness Campaigns
     Develop education in Russian, Ukrainian, Uzbek about Valocordin and addiction risks.

  3. 🤝 Partner with Community Leaders
     Work with synagogues, Russian-language media, and elder advocates.