De-Stigmatizing the Opioid Crisis
The de-stigmatization of addiction is a step we must take collectively as a city, for encouraging empathy and setting aside preconceived notions surrounding opioid use allows those struggling with addiction to reach out for support without fear of judgement. This paradigm shift is crucial in acknowledging that addiction and overdoses are health issues and not due to moral failings or lack of worth. There is power in numbers and as a community we are all in this battle together.
Creating mental stereotypes is something we are all guilty of due to our own cognitive schemas, but it is when we do not educate ourselves and act purely based off these stereotypes that they can be harmful and reinforce stigma.
Nobody is born resistant to addiction. Though socio-economic status and genetics due play a key role as to who is more susceptible to developing an addiction, there is no criteria as what an addict looks like. The media has glamourized substance use in celebrities, claiming that drug use is simply a part of entertainment industry culture. This lifestyle of partying and doing drugs is something we romanticize as consumers yet look down upon those in poverty who struggle with addiction.
Destigmatizing the opioid crisis encourages important conversations to be had amongst policymakers and the general public in order to facilitate collaborative efforts to implement change.
