Wednesday July 26 at 7pm CST
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88555278648?pwd=K0dESjY3YUF2SjZMbmhMUE9zUzhuUT09

Meeting ID: 885 5527 8648
Passcode: 691340

In the domain of mental health, stigma is a prevalent barrier to treatment and recovery.  In this context, stigma refers to the negative attitudes, beliefs, and stereotypes surrounding a myriad of diseases in the brain and those who experience them. It is a form of social discrimination that leads to prejudice, misunderstanding, and marginalization of individuals with mental illness.  Out of fear of shame, sadly, many people are reluctant to seek help in order to avoid being identified and labeled or judged.  

Substance Use Disorders (SUD), in particular, remain mostly untreated, widely misconceived and therefore the most stigmatized in behavioral healthcare.  Surveys and studies have revealed that the general public tends to hold more negative attitudes and beliefs towards individuals with SUD compared to other health conditions. People with an addiction are most likely to be viewed as dangerous, prone to violence and to blame for their disease.  SUD is often viewed as a moral failing or simply the result of poor choices.

Even though addiction meets the criteria for the classic definition of a disease, many sectors of society have erroneously objected.  This has had a significant impact on the history of criminalization of addiction and the appalling trend of mass incarceration.  

With annual drug overdose deaths shockingly surpassing 100,000 for the first time in American history, by now everyone has been affected by the disease of addiction.  I have spent much of the past 7 years dedicated to learning about and helping people with drug and alcohol dependence.  In my personal and creative life, I receive more questions about addiction than anything else.

In this meeting, I hope to shed light on the complex nature and development of addiction and different substance use disorders including the biopsychosocial factors.   We will evaluate debates around interventions and abstinence vs harm reduction, how to support a loved one and how to know when one needs professional help.  

Most of all, we will investigate the subtle ways that mental health stigma is perpetuated by language, public policy and cultural norms.  The conventional term of "drug abuse" itself carries a lot of moral baggage.  In what other field of medicine would the word "abuse" be employed when describing symptoms of a disease?  Abuse conjures images of violence and can reinforce the criminal justice response rather than the patient care response.

Please bring your own insights, experiences or questions to share.  Looking forward to an important conversation.