Today is #InternationalOverdoseAwarenessDay2020.

It’s been since 2016 that BC has been under an overdose driven public health emergency.

It’s the 3rd month in a row that 170+ people have died from overdose in BC.

What can you do? 1/6

#stigmakills #safesupply #decrim

Negative attitudes towards people with substance-use disorders, amplified by media and political agendas, result in social devaluation, prejudice, and discrimination. Within the community this affects action from healthcare to policy making. 2/6

For the individual the impacts of stigma are innumerable, from human rights violations in medical care and housing, to avoiding life saving services due fear of discriminatory treatment, or not seeking treatment/support due to internalized negative beliefs held by others. 3/6

In short stigma kills.

It’s easy to judge, it’s easy to make a joke, fear comes easy too. It’s harder to see the person behind the substance-use disorder. It’s harder to see the systemic failings that have landed our family members, and friends in these dire circumstances. 4/6

Back to what you can do — Please do what you can to erode the stigma that is growing in our communities. Talk about it with your friends and neighbours. Educate yourself. Ask questions!

There are excellent and local resources out there to help address stigma. Here are a few 5/6

MomsStopTheHarm
https://www.momsstoptheharm.com/ 

SOLID https://solidvictoria.org/ 

Face to Face with Stigma
https://victoriahomelessness.ca/f2f/ 

The Existence Project
https://www.theexistenceproject.ca/ 

Beyond the Label Tool Kit https://www.porticonetwork.ca/documents/77404/475940/CAMH+2005+Beyond+the+Label+Toolkit.pdf/06c1a452-bee9-4874-83ed-ecd22d9b1000

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