Raising Awareness About Substance Abuse
Almost 20 million people in the U.S. struggle with addiction, but even still, addiction awareness is an issue.
More people are putting together events like galas, contests, walks, and festivals to bring attention and decrease the stigma around drug and alcohol addiction. If you want to get involved and help the cause, we are going to give you some ideas.
Continue reading this article to learn more about how you can help bring awareness to addiction and reduce the stigma around this epidemic.
Educate Yourself
Before you start doing anything, you need to educate yourself. You need to know what addiction is and is not. You need to know the signs and symptoms that someone is an alcoholic, as well as the different treatment options.
Understanding relapse, prevention, and the struggles of going through addiction are key when you want to help bring awareness.
The more you know, the easier it will be to notice issues you might be experiencing as well as issues in those around you.
Understanding Different Treatments
Most people think the only form of treatment is through going to an in-patient treatment center. You’ve likely seen movies that have shown one very extreme aspect of look into addiction.
While these things are true in some cases, this isn’t the only way to treat addiction for all cases. Looking into the latest treatments that are both in-patient and out-patient treatments will allow you to know and be able to pass on this information to others.
Many people haven’t heard of sober living homes and aren’t aware of addiction treatment medication options. The more people learn about the different options for addiction, the more open people will be to getting the help they need for them and their loved ones.
Participate in College Campus Awareness Events
Many people’s journey to addiction starts on the college campus. While many people are in college to learn, some people are there to party and have a good time while they are learning.
When you participate in college campus awareness events, you can help young people get the help they need early on. There are classes and events students can get involved with to help prevent addiction before it starts.
Some schools are putting together events like movie nights, intramural sports, and other ways to get students out to socialize that doesn’t involve drugs and alcohol.
Become a Voice During Recovery Month
September is Recovery Month and is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to increase awareness and understanding of substance use issues.
You’ll notice the campaigns are different each year, but the messages behind the campaigns remain the same. These messages are that prevention helps, treatment works, people recover, and behavioral health is essential to health.
During Recovery Month, there is a big push to get the message out with thousands of events focused on sharing this important message.
Donate to the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence
If you are limited on time, or you want to do even more for the cause, a donation to the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence, Inc. is a good way to increase your impact.
When you make a donation, there are a few types of donations you can make.
A general donation supports the work and mission of the organization. A memorial donation is made in memory of someone in your life. A tribute donation is a way to honor someone’s anniversary, graduation, birthday, etc.
There are many affiliate organizations that are more than happy to have volunteers that donate time. You could volunteer to help with school programs, public awareness campaigns, interventions, and more.
Get Involved in Your Community
One of the best ways to help create a positive impact is to get involved in your community. You never know who you can help by offering a kind word and being a friendly face in the crowd.
Many people feel lost and alone, and if you can get out and make a difference by attending events, having a conversation, or even a smile — it can make all the difference.
Share Your Own Story
Do you have your own story to tell? Maybe you or a loved one has struggled with drug or alcohol addiction in the past.
Sharing your story can give hope to those around you and help you form bonds with people you wouldn’t have otherwise met. You know when the time is right for you, and sometimes you start by sharing one-to-one instead of a with a group.
Turn It Into Your Profession
When you feel very strongly about something, you might want to spend all of your time working on it. One of the ways to spend most of your time working on a cause is to turn it into your profession.
You can train to be a counselor or other professional that helps people with addiction. When you become a professional in the field, you can spend most of your time working on something you care about, and you’ll be able to support yourself while doing so.
Increasing Addiction Awareness Effectively
Now you have a better understanding of how you can help increase addiction awareness. There is a long way to go to get the word out, but you have the ideas and tools you need to help with this cause.
