Source: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
Governor Mike DeWine has announced a new campaign aiming to reduce the stigmas surrounding addiction and mental illness (Source: “Ohio Launches Statewide Campaign to Combat Stigmas around Addiction, Mental Illness,” WVXU radio, November 10, 2021).
The “Beat the Stigma” campaign is the result of months of research and input from Ohio’s addiction and mental health experts. Gov. DeWine says addiction and mental health experts understand that these are diseases, not a moral failing or a result of weak character. He says the campaign attacks stigma directly.
- Challenge how you think about addiction. When you see someone who lives with addiction, there’s always more to the story than you know. Practice empathy, not judgement.
- Know your risk. If there’s a history of addiction in your family, know that this increases your risk for addiction. Know your risk and talk to your loved ones about what this means so they can make informed choices.
- Take care of your mental health. Mental health challenges can put you at risk for substance misuse.
In October, the Health Policy Institute of Ohio released a fact sheet titled “Refocusing Ohio’s Approach to Overdose Death” that found that drug overdose deaths in Ohio outpaced the national average over the past 20 years and stigma was a driver of those deaths.