Stigma is a “mark of disgrace” in a society, associated with a specific activity or behavior. It is a huge barrier for people with substance abuse disorders, dissuading them from seeking the help they require to be free of addiction.
On Wednesday Apr. 13, 2016 Malden High School dedicated the day to raise awareness on stopping the stigma around addiction. Many people consider addiction a choice, but Stop the Stigma day was intended to raise awareness of addiction as a disease. During homeroom, students were handed blue ribbons to pin onto their clothes and encouraged to raise awareness of addiction via various different social media networks. Throughout the day students did exactly that by posting pictures on social media with the hashtag #MaldenStopTheStigma.
Junior Stephen Deng believes that “addiction is a growing problem in our society and…it is easy to become oblivious to our surroundings and the people around us.” Deng continued, “[He has] learned that being a leader is more than just taking a proactive role, it is also about being a good listener. When someone is going through a tough time, it is important to be there for him. Your presence may be more important than anything.”
As a part of the event, Malden OvercomingAddiction created a short two minute video that was shown to students during the school day. These actions will surely help to stop the stigma.
Below is a video produced and directed by Paul Hammersley from Malden OvercomingAddiction.
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