Writer's Block

How would you improve your community?

I have witnessed first hand through personal experiences of harassment, intimidation,  rumors, scrutinizing hurtful comments, judgement, being discredited by law enforcement, etc. about the stigma the community I live in clearly has on the mentally ill and chemically dependent individuals as well as individuals in recovery.

A definition of stigma is a disgrace connected to a situation or quality of a person. A person who encounters stigma is viewed as less than others. Stigma is based on assumptions or misconceptions. Stigmas impacts individuals with a substance use disorder, mental illness, health care providers, treatments, research, policies, and society as a whole.
False beliefs about mental illness and chemical dependency can cause significant problems in any community.  Lack of awareness, education and resources is what this community struggles with and definitely needs and would benefit from.

Stigma can cause discrimination. Discrimination may be obvious and direct. For example, someone makes a negative comment about your mental illness or your treatment. Or perhaps it may be unintentional or subtle by someone avoiding you because that person thinks automatically you could be unstable, violent or dangerous because of your mental illness. You may even judge yourself.
People who suffer from mental health and addiction  often say that the shame, guilt and embarrassment they go through diverts them from getting help and ends up making their problems worse. I know this to be true for me.

If we are able to take a compassionate approach, become aware of our prejudices and choose language with greater care, we can contribute to changing the stigma that surrounds these issues. Speak out against the stigma and help those around us understand what mental illness and addiction stigma  really is and that how people see it  really can interfere with someone actually getting help.

The community I live in offers, as far as I know, no support groups. Has no mental health awareness initiatives and only speaks of the D.A.R.E. program when it comes to the topic of drugs. This to me is a compelling concern. Especially when we have quite a few parades and street dances which do involve kid oriented activities but let’s be realistic about these events at the end of the day a party is well known to come. With all the events the community puts together, we sadly never implement  awareness for mental illness or addiction and recovery for the beautiful community and address all sides of adversities, and issues and topics that no one should be ashamed of but proud to educate people on to keep the town truly what the definition of community really does mean. Because from what I’ve had to go through and how I’ve been treated on some days is not even close to what is defined as a community. I love the town I live in. I don’t love being sick without a choice and then on top of it struggling with being bullied,  picked on, feared, and judged and rumored about. As I am working so hard with numerous supports and programs, especially when I am now discovering I am Neurodivergent with somatic sensory processing issues. Finding the real cause behind my behavior and the community rumoring about irrelevant reasons behind my behavior and social skills is a struggle. Feeling not good enough because of the sigma I face on a daily basis.
I attend Celebrate recovery mtg, an All recovery mtg, Adult Children from alcoholics and dysfunctional homes mtg, and Al-anon mtg each week. I seek therapy weekly with an additional check-in once a week. I have a peer support specialist, case manager and am on the waiting list for the ACT Team. I have successfully completed treatment, aftercare and also go to recovery events when they are available. I’ve paid all my fines and completed all court proceedings as required and see my Probation Officer as scheduled with no problems. I’ve worked hard, but it sure doesn’t feel good  like it should, when no one will look at me differently from what they think they know about me. Always being judged.
I am not the only one that struggles with this within the community.