Pubdate: Sun, 13 Feb 2011
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2011 Times Colonist
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/letters.html
Website: http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Authors: Bernie Pauly and Cecilia Benoit
Note: Bernie Pauly and Cecilia Benoit are scientists in the Centre 
for Addictions Research at the University of Victoria.

ANTI-STIGMA WEEK: TIME TO REFLECT AND ACT

It has been incredible to see a diverse group of people and 
organizations pool their skills and resources to mount Anti-Stigma 
Week, with activities that all have one goal - enhancing individual 
and community health and well-being by transforming stigma around drug use.

This year's Anti-Stigma Week theme is Drug Use, Dignity and Human 
Rights. Drug use, and especially illicit drug use, is associated with 
high degrees of stigma that hurt individuals' health and access to 
health care and reduce community cohesion.

Stigma is a societal process that marks people as outsiders. Those 
who are different -because of their behaviours or identities -are 
subject to disapproval and marginalization.

They aren't seen as people, as someone's daughter or father, 
neighbours with their own stories and failings and hopes. This 
prejudice makes it easier for active discrimination to take hold, or 
to leave individuals fearing that others think them less worthy. The 
way systems are organized and accepted societal attitudes reinforce 
these tendencies.

The effects of stigmas on the health and well-being of individuals 
and communities are devastating. It robs people of dignity and can 
contribute to physical and psychological health problems. In some 
cases, this adds to past trauma and abuses that have added to 
situations such as addiction and homelessness.

Poor people are more likely to be stigmatized, with gender, age and 
culture all playing a role in how people are perceived. Stigma is a 
barrier to housing, employment and educational opportunities that are 
central to improving health and well-being and self-sufficiency.

When people are excluded from services or marginalized by policies, 
the result is also decreased productivity and increased financial 
costs to society.

Stigma is often not easily recognized. We tend to think and act in 
commonly accepted stereotypical ways and only on reflection recognize 
the way in which our attitudes and responses to others can be stigmatizing.

For example, the language we use can reinforce stereotypes about 
certain groups that do not reflect their reality. Working in the 
field of substance use and addictions, we frequently hear terms like 
"drug user," "addict" and "junkie."

Labels like these tend to contain moral judgments about the worth of 
vulnerable individuals and contribute to stigma. They make it easy to 
forget these are also people -employees, parents, children. This has 
been brought home to us many times in our work and we have become 
sensitive to the use of these terms.

It is a powerful moment when we question the use of such language and 
provide alternative language such as "people who use drugs." 
Inclusive and respectful language is an excellent start for 
transforming stigma and removing barriers between people and communities.

If children are repeatedly told that they are worthless, pretty soon 
they will start saying that they are worthless. Stigma often becomes 
internalized and people come to see themselves in the ways they are 
perceived -"I am just a throwaway or I am worthless."

When society repeatedly treats people who use drugs as less worthy or 
a drain on resources, pretty soon people come to believe and act in 
ways that reinforce these beliefs.

Stigma adds to the shame and can prevent people from accessing 
resources even when they are seemingly available.

This cycle can be broken through respect and inclusion. Listening is 
a good place to start breaking down barriers. Beginning with "tell me 
about yourself. What is important to you? What is your opinion?"

There is a slogan: "Nothing about us without us." It suggests that 
people with the experiential knowledge related to the issue at hand 
- -those who have lived it -must be supported in being actively 
involved and leading in developing inclusive policies, practices and 
decision-making structures that directly impact their wellbeing.

Anti-Stigma Week provides an excellent time to think about the use of 
language and unintentional ways that stigma is communicated and to 
begin the process of transformation that will contribute to health 
and well-being of every citizen in our community.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom