Something that’s always on my mind is the stigma that continues to exist in the world. Society as a whole has deposited people into certain roles, and it’s a time where people are fighting back against the role they may have been cast in.
What is the role that addicted people have fallen into? People who’ve lost themselves. People who don’t care. People who’ll rip you off. People who have no value as people anymore.
When people are devalued, they experience a loss of control over their lives. Addicts have been told for a long time that being addicted is wrong, that it’s something to be ashamed of. When someone becomes addicted, it becomes their identity. Whatever they used to enjoy doing—creating art, writing stories, playing sports, acting in plays—gets lost in order for the person to embrace their new addicted lifestyle. Not only do they have to spend their time trying to find ways to make money and do the next hustle, but whatever changes they might try to make revolves around their addiction. In meetings they stand up and introduce themselves as an addict. The part of them—the artist, the athlete, the actor—that used to be so essential to their identity is discouraged again.
Unless they are rich and famous, people who use drugs are an example of a group of people who have been categorized a certain way and who might not want to be in that role anymore.
Over the years these people have been conveniently deposited into certain areas (the skid rows), or into prisons and forgotten, which promotes more pain and isolation, and leads to heavier drug use and fewer lifestyle options. If some time was spent with these people there would undoubtedly be discoveries made.
Hidden inside their identity of “the addict” will be fine people with all sorts of gifts to offer.
If we can somehow lose the shame that surrounds drug use, and encourage people back into society and help them find their lost identities and passions, I believe that balance could be achieved. If shame is taken away, then so is fear.
We gasp all the time about how people with mental illnesses were treated before the 20th century; they were shamed, locked up, and hidden away from society.
It’s my belief that society does the same thing today with people who use drugs.
In order to create a functional society with less deaths, we should be inviting people who use to be part of society, and we should all try to find a way to work together.
We might find that we’re not that different from each other after all.