Changing the Way Our Nation Addresses Addiction: Disrupting the Cycle of Stigma in Policy and Media

Stigma deters people from seeking care and undermines recovery. Stigma is perpetuated by addiction policy that is not grounded in a public health approach and media coverage that has not kept up with addiction research. In this session, two presentations will explain stigma and empower attendees to work with media members and policymakers to disrupt the cycle of stigma.

Reporting on Addiction will present its novel, multi-disciplinary education and training model to disrupt the cycle of stigma and discrimination found in media coverage about addiction. Targeting journalists is important because they hold a large sway over public opinion. Due to their limited training about addiction, the media relies on outdated language and narratives that have been shown to mischaracterize the complexity of addiction and recovery, create barriers to treatment and recovery, and lead to harmful policies. Informed by medical experts, people with lived experience, and media members from across the country, this model educates journalists already at work in newsrooms, as well as journalism students. Based on this model, presenters will show participants how to work with their media members.

The Partnership to End Addiction will explain how to harness the power of advocacy and storytelling to change addiction policy. Participants will learn what advocacy is and why it is critically important for shaping policy. Advocacy can take many forms, from sharing your story, writing a letter, signing an action alert, highlighting a problem, or demanding a specific solution. Advocates put a human face on addiction, and their experiences make policy barriers tangible in a way that fact sheets and statistics alone cannot, but the stigma that has surrounded this issue can stifle and suppress voices. The presenters will offer tactics and strategies for advocating and story sharing so that individuals and families can use their lived experiences with addiction to highlight the barriers and challenges faced and spur desperately needed policy change.