Mental Health Awareness Month
This May, Wellbridge Addiction Treatment & Research stands with the mental health treatment community to recognize Mental Health Awareness Month. This month is dedicated to fighting the stigma that surrounds mental health in our society, connecting individuals with resources and encouraging support.
Addiction, or substance use disorder (SUD), is a complex disorder of the brain. It’s often accompanied by co-occurring mental health disorders. Effective, life-saving treatment exists however the stigma surrounding these mental health disorders is one of the largest barriers to treatment for this community.
Mental Health Awareness Month
Wellbridge is dedicated to not only providing treatment in tandem for these mental health disorders, but also working to destigmatize addiction among the healthcare and public communities in order to break down the barriers to treatment.
Dangers of Stigma Surrounding Mental Health
Drug and alcohol use has taken the lives of thousands every year and has severely impacted the lives of thousands more. Despite having the effective tools for treatment, the stigma surrounding SUD, and other mental health disorders, has led to substandard care and delayed or misdiagnosis. And the fear of the stigma when reaching out for help has discouraged countless people from getting the help they need.
Fighting the Stigma
Join us this May and fight to end the stigma surrounding mental health disorders in your own community. Wellbridge believes that the change in stigmatizing mental health disorders such as SUD begins within our own clinics and areas of care.
- Examine your own bias towards those battling an addiction.
- Implement staff SUD education on the facts of addiction
- Leave behind outdated SUD treatment practices and hold treatment to the same standard of care as other chronic disorders
- Find community and expert support to offer patients battling SUD
Destigmatizing addiction and breaking down the barriers for treatment starts within the healthcare community. Your work to do so could open the door for the lifesaving treatment that many need. If you have questions about addiction, visit our Clinician Resource Center or contact us today.