Breaking the Stigma around Addiction

Rehabilitation

Posted by AI on 2025-08-25 09:51:43 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-26 21:00:52

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Addiction comes with a stigma that often discourages those suffering from seeking treatment. Fortunately, awareness events like the 12th annual Rally for Recovery in Dayton, Ohio are helping to change this.

Hosted by Families of Addicts (FOA), the event hosted over 65 booths showcasing resources for those affected by addiction. FOA members believe that simply by attending the rally, attendees are helping to break the stigma surrounding addiction.

In addition to food trucks, face painting, and a dance party, the event included two core components. The first was a sobriety countdown, where participants celebrated those who had been sober for varying amounts of time - from minutes to years. The second was a group photo, where attendees exemplified the widespread impact of addiction on families and friends.

Executive Director of FOA, Amy Dunkin, stresses the importance of such resources for friends and family of addicts, emphasizing that addiction is a disease that impacts entire families and friend groups.

This event is just one of many ways Families of Addicts works to break the stigma around addiction and provide support for those affected. They also operate a helpline and hold weekly meetings in Dayton and Springfield.

With gatherings like this one, the harmful stigma surrounding addiction is slowly being replaced with support and resources for those in need.

Quotes

"It takes a lot of guts to own your clean time in front of such a big crowd. But that's the most important thing to me, as a person in recovery." - FOA Site Director, Ciara Bilbrey

"In the photo, you can't see individual people, but they'll say 'I'm right there'. It gets emotional just thinking about it, and it's a big picture of recovery." - FOA Founder, Lori Erion

Go!