Reflections of Recovery panel event aims to tackle addiction stigma

The panel is being organised by Start, Hartlepool’s substance misuse service, and will take place at Hartlepool Borough Council’s Community Hub Central in York Road on Monday 30th September from 5-7pm.

It will bring together speakers from Start, Recovery Connections and members of the local recovery community to connect and listen to one another as they explore stigma, support and recovery. The unique event aims to inform people on the personal and communal impacts of addiction and stigma, and the importance of treatment.

Councillor Brenda Harrison, Chair of the Hartlepool Health and Wellbeing Board and Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “We all know stories of family members, friends, friends of friends, neighbours, old school friends and work colleagues who have suffered. Yet despite this, when addiction touches people in a directly personal way, they often find it difficult, almost impossible at times, to find ways to talk about their experiences of recovery and treatment.

“The Reflections of Recovery panel aims to bring people with real life experience of addiction and recover, and supporting service professionals together to have an open dialogue in a friendly environment. I would encourage anyone with personal experience or an interest in recovery and addiction to sign up to this unique event.”

Members of the public and local businesses are invited to the free event. Questions for the panel can be submitted in advance via a sign-up form at https://forms.office.com/r/upfaRe8V6K

Further information is available by contacting Billy Knight at Start on (01429) 285000 or by emailing billy.knight@hartlepool.gov.uk

The Hartlepool Recovery Festival programme comprises a range of informal, warm and thoughtfully curated events to raise awareness of Start services and educate and inform people on the personal and communal impacts of addiction and stigma, and the importance of treatment.

It has been put together in the wake of 2023 research by The Forward Trust which revealed that 22 million UK adults aged 18-75 have either directly experienced addiction due to dependency on alcohol and drugs or know someone close to them who has.

Despite this number, the stigma that surrounds the condition is stopping or making it very difficult for half of those experiencing their own or other people’s addictions from speaking out, with negative judgement (46%) and shame (39%) cited as top concerns.