Everybody knows Somebody

Why do we need a campaign to reduce stigma around addiction?

This week is Addiction Awareness Week. The theme is ‘Everybody knows Somebody’. Hm, I feel slightly uneasy about this title, because it keeps the idea of addiction as an ‘out there’ thing, even though it appears to be inclusive.

‘Everybody knows Somebody… it’s just not me, right? Or you, right?

In this video, I challenge why we need a campaign to reduce stigma around addiction at all. How did we get to a place that addiction is ‘othered’? I share my views as someone who has not only studied addiction to Masters level, but who has walked the path of recovery because of other people’s addictions and my own workaholism. It’s definitely food for thought and worth a view; all that ‘If I do say so myself humble mumble’ stuff aside.

I was thinking about it this morning, about how addiction is rooted in loneliness, loss and lack, whether we dress that up as attachment style, or trauma or a deficit of emotional regulation. We all have varying resources to deal with that, as I say in my video.

I’m passionate about bringing the ‘me’ and ‘you’ into stories of loneliness, loss and lack, the consequences of which end up being seen as ‘disorders’ of one kind or another.

This is why I have been working so hard on creating Mindfest UK 2023 for the last 11 months. When we have a place to share our loneliness, loss and lack we can gain connection, process our grief and gain hope.

I remember when I went away on a healing trauma intensive in 2010. I was so ashamed to admit it to my friends that I told them that I was going away on a spa retreat for a week. They were all joking and laughing about how indulgent that was and how lucky I was whilst secretly inside I felt…

I’m glad things have moved on and talking about trauma has become much more widely accepted and understood.

I still think that the symptoms of trauma are still drastically misunderstood. Trauma creates a sense of isolation.

• Hearing your story through someone else’s story can be the first step to gaining a sense that you are not alone, bringing you out of that sense of loneliness.

• It can help validate our loss, bear witness to it.

• It can help us see that others have worked it through, knew where and how to ask for help, which gives us hope.

On 18th November at Dorking Halls 15 different speakers plus panellists will be sharing their stories of hope. There will be local and national organisations to help sign post people to where they can go for help.

The passion and generosity of the speakers has been quite phenomenal, from Dr. Brad Reedy and Dr. Ingrid Clayton recording conversations with me which will be broadcast in the cinema room, to trauma specialist Lou Lebentz, comedian Harriet Beveridge, mental health campaigner Tanya Marwaha and Jonny Benjamin MBE and Neil Laybourn and British Dyslexia Chair Michelle Catterson, plus many more, it promises to be a fantastic event for those who attend.

Even if you cannot attend in person, it’s possible to still get a ticket and receive many of the talks which will be recorded.

It’s been a labour of love with myself and Katherine Bruce, ably supported by our ambassador DJ Danny Andrews.

Even if you can’t make it I’d really love your support to help us share the word, whether that is:

• Re-stacking here on Substack,

• Sharing the posts in social media

• Forwarding this email

• Buying a ‘virtual’ ticket

It all contributes to getting the word out to those who may feel loneliness, loss, lack, because everybody knows somebody that is dealing with that, right?

That’s it for now,

‘Til next time

Jacky x