Putnam County leaders uniting to address the local impact of the drug crisis by hosting a joint community event focused on reducing the stigma surrounding addiction.
Power of Putnam Coalition Director Bill Gibson said the collaboration between law enforcement, healthcare providers, schools, and churches in Putnam County is essential to the success of prevention efforts. Gibson said Thursday’s special observance marks International Overdose Awareness Day.
“It’s just a day where the community comes together to remember those people that we’ve lost to drug overdoses,” Gibson said, “And to think of ways to decrease the deaths due to overdose.”
Gibson said the local overdose death rate has recently seen a year-to-year reduction for the first time. Gibson said despite this progress, the availability of different substances changes almost daily and requires constant public awareness to maintain forward momentum.
“The biggest misconception that some people carry is that it is a moral failure or it’s, you know, it’s something to look down on,” Gibson said. “And we really need to destigmatize recovery. It is a treatable disease, and people are getting the needed treatment for addiction more and more and walking out of addiction through a recovery process. And that’s what we really want to celebrate.”
Gibson said the fear of being judged often prevents individuals from admitting they have a problem or seeking professional help. Gibson said changing this culture requires employers, church members, and civic organizations to bring the topic of addiction into the open to make it a safe subject for discussion.
“This problem grows and thrives in secrecy and in darkness and in with this fear of shining the light on it,” Gibson said. “And my biggest advice would be just start a conversation with somebody and move toward getting help because it really does work and you can have a much better life and a safer life.”
Gibson said he has watched the community rally to address various challenges since the 1970s and remains confident in the local resolve to fight the opioid crisis.
“I grew up here, and I have watched this community from a pretty close front row seat address these problems since the 1970s and ’80s,” Gibson said. “And our community rallies. We do stick together, and we care about each other. Our community will respond and continue to respond to this problem just as they have for the past 60 years.”
The event will take place Thursday at 11am at the Cookeville Police Department.