National Addictions Awareness Week is November 15th to the 21st and there will be a free, open to all ages event at the Rotary Arts Centre. It will take place from 2-4 p.m. on November 19th and is through the Community Mental Health Initiative (CMHI). Mental Health Promotion Coordinator, Pete Parsons, says it’s called, “A Panel Discussion on the Role of Compassion and Support in Addictions Treatment and Recovery.” The goal of this event is to promote connection, education, and healing in the Corner Brook region. By bringing together professionals, individuals with lived experience, and community members, this event aims to break down the barriers of stigma and shift the conversation around substance use from judgment to compassion. Parsons says stigma can mean generalizing about people who use substances. He says there is a huge stigma surrounding Men’s Mental Health and suicide rates for men in NL are three times the rates for women. Registration is required to attend the event at the RAC or virtually through ZOOM.
