Addiction touches the lives of millions of people every year. We hear about it, we experience it, but we don’t openly talk about it. In honor of National Recovery Month in September, Bellingham Public Library and multiple partners will host “What Is Addiction? Plain Talk for Our Community,” on Thursday, Sept. 12, 7:00 p.m. at the Bellingham High School Performing Arts Center, 2020 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham, WA.
Join local expert Dr. Shannon Boustead in this free, all-community event to learn the basics of addiction science and hear from community members about their lived experience with addiction. All are welcome. No registration required. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. This event is intended for an adult and teen audience.
“Some addictions are socially acceptable, others are not, but the brain functions are similar,” explains Dr. Boustead. “We all experience pain, both physical and emotional, and look for solutions to ease that pain. Everyone’s journey is different. The need for compassion for others starts with the need for compassion for ourselves and our own internal struggles.”
Dr. Boustead is a family doctor, providing direct patient care in both Bellingham and Marysville since 2011. He is deeply committed to addressing the opioid crisis, and gives frequent talks to medical providers and community groups about substance use disorder. His goal is to enhance understanding and support around these critical issues.
“Substance use disorder and addiction cannot be viewed in a vacuum; there are a lot of drivers in a person’s life that lead to addiction, often starting with childhood trauma or instability, mental health concerns, and other unaddressed and significant challenges,” said Whatcom County Health and Community Services Director Erika Lautenbach. “Our role in public health is to not only support people with substance use disorder in accessing treatment, but also to create and fund prevention programs throughout the community in order to reduce the impact and suffering of addiction. There is no single pathway to or out of addiction, and I look forward to the discussion about both the complexity and practical interventions that help people who struggle with this disease.”
“What Is Addiction? Plain Talk for Our Community” is presented as a partnership between the Bellingham Public Library, City of Bellingham Mayor’s Office, and Whatcom County Health and Community Services, in collaboration with Compass Health, PeaceHealth, Whatcom Community College and Bellingham Public Schools.
“Understanding addiction and reducing stigma are critical to community conversations about a response to the fentanyl crisis and the personal and community challenges that addiction brings,” said City of Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund. “This event is an excellent opportunity for all of us to grow our understanding of addiction as a treatable disease and expand our compassion for neighbors, friends, family and community members who are working through it.”
Library Materials Related
For additional in-depth information on this topic, including risk factors, prevention and recovery strategies, Bellingham Public Library recommends reading or listening to the 2024 book Un-Addiction: 6 Mind-Changing Conversations That Could Save a Life by Nzinga Harrison, MD with Lynya Floyd. Drawing on peer-reviewed research and decades of addiction treatment expertise, Dr. Nzinga Harrison reveals the factors that predict one’s risk for addiction: biology and heritability, childhood experience, physical environment, discrimination, and cultural influence.
The summary for Un-Addiction states: “Contrary to popular belief, addiction isn’t a conscious choice. It’s a chronic illness, like diabetes or asthma, that responds to treatment and deserves compassion. And yet, too many people expect their loved ones to simply recover on their own without interventions. With revelatory anecdotes and sobering data, Un-Addiction guides readers to unlearn what they think they know about substance use, undo stigma surrounding addiction, and uncover critical conversations that could end the epidemic.”
The downloadable audiobook version of Un-Addiction is available for Bellingham Public Library card holders with no waiting.
Print copies of the book will be available for free to the first 100 attendees at the event. (The author will not be present.)
“There is so much to learn – and unlearn – about addiction. Opening up community dialogue helps reduce stigma and increase understanding,” said Bellingham Public Library Director Rebecca Judd. “We are grateful to Dr. Boustead and to the panel participants for their willingness to share their insights. Special thanks to our partners and to The Friends of Bellingham Public Library for their funding support.”
Media Contact: Annette Bagley, Bellingham Public Library, Head of Community Relations, ambagley@cob.org, 360-778-7206