Substance abuse is one of the greatest health concerns facing Americans today. In 2013 alone, drug-use disorders resulted in the deaths of 127,000 people, while alcohol-use disorders led to an additional 139,000 deaths.
"The statistics are staggering: only 11.2% of the 23.5 million Americans struggling with addiction receive help,” said Melanie Haber, vice president of brand development at Recovery Brands. “In our work of providing resources to those struggling with addiction, research and personal experience show us that stigma remains one of the largest barriers for individuals seeking help.”
It is for this reason that Recovery Brands has launched the LIVES (Leveraging Impactful Videos to End Stigma) Challenge, a three-month, incentive-based competition aimed at reducing the stigma associated with substance abuse and behavioral health disorders.
Attitudes towards addiction are one of the greatest barriers for people struggling with substance abuse. Credit: HeroX
Recovery Brands’ portfolio of authority websites, including Rehabs.com and Recovery.org, provide online directories, rehab reviews, forums and professional communities that have supported countless families in their decisions to pursue recovery. With the launch of LIVES, they are offering a prize purse of $10,000 for videos (1-3 minutes in length) that help inspire and generate a new message surrounding addiction and behavioral health disorders.
"Addiction is a misunderstood disease," said Haber, "and it’s heartbreaking that our loved ones are made to feel embarrassed and ashamed by society’s judgmental messages and portrayals of substance abuse and behavioral health disorders."
The LIVES Challenge is open to anyone who wishes to participate; multiple entries are permitted. All submissions will be judged based on their ability to: (1) inspire those who need help to seek it; (2) promote enrollment into addiction treatment; (3) encourage a compassionate and an open conversation about addiction; (4) empower friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers to support individuals struggling with addiction.
In the end, two awards will be issued with a cash prize of $5,000 each. The People's Choice Award will go to the video that receives the most votes by the public, while the Judge's Choice Award will go to the video that receives the most votes by a panel of judges based on public feedback from the Recovery Brands’ team's top video picks.
“Until we begin to change the conversation and perception surrounding addiction and behavioral health disorders, lives will continue to be lost far too soon,” says Haber. “We’re hoping to do our part in eliminating that barrier by bringing a new, empowering message to light through the LIVES Challenge.”
For more information, and to participate in the challenge, please visit the challenge page.
