When we treat people with opioid use disorder (OUD) with kindness and compassion instead of stigma, shame, or judgment, we can have a lasting impact.
Fred is celebrating 16 years in long-term recovery today, and he credits the healthcare workers at the hospital where he began his journey for making a difference in the way he saw himself. "The staff at the hospital I went to was very non-judgmental, so that's where I started my recovery. The biggest difference was that they welcomed me with open arms," Fred says. "It was clear they cared about me as a person."