To mark International Overdose Awareness Day this weekend, an Anderson group hosted an event aimed at educating people on the reality of substance abuse.  As IPR’s Thomas Ouellette reports, state numbers show nearly one in every twelve Hoosier has a substance abuse disorder.

Past addicts and sponsors spoke about their history with addiction, emphasizing understanding the underlying causes of substance abuse, such as genetic, environmental, and social vulnerabilities.

Shane Briggs is a police officer in Pendleton. He believes the biggest misunderstanding with addiction is that those suffering from it choose to do so.

“The big stigma is that drugies are drugies and they do it by choice. And I, although I believe that some people use drugs by choice the first time, it’s very easy to get addicted to them. And once you’re addicted, it’s not a choice anymore.”

The Shatter the Stigma event visually represented those who have been lost to substance abuse by releasing balloons.

Indiana University reports that nearly 1 in every 12 Hoosiers falls under the criteria for substance abuse. That number equates to nearly 500,000 people statewide.

Read More: Indiana announces new program to develop housing for people with substance use disorder

According to the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, drug overdose deaths involving opioids, such as heroin, is continuing to rise dramatically from 1,098 deaths in 2018 to 2,205 deaths in 2021. Additionally, rates of depression across all race groups have increased.

But Indiana’s Next Level Recovery report shows that the year 2023 saw a five percent drop in overdose deaths. That year also saw law enforcement prevent over $32 million worth of drugs from being trafficked into the state.

Read More: Ball State’s new substance use research center focusing on community-driven research

Thomas Ouellette is our reporter and producer.  Contact him at thomas.ouellette@bsu.edu