The Anonymous People: Bringing Long-term Recovery Out of the Shadows
The Anonymous People is a feature filmabout the 23.5 million Americans living in long-term recovery and the emerging public recovery movement. The film and a panel discussion to follow is being sponsored by the North Central Recovery Center and Healthy Lamoille Valley and features interviews with many prominent people who are living publicly as people in long-term recovery themselves: Award winning actress Kristen Johnston, former NBA star Chris Herren; Tara Conner, Miss USA 2006; former congressman Patrick Kennedy; veteran news anchor Laurie Dhue; and many others. They have chosen to “come out” with their recovery in an effort to counter the existing public perception of other people just like them. This film aims to transform public discourse in much the same way that activists once decided that an honest open discussion had to take place about topics such as breast cancer, HIV/AIDS, and being gay in order to spark widespread change.
Those who sparked the movement to change the conversation about addiction question why the United States has criminalized and too often given superficial treatment to the chronic illness that is addiction. As a result, addiction now comes with an annual price tag of $350 billion. The American approach has put most of the burden of long-term addiction treatment on anonymous, free, 12-step programs. Those programs have done a good job, but no other health problem is treated this way.
In addition, the culture of anonymity in these programs, while it has protected individuals from stigma, has also unintentionally perpetuated false perceptions of people with addiction – as the public doesn’t see how often people in their lives recover. Each of us knows someone who is in recovery or has been impacted by addiction. It’s important to be proactive in providing supportive communities for those in recovery.
“This film is not your tired old addiction story often seen on reality television or in the news,” said film producer Greg Williams. “There are no needles hanging out of people’s arms, pictures of the brain, or fried eggs in a pan. We set out to find the answer to one very fundamental question: Why don’t we treat addiction in this country like any other health issue?”
The Anonymous People will be shown on April 2nd at 6:00PM at Green Mountain Technology and Career Center in Hyde Park. Refreshments and free childcare will be provided. RSVP requested for attendance and REQUIRED for childcare. Please RSVP to Jessica at 802.730.6599 or [email protected].