FOR many, drug and alcohol addiction is a scourge on society, turning sufferers into a destructive force.
Countless lives have been wrecked and families torn apart as they watch loved ones spiral into a dark pit of addiction.
But for Joni Thompson, it is time the stigma surrounding addiction is busted once and for all.
Having joined the charity Open Road some 17 years ago, Joni has been among a team offering lifeline support to addicts in Colchester and Tendring.
And now she’s working to “normalise” an acceptance of addicts while supporting them to get their lives back on track.
“Society has seen a major shift in how we view people with mental health issues, so we are working to reduce a stigma around asking for help with addiction,” said Joni, Open Road’s clinical and business development director.
“Somebody doesn’t wake up and just think: ‘I’m going to become an addict today’.
“Nobody wants a life of calling their dealer and injecting themselves with drugs.
“So many issues come from really traumatic upbringings and this has led them to take substances to deal with the pain and forget it.
“We want to make it feel OK for people to accept they have an addiction and to not feel they have a dirty illness when asking for help.”
And the list of just how Open Road can help is extensive.
As well as helping addicts, workers support young people, vulnerable women and individuals in the criminal justice system.
Open Road also champions the SOS Bus in Colchester High Street every Friday and Saturday night.
But it is the charity’s commitment to getting addicts into a line of work that stands out as particularly impressive.
Open Road itself has a workforce of which 35 per cent of employees are in recovery for an addiction themselves.
“Evidence shows us that to achieve long-term recovery, they need to have something meaningful to do with their time,” said Joni.
“We want to show employers that just because someone has had an addictive background it doesn’t make them unemployable.
“In fact for us, their life experiences and ability to learn about their addiction makes them really good employees.”
The charity’s commitment to helping those most in need is certainly commendable.
During the Covid pandemic it kept its doors open for face to face appointments so those seeking help could continue to receive it without limitation.
And it was the pandemic which Joni feels really exacerbated problems when it comes to substance misuse.
She said: “I think Covid made it very hidden so it was easier to fall into addiction.
“They were maybe having a drink or taking drugs on, for want of a better phrase, a school night because they didn’t have to be up or presentable for work.
“A lot of people were isolated and alone and so it was very easy to fall into addiction as everything was hidden.”
It is why Open Road strives to help everybody who walks through its doors. After all, anybody can become stuck in a web of addiction.
“We have got people who have been addicted to heroin for 20 years and are now living their best lives,” added Joni.
“I believe everybody is worthy of help and support. We see so many people turn their lives around; everyone has a value to bring to society.
“Every day is different at Open Road and I still get real joy and pleasure out of it after 17 years.”
Open Road will be hosting an afternoon of poetry and music at Layer Marney Tower on October 29.
For more information about the event and the charity, visit www.openroad.org.uk.
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