A group of people wearing the same blue T-shirts gathered at Depot Park on Saturday.

“I was an alcoholic for about 35 years. I lost my home, my wife, my job. I lost everything. I was homeless for three years,” said running race participant Wade D. Told. Wade D.’s full name has been withheld to protect anonymity. Anonymity is a core tenet of his recovery program. “We are here to raise public awareness of this issue because it has been stigmatized and shamed. We’re trying to make that part of our culture and help people know where to go.”

Wade D. has been recovering for five years.

“Recovery can happen to anyone. You need to be willing to ask for help and check your ego on the doorstep. You can’t be in charge of your own recovery. You need someone else to help you.” he said.

Melody LaFlam, coordinator of Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, a nonprofit that provides addiction treatment, mental health treatment and educational activities, said:

“We’re going to help her get off drugs and get her baby back,” LaFlam said of the Meridian program, which specializes in helping mothers with addictions.[Then]we’re going to help her get off drugs.”

In addition to organizations like Meridian that offer a wide range of services, there are also organizations that focus on youth education. Amy Patrick and LaShay Johnson are project coordinators for the Alachua County Health Promotion and Wellness Coalition. Patrick said they educate and help young people by talking and working with their parents.She also gives speeches and presentations at schools. She thinks Patrick only thinks steam is cool and fun for some teenagers, not addictive or risky.

“We are working to oppose these laws. We understand that different laws have been passed. That’s it,” said Johnson.

While many states have declared marijuana legal, the Alachua County Health Promotion and Wellness Coalition is educating people about the dangers of drugs and making them aware of substance use disorders.

Over the years, the number of drug overdose deaths in Florida has steadily increased. However, many people lack understanding and awareness of addiction. These non-profit organizations therefore offer a range of education and services to help solve this problem.

In addition to lack of knowledge about drugs and addiction, stigma is an important reason people are prevented from recovering.

Laflam said some of the students she taught at school were embarrassed to say they’d been to Meridian, while some who were experiencing addiction were mistaken. He said he was likely to be accused of being

Waters said stigma can prevent people experiencing addiction from sharing their stories with others or seeking help from agencies.

UF Health Florida Recovery Center and these organizations have long worked to break the stigma of substance use disorders and prove that recovery is possible. Fighting stigma is a key objective of Run 4 Recovery 5K.

“By holding public events and engaging the community[and]getting the Gainesville Police Department and volunteers involved, we can show people in recovery that they can build confidence and reduce their shame. People still carry some shame, so it helps them feel better about it with confidence that they’re recovering,” says Waters. I got

Run 4 Recovery 5K aims to raise awareness of substance use disorders, break down addiction stigma and celebrate people’s recovery.

“We want to educate the public. We just want to provide awareness and information about substance use disorders, so I think the public still has some misconceptions. UF Health Florida Recovery of the center.

The UF Health Florida Recovery Center provided free t-shirts for all participants. “Enrollment numbers are over 200 for him. There are about 40 staff, and he has 80 other UF Health staff,” Waters said.

Run 4 Recovery 5K was attended by vendors of local treatment providers and recovery-related exhibitors. These organizations provided self-certifications, gifts and brochures at the exhibition.