SUN Behavioral Delaware Goes Purple to Destroy the Stigma of Addiction

Georgetown, DE: SUN Behavioral Delaware has gone purple for the entire month of October as part of the statewide Delaware Goes Purple campaign. Delaware Goes Purple is a month-long observance that aims to bring awareness to substance use disorders and destroy the stigma associated with substance use treatment by using the color purple to unify the community.

Peggy Geisler, co-chair of Delaware Goes Purple and CEO of the Sussex County Health Coalition describes the campaign as “an awareness and anti-stigma message of hope that recovery is possible throughout the state of Delaware.” Ms. Geisler also adds that the campaign is “meant to address the opioid epidemic that we’re all facing.”

Every 22 hours, a citizen of Delaware loses their battle to prescription painkillers, heroin, or other powerful opioids. The campaign believes that the greatest factor preventing people from seeking treatment is the stigma surrounding addiction. They advocate that those struggling with addiction should know that their disease is not one that they should be ashamed of or keep hidden. The main goal of the Delaware Goes Purple campaign is to inspire the community to stand up and erase the stigma surrounding addiction treatment while supporting the individuals who need it most.

The campaign places special emphasis on the education of young people. According to a report from the National Study on Drugs and Health, nine million adolescents and young adults between the ages of 12 and 25 need help with drug and alcohol problems. Early education about the dangers and risks involved with substance use can help prevent future issues with addiction.

Delaware Goes Purple was started by the Sussex County Health Coalition in 2018 as “Sussex Goes Purple,” covering only Sussex County, DE. The campaign went viral and received an outpouring of support from local businesses and community organizations, leading to its expansion into covering the whole state of Delaware.

SUN Behavioral Delaware is proud to sponsor and participate in the Delaware Goes Purple campaign by supporting its goal of advocating the effectiveness of substance use treatment and mental health services, including how these programs can enable people to live healthy, fulfilling lives.

“This work is a marathon, not a sprint. The opioid crisis is a complex issue that needs a complex solution. We need the entire community to join the movement and to get engaged to bring recovery to our county and to our state,” Peggy Geisler adds.

SUN Delaware offers a comprehensive series of programs that promote health and recovery by serving the unmet needs of the community through individualized care and treatment. Call SUN today at 713-796-2273 to learn more about their behavioral health and addiction treatment programs.