NC First Lady Anna Stein wants to do something about the state’s opioid crisis. Here’s how.

First Lady Anna Stein announced a partnership this week called Unshame NC, aimed at reducing stigma around substance use disorder and promoting treatment. 

Here’s a shocking number: From 2011 to 2021, drug overdose death rates tripled in North Carolina, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. 

A new initiative spearheaded by NC’s first lady, Anna Stein, aims to do something about that. 

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This week, Stein and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced the launch of Unshame North Carolina – a campaign to reduce stigma surrounding substance use disorder (SUD) and promote medications for opioid use disorder as a treatment option. 

“Many people struggling with substance use don’t seek help because of stigma,” Stein said at the meeting. “This campaign will highlight the stories of people who have experience with substance use disorder and recovery and bring greater awareness to effective methods of treatment for opioid use disorder.”

Stein has worked in public health and law. According to the governor’s office, that’s informed the first lady’s interest in treating substance use, as well as reentry and rehab programs.

The campaign includes a website with testimonials from North Carolina residents about their stories of substance use and recovery. The site also features facts about SUD stigma along with resources for those seeking treatment either for themselves or for loved ones. 

What is ‘Unshame NC’?

According to the Unshame NC website, only 52% of North Carolinians are willing to have someone with opioid use disorder as a close friend, and 46% of North Carolinians with SUD express feeling ashamed of themselves. 

Additionally, a statewide survey indicated 57% of NC residents know someone with opioid use disorder, yet only 34% of individuals know how to find quality treatment.

One of Unshame NC’s story sharers, Michael, said the issue is not just about overdoses or lives that were lost or saved, however, it’s about how to treat people and “bring them out of the shadows.”

“How do we welcome them back into society?” he said. “How do we get them back to where we need to be? And that requires a lot of folks like me to speak out and help break the stigma.”

Unshame NC is a collaboration with Shatterproof, a national nonprofit focused on addiction. They use something called the “Shatterproof Addiction Index” (SASI) to evaluate North Carolinians’ beliefs and stigma levels.

SASI is a tool that measures public stigma, structural stigma, self-stigma and stigma against medication for opioid use disorder. According to Unshame NC, utilizing this tool will help the team determine where to focus campaign strategies and measure the success of the initiative.

Courtney McKeon, the senior vice president for Shatterproof’s National Stigma Initiative, said the stories of NC residents will help to increase understanding of all treatment options and support individuals working to improve their health and wellness. 

“While most North Carolinians believe that people with SUD can recover with treatment, stigma and misinformation can create barriers to care,” McKeon said at the meeting. 

Individuals who wish to share their story with Unshame NC and NCDHHS can fill out a story sharer interest form.