Breaking the Stigma: Introduction

Katherine Camarata

Lead Editor

My first story as a fresh, new staff reporter in fall of 2021 was the first installation of the Breaking the Stigma series about Autism Spectrum Disorder, with the goal to highlight the lived experiences of people with disorders, as opposed to strictly focusing on expert opinions. Since then, I have written 8 additional installations of the column featuring voices of people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder to Borderline Personality Disorder to Bipolar Disorder and many others in between. This year, we featured the perspectives of those with Substance Use Disorder, Sleep Disorders and Eating Disorders. Scan the QR codes to find the full articles online and leave a comment if you relate or learn something!

Substance Use Disorders

Katherine Camarata

Lead Editor

Substance Use Disorders (SUD) exist everywhere and can often go untreated, affecting 20.4 million people in the U.S. in the past year, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Overdose has impacted Ellensburg, with 6 people passing away from overdose in the first 9 months of 2021, according to Kittitas Valley Healthcare’s 2022 report.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5, when recurring use of alcohol or drugs causes health concerns, disabilities or lack of function in daily life, it constitutes a substance use disorder.

The diagnosis is “based on evidence of impaired control, social impairment, risky use and pharmacological criteria.”

The recovery community in Ellensburg includes a variety of groups that collaborate to help residents and employees alike find hope through substance use, such as Merit Resource Services, the Kittitas County Recovery Community Organization (KCRCO) and on-campus resources through the Wellness Center or Student Counseling Services.