What Is Harm Reduction?

What Is Harm Reduction?

Learn more about harm reduction, its objectives, and how to access professional help at Essence Health and Wellness.

Harm Reduction Definition

Harm reduction for substance abuse is concerned with minimizing the damage associated with substance misuse and encompasses a range of health practices and social and legal services that apply to both legal and illegal drugs. Harm reduction is built around making a proactive move for combating the adverse effects linked with substance abuse that necessitates providing pertinent services and resources. 1

Therefore, harm reduction is defined as a strategy that takes the form of policies, initiatives, and practices that work to lessen the adverse effects of drug use on health, relationships, and society and provide low-barrier ways to access medical care for substance use disorders. 2

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Harm Reduction Counseling

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Harm Reduction Counseling

Questions About Treatment?

Our team is standing by to address your questions. Your call is confidential and no obligation is required.

(800) 426-9829

When Did Harm Reduction Start?

The harm reduction approach was used for the first time in the United Kingdom in the 1980s to realize the public health objective of minimizing the harm connected with drug use. Harm reduction became crucial after identifying acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in 1981, not only for substance use disorder treatment but also for lowering the spread of blood-borne infections. 3

Why Are Harm Reduction Services Needed?

Harm reduction services acknowledge significant hazards associated with drug use and that individuals with substance use disorders need several harm reduction interventions to lessen drug-related harm gradually. Therefore, harm reduction services are essential and advantageous since they open a channel for providing preventative and remedial actions for such problems. 4
Harm reduction services are effective in:
  • Preventing and reducing overdose deaths
  • Providing access to information on drug use as well as harm reduction counseling and treatment referrals
  • Dispensing opioid overdose reversal drugs to combat overdose risk
  • Preventing the spread of infectious diseases (e.g., HIV)
  • Encouraging healing and positivity through peer support initiatives and other recovery-related activities

Harm Reduction vs. Abstinence

Harm reduction vs. abstinence are typically emphasized in treatments for substance misuse as a method of recovery. Both strategies have a high likelihood of success, and neither is regarded as superior to the other. The choice to use one or the other depends on an individual’s care needs because their underlying philosophies differ significantly.

Abstinence is built on the principle that it is impossible to successfully moderate substance use in a way that does not encourage or lead to adverse effects. It is the total cessation of alcohol or drug use. On the other hand, the harm reduction model places a higher priority on minimizing the adverse effects of substance abuse and works by curtailing the harm to health without completely ceasing actual usage. 5

Principles of Harm Reduction

The harm reduction approach comprises various measures to address substance use’s causes and consequences. Harm reduction strategies and principles also consider specific societal and individual needs. Central to addiction harm reduction are the following principles: 6

Non-Judgmental Approach

Addiction harm reduction calls for an approach that is non-judgmental, non-coercive, and focuses on providing resources, services, and information aimed at reducing the negative impacts of substance misuse.

Respecting the Rights of People Who Use Drugs

Individuals misusing drugs and alcohol continue to have the same rights that those who don’t partake in drugs and alcohol misuse, and everyone must respect this. Therefore, any harm reduction program’s primary focus is empowering and equipping the individual as the main factor in lessening the adverse effects of substance use.

Evidence

A broad amount of research supporting the effectiveness of harm reduction interventions in reducing harm in a variety of social, cultural, and economic contexts serves as the basis for harm reduction policies and practices.

Commitment to Universal Human Rights and Social Justice

Drug usage does not result in the loss of human rights. As a result, the foundation of harm reduction principles is in dedication to upholding human rights while combating discrimination. This helps ensure that no one is denied access to social services due to factors like the use of drugs, race, sexuality, gender, or economic status.

The Avoidance of Stigma

Eliminating stigma related to drug abuse is a core tenet of all harm reduction programs. It is always imperative to have a harm reduction plan in order to respect, acknowledge, and celebrate those changing for the better rather than feigning ignorance or projecting criticism.

Goals of Harm Reduction

While harm reduction is primarily concerned with safeguarding health by mitigating the negative impacts of substance abuse, other goals of addiction harm reduction include:
  • Keeping people alive
  • Encouraging positive change in people’s lives
  • Reducing the harm of drug laws and policy
  • Offering alternatives to approaches that seek to prevent substance use disorders

Common Harm Reduction Issues

Common issues central to the harm reduction program will be detailed below.

Discrimination Against Drug Users

Discrimination can be found across several sects of human life. Discrimination against individuals with substance use problems makes it harder for them to seek and get help when necessary. This, in turn, increases the negative outcomes among such individuals. By being more tolerant and removing the stigma around drug use, individuals can easily get the health and therapy help they need on their own.

Drug Overdose

Drug overdoses are a common implication of substance use. Either due to constant substance intake and systemic accumulation or the effects of multiple substance use. Overdoses, although common, are preventable by offering proper support, information, and care to people with substance use issues.

Naloxone

One of the hallmarks of the cessation of substance use is the development of intense withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms, especially seen in conditions such as opioid use disorder and alcohol use disorder, can be highly debilitating and worsen drug-seeking behavior. Medications such as naloxone work to curb drug craving as well as withdrawal symptoms.

Supervised Injection Facilities (SIFs)

SIFs are subsidiaries of supervised consumption services where drug use can be monitored by trained personnel. Supervised injection facilities help prevent overdoses while properly disposing of syringes. They also increase access to medical and social services for people with substance use issues.

Syringe Access

Poor sterile syringe access predisposes individuals to higher rates of harm. This harm is centered around systemic infection due to the increased risk of blood-borne disease transmission. In cases where individuals cannot avoid total injection use, syringe service programs help distribute and increase the availability of sterile syringes.

Drug Checking

Using evidence-based methods built around harm reduction, trained professionals can implement safer drug use through drug checking.

Finding Harm Reduction Counseling Near You

Many harm reduction programs around the country offer harm reduction therapy services. These harm reduction centers are easy to reach through recommendations from qualified medical professionals. In addition, the technology development has made it easier to find and access local and online support groups.7

What Is Harm Reduction Counseling?

A certified harm reduction therapist conducts therapy sessions, suggests support groups, and provides educational materials as part of a multifaceted treatment approach. The goal of this approach is to spread important knowledge, lower the risks of substance abuse, and foster the development of healthy habits.

Harm reduction counseling provides an alternative to reducing substance use and is founded on enhancing wellbeing and promoting safety without requiring users to give up usage drastically. It is beneficial for aiding individuals who have had trouble responding to other strategies to manage how much substance is used to limit the negative impact on health. It also reduces the harmful effects of substances used on the community.

Harm Reduction

Where Do Harm Reduction Programs Exist?

These harm reduction programs mainly exist in the Western part of the world, with there being over 400 syringe service programs in the United States.
In contrast, other parts of the world, particularly religious states, have yet to adopt or implement any harm reduction program because it is thought to conflict with the prevailing religious climate. 8

The Essence Harm Reduction Program

Essence Health and Wellness Clinic’s harm reduction program is motivated by the need to offer high-quality, individualized harm reduction care in the form of counseling, psychotherapy, medical services (such as pre-exposure prophylaxis), treatment referrals, and support to people who are struggling with substance abuse. The harm reduction program’s treatments emphasize kindness, compassion, and respect while also focusing on abstinence-oriented techniques to prevent and lessen drug-related problems.

Contact Essence Health and Wellness to Learn More

From providing harm reduction for substance abuse in a supportive and safe environment to delivering round-the-clock assistance, at Essence Health and Wellness, we aim to help individuals struggling with substance use cope better and recover.

Contact us for additional details on harm reduction at Essence and Wellness today.

Resources

  1. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/what-is-harm-reduction
  2. https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/harm-reduction
  3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20163946/#:~:text=In%20the%20mid%2D1980s%20in,health%20associated%20with%20drug%20use.
  4. https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/national-drug-strategy-2017-2026.pdf
  5. http://www.differencebetween.net/science/health/difference-between-abstinence-and-harm-reduction/
  6. https://harmreduction.org/about-us/principles-of-harm-reduction/
  7. https://www.mhanational.org/find-support-groups
  8. https://filtermag.org/harm-reduction-worldwide/amp/