Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, who has been a patron of addiction charity The Forward Trust for nearly a decade has now extended her support to an addiction awareness campaign. On Sunday, Kate shared a special video message for those struggling with addiction and urge people to be kind to them.
Saying that addiction is a serious problem mental health condition, the 40-year-old said in the video, “It can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, race or nationality. As a Patron of The Forward Trust, I have met so many people who have suffered from the effects of addiction.”
Explaining how addiction is a complex process and affects mental health, says Arouba Kabir, consultant and founder of Mental Health, Enso Wellness, “It works on reward, reinforcement, motivation, and memory systems of the brain, which make it difficult for individuals to stop and continue pursuing the activity despite the physical or psychological harm it incurs bear, even if the harm increases with each use. Because our brain’s influence on executive functions is concentrated in the prefrontal cortex – over time, the pursuit of pleasurable effects of a substance or behavior can dominate an individual’s activities. Feelings of despair and feelings of failure, shame and guilt are also seen”.
“Attitudes towards addiction are changing. But we’re not there yet, and we need to be. However, the shame of addiction is preventing people and families from asking Help and people are still tragically losing their lives. We, as a society, need to realize that the only way to help those who are suffering is to try and understand what drives their addiction, empathize with them, and be compassionate with their struggles.” , she said in the video recorded from herself. Residence of Kensington Palace.
Acknowledging that no one decides to become an addict on purpose and urging people not to shame anyone, the mother-of-three said: “Know that addiction is not an option. No one chooses to be one addict. I want you to know that this is also a serious health condition. Please don’t let shame stop you from getting the help you desperately need.”
“In case anyone around you falls into this trap for whatever reason, you need to be kind to them as it affects so many areas of an individual — from tolerance to frustration comes from establishing and maintaining effective roles in society, making better decisions, and experiencing constant shame and guilt,” suggested Arouba. “Shame can have a profound effect on a person. It makes a person feel like a failure, unlovable and not good enough. Also, if we shame an individual for their addiction, they may not ask for help on time or accept help when offered,” she continued.
“The charities leading the Take Action Against Addiction Campaign, along with others, are working across the country to do life-changing work to help people recover and move forward. . They are here for you. So ask for help,” she continued. “I know this is not an option. The recuperation ability.”
Based on People magazine, the princess was announced as a patron of The Forward Trust in June 2021, a month after the organization merged with Action on Addiction. For many years, Kate has worked with addiction charities and understands the complexities of mental health.
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