By the time February rolls around, a lot of us are already tired of “new year, new you.” The pressure to completely reinvent ourselves is loud in January—and pretty quiet about what happens when real life doesn’t match those expectations. For people living in or seeking recovery, that pressure can feel especially heavy. At Live Tampa Bay, we want to offer a different message this month: you do not have to earn your worth. You deserve care, dignity, and connection exactly where you are today.
We also can’t ignore what we’re seeing across our region and our country. The overdose crisis continues to devastate families and communities, and it is deeply intertwined with something many of us are experiencing but rarely name out loud: loneliness. Research shows that when people are socially isolated, they are more likely to develop an opioid use disorder and more likely to have that disorder worsen over time. Individuals who misuse opioids often report intense loneliness and difficulty maintaining relationships, which can create a cycle where isolation drives use and use deepens isolation. When someone uses alone, there is often no one there to notice an overdose or call for help. That is one of the reasons so many overdoses are fatal.
We also know the burden of this crisis is not shared equally. In 2020, for the first time, the overdose death rate among Black Americans surpassed that of White Americans in the United States. Black communities experienced some of the sharpest increases in overdose deaths, driven in part by a toxic and unpredictable drug supply layered on top of long‑standing inequities in housing, healthcare, employment, and policing. These trends are not about a lack of resilience; they are about the conditions we have created—and tolerated—for far too long. As we mark Black History Month, we honor the strength, leadership, and creativity of Black communities in Tampa Bay and beyond, and we recommit ourselves to changing the systems that have failed them.
One of the most important ways we can change those systems is by changing how we see and speak about substance use. Stigma is not just a feeling; it is a barrier to care. When people with substance use disorders are labeled as “addicts,” “abusers,” or “lost causes,” they are more likely to be blamed for their illness and less likely to seek treatment. National guidance urges all of us—providers, officers, employers, community leaders—to use person‑first, science‑based language: “person with a substance use disorder,” “person in recovery,” “person who uses drugs.” It might sound like a small shift, but studies show it changes how we respond to people in front of us—and whether we see them as worthy of care.
This is where your partnership is so powerful. Every day, across Tampa Bay, law enforcement officers, affiliate organizations, faith communities, and workplaces have opportunities to either deepen shame or build trust. When an officer offers a warm handoff to treatment instead of only a charge, when a pastor speaks openly about mental health and recovery, when a supervisor makes it safe for an employee to use an Employee Assistance Program, those choices say: “You still belong here.” Evidence keeps reminding us that social connection, a sense of belonging, and supportive environments are protective against substance use problems and overdose.
This February, we are focusing on three simple themes:
- Love yourself, realistically. We’re shifting from resolution pressure to sustainable self‑care. That might mean changing your inner script, setting one healthy boundary, or reaching out to a peer instead of going it alone. These are acts of strength, not selfishness.
- Name and interrupt loneliness. If about half of adults report feeling lonely, that means many of the people you encounter in a shift, a workplace, or a congregation are carrying that weight. A genuine check‑in, a non‑judgmental conversation, or a warm invitation into community can open a door.
- Use words that heal, not harm. Removing labels like “addict” from our vocabulary and replacing them with respectful, person‑first language is a concrete way to reduce stigma and signal that help is available without judgment.
At Live Tampa Bay, we are here to walk this out with you. We will continue to provide education, tools, and spaces where law enforcement, employers, faith leaders, and community partners can learn together and support one another. The loneliness and overdose crises are big, but they are not bigger than what we can do together when we lead with compassion, evidence, and a deep belief in every person’s capacity to heal.
Thank you for the role you play in making Tampa Bay a place where people are met with hope instead of shame. This month, my invitation is simple: choose one way to care for yourself a little more kindly, and one way to help someone else feel a little less alone. Those choices matter more than you know.
Yours in service,
Jennifer Webb