On January 26, a new article repeated a months-old statement from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been nominated to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, that people should go to “wellness farms” to recover from substance use disorder. The proposed farms would teach participants farming skills, offer therapy, and bar the use of drugs and medications, including antidepressants and substance use disorder treatments. A social media post sharing the article received over 20,000 engagements, including over 1,000 comments. Many comments supported the idea and expressed negative attitudes about people with substance use disorder and treatment programs that prescribe medication.
Recommendation
Trending conversations that stigmatize medication for substance use disorder may indicate misconceptions about how these medications work. Messaging may emphasize that a combination of medication and therapy has been shown to help people with substance use disorder reestablish normal brain function, reduce substance cravings, and prevent the recurrence of substance use.
Fact-checking sources: NPR, Dept. of Veterans Affairs
