It's time to end the stigma of addictions
We don't demonise people suffering other kinds of afflictions
The opposite of addiction isn't sobriety, it's connection
So why are addicts cast out at every societal intersection
Today it's them but tomorrow it could be you
Addiction doesn't discriminate, that's always been true
It doesn't care about race, religion or colour
It just wants to see graveyards and prisons getting fuller
I've lost count of the lives we've all lost along the way
And we keep adding em up, still, to this day
I've known more people die than I have get clean
That's why we need to stop stigmatising that scene
Because people keep dying
And it's an uphill battle for those that are trying
Because services are slashed and budgets got cut
So it's even harder than ever to get yourself out of that rut
Addicts are just people afflicted by trauma and hurt
If you saw someone else's suffering? would ya treat em like dirt
The stigma of addiction doesn't end when you get clean
There's always someone wanting to remind you of what you'd once been
Or saying have a beer, you'll be right with just one
Don't be a spoilsport, you're ruining our fun
Because most people just don't get it
So if you've got clean or sober I'll give you full credit
Because I'm walking that path too
And it's a hard one, so stay positive and stay true
True to yourself
Recognise it was you that got ya here, no one else
So if you're in recovery, recover loud
Don't be ashamed of your past, you survived it… Be proud
Because we beat the odds, we're part of a growing statistic
That We do recover…. Is highly realistic
So that addict who you pass in the street
Could be one step away from having their demons beat
Or they might still have a long way to go
Maybe they'll never get out, who knows
All I know is this much
Is was easier for me when people gave me a lift up
Helped me on my way
Start to believe in a brighter day
So every day now I give praise
Could've been different in so many ways
So I refuse to be stigmatised
My people are the disenfranchised
The ones who are down on their luck
Might just need a hand up
Yearning for a samaritan
So treat em with humility not arrogance
They're somebody's daughter or son, brother or sister, dad or mum
So stop viewing em like junkie scum
People need to open their eyes and finally start seeing
That behind the addiction… Is just another human being.
Check out Simon Pickles Poet on #SoundCloud https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/eqTL7
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