Indianapolis-based non-profit Overdose Lifeline is taking a unique approach to educate youth about substance use through a new prevention film titled “Perspectives.” The film aims to reshape how teenagers understand and interact with substances, moving beyond the traditional “just say no” messaging.
Overdose Lifeline, a non-profit organization based in Indianapolis, is spotlighting the critical issue of teen substance use through a new prevention film titled “Perspectives.” The film aims to provide a fresh perspective on substance use education, moving away from the traditional “just say no” approach that has proven ineffective over the years.
“For decades, the messaging to young people has been just say no, and that doesn’t really do well,” said Bryan Sims, the film’s director. The new program features a self-guided youth prevention curriculum that includes interviews with young adults who have experienced addiction and expert insights into the science behind addiction.
The project is a three-year-long collaboration between Overdose Lifeline and Bryan Sims of Good Friends Films. For both parties, the topic is deeply personal. Justin Phillips, the founder of Overdose Lifeline, lost his middle child, Aaron, to a heroin overdose in 2013. “Overdose Lifeline was started basically to create access to the overdose reversal drug and fill the gaps in education,” Phillips explained.
The film combines five different lessons, including expert insights about the science behind addiction and the real risks of overdose deaths, particularly due to fentanyl. “No one really talks about the risks behind substance use disorder, the changes that occur in the brain, and currently, the real risks of overdose deaths because of fentanyl,” Phillips added.
Both Phillips and Sims hope that the film will help prevent substance use by shedding light on new perspectives. “People use substances as a solution, and we need to really talk about that and help people not feel that the substance is a solution for everything going on in their lives. I believe this film can do that,” Phillips said.
Sims echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of proper education. “We need to get proper education to young people so that they have information to be able to make a decision themselves,” he said.
The hour-long film will be shown for free on Tuesday, September 2, at 6:30 p.m. at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Center. A panel discussion will follow the screening. Overdose Lifeline eventually hopes to provide the new programming for schools at no cost.
For more information on the free resources provided by Overdose Lifeline, visit their website.
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