"Written Off" is a unique first-person account of substance use disorder

The opioid crisis has left a trail of broken lives, families, and communities across the nation, and Fairfax County is not immune from this crisis. There are many factors that contribute to the crisis but the impact of stigma  ̶  the negative attitudes and beliefs directed towards people with substance use disorder and mental illness  ̶  is significant and often prevents individuals, families and friends from recognizing the warning signs of substance use disorder.

And even after they do, stigma can keep them from seeking care.

The documentary Written Off is challenging conventional thinking about addiction. The hour-long film tells the true story of a young man named Matt whose journals chronicle his 10-year struggle to escape dependency on prescription painkillers. By taking the viewer inside an individual’s fight against opioids, Written Off combats stigma and humanizes the victim like the movie Philadelphia did for HIV/AIDS.

Fairfax County is using the film to initiate community conversations about stigma to create an environment where talking about mental health and substance use disorder is no different than talking about cancer or diabetes. Each of us can change the way we think about addiction, and together we can break down stigma and save lives.

Please plan to join us at an upcoming film screening and discussion.

Upcoming public screening events

• Thursday, November 15, 2018
  6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
  Chantilly Regional Library, 4000 Stringfellow Road, Chantilly
  Register to attend.
• Thursday, December 6, 2018
  6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
  Sherwood Regional Library, 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria
  Register to attend.

More screening opportunities

If you are interested in partnering with Fairfax County on a screening of the film for your community, please fill out this request form.

Below you will find a facilitation guide and other resources that can help support your event.

Additional Resources

• Facilitation Guide
• Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board
• REVIVE! opioid overdose reversal training
• Peer-Run Recovery Centers
• Know the RxSK Use with Caution (Northern Virginia)
• Virginia Task Force on Prescription Drug and Heroin Abuse
• Virginia Department of Health
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)