The Purpose of Nerdy Sober Hipsters

Photo by Phil Cho.

It’s 2019, and the opioid epidemic in the United States is still raging. Research suggests that the number of deaths caused by overdose is only rising. Some of the most respected media outlets have made it a regular occurrence to flood our vision with gruesome images of the effects of rampant drug addiction.

Earlier this year, TIME did an entire issue dedicated to the topic, called The Opioid Diaries. Just last month, the New York Times did a three part series on the epidemic, including the piece Despair, Love and Loss: A Journey Inside West Virginia’s Opioid Crisis.

Thematically these pieces are the same. Their intent is to show the most harrowing moments of what drug addiction can create. There is literal death in these images. After publicly displaying the trauma, the articles typically make a futile attempt to end on a hopeful note – a political gesture as if to say, “Of course, we’re not allowed to state outright that addicts are completely hopeless.”

I’m optimistic enough to believe that the writers of these articles have good intentions, but in reality the disturbing images presented further perpetuate a narrative that stigmatizes addiction and drives the rest of society into a fearful stance anytime the topic connects to them personally.

These are the same images that we have seen over and over for years on reruns of COPS, or referenced in various other pieces of popular culture. The takeaway message is one that promotes fear and shame. We are being convinced that drug addiction is terrifying, and that drug addicts who are actively using have become grotesque caricatures of human beings.

I can’t blame journalists for telling the story from that angle, because really, what other knowledge can they have of the experience of addiction? On some level, is it quite important for the public to know just how gruesomely bad addiction can be, but as long as we keep trying to fight the battle against opioids with fear, we will continue to lose.

There is a tremendous part of the story that is missing from the discussion.

When I read the latest big article about drug addicts and their families, I take it personally. I know these people. I’m one of them. When a media outlet publishes an article about an addict, they are writing about me. When they discuss the effects that addiction has on a family, they are talking about my family. I feel obligated to tell the story of addiction and recovery from the perspective of a person who has lived through it. Even more importantly, I get to give a voice to others who also have stories to tell.

Nerdy Sober Hipsters is a special place, in that every piece of content you see here has been put together by young people who have recovered from addiction to drugs and alcohol. This is where we tell our stories. We are confident that we can speak for ourselves.

We refuse to indulge in fear, and we are not ashamed of who we are.

NSH has been publishing content since November of 2015. Many of our writers, like myself, have been successfully clean and sober for several years.

Although the subject matter of living life sober is often profound, we try to not take ourselves too seriously. The moniker “Nerdy Sober Hipsters” is meant to be self-aware and a bit tongue in cheek, yet still captures the essence of our spirit.

In being “Nerdy”, we affirm that we are intellectually engaged and committed to being interested in the things that comprise the world we live in. In being “Hipsters”, we affirm that we strive towards cultural awareness and a broad level understanding of the trends and topics we comment on.

Most importantly, in being “Sober”, we acknowledge who we are. We state publicly that we have grappled with drug and alcohol addiction and emerged triumphantly on the other side. Every article that we post on this website, in some form, is a declaration of victory. We emphasize that sobriety is a celebration of everything worthwhile in life. It’s a party where everyone is welcome, and we’re here to spread the word.

On NSH, we’re showing the world something new. In the process, we hope to broaden society’s perspective on what it means to be an addict/alcoholic in recovery. We’re here to dismantle the stigma and shame associated with addiction and replace it with inspiration and hope for those who are still struggling. The stage is set, but we still have plenty of work to do.

Please, join us.

If you’re interested in becoming a part of Nerdy Sober Hipsters, contact us on our Facebook