Harm Reduction

Brief History

The harm reduction movement began in the 1970s and 1980s as a grassroots response to the health risks faced by people who use drugs, especially in the context of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Harm reduction gained momentum as activists, public health workers, and people who use drugs pushed back against punitive drug policies.

The history of harm reduction with the LGBTQ+ community is deeply rooted in both resistance and survival, particularly in response to social marginalization, criminalization, and public health crises.

Over time, harm reduction expanded beyond drug use to include approaches in mental health, housing, and sexual health, influencing how services are delivered in diverse settings. Today, harm reduction is a global public health framework rooted in compassion, human rights, and practical support, especially for marginalized populations.

What is Harm Reduction?

Harm reduction aims to minimize the negative consequences of risky behaviors rather than focusing solely on eliminating the behavior itself. It recognizes that some people may continue to engage in risky activities, such as substance use, and instead of condemning or punishing them, it seeks to reduce the harm that these activities can cause.

This approach includes providing safer alternatives, education, support, and resources to help individuals make healthy choices, stay safe, and improve their overall well-being.

Common examples of harm reduction in everyday life include wearing seatbelts, putting on sunscreen, setting healthy boundaries, using clean needles, or making sure you have a designated driver if you've been drinking. We all practice different kinds of harm reduction techniques in our everyday lives without even knowing it!

Why is Harm Reduction Important?

Harm reduction emphasizes engaging directly with people who use drugs to prevent overdose and infectious disease transmission; improve physical, mental, and social well-being; and offer low barrier options for accessing health care services, including substance use and mental health treatment.

Instead of treating everyone who uses drugs/alcohol the same way, harm reduction focuses on each person's unique needs and encourages any positive changes. This approach avoids the negative feelings of shame and stigma that often come with traditional treatment programs.

Harm reduction incorporates the whole spectrum of substance use, allowing the individual to make their own choices involving their drug use and whether they are ready to stop using, reduce their use, or use safely to prevent overdose or other negative outcomes.

Harm Reduction & Self-Harm

A harm reduction approach to non-suicidal self-harm is not an endorsement or encouragement to self-harm. Rather, it accepts the difficult reality that some people are self-harming and that there are ways of minimizing the risks they consequently face, while simultaneously supporting them to address the underlying distress that is driving their behavior.

Harm reduction strategies are often used when taking a client-centered approach to non-suicidal self-harm, as these tactics can keep the client safe from suicide attempts or be used to cope with significant emotional dysregulation or crisis. While the goal with clinical treatment is likely to eventually stop self-harm entirely, it is important to recognize that many individuals do not feel prepared to remove a coping mechanism that has been effective for them, and smaller steps may be required to make progress toward their goals.

Harm Reduction Resources

Click on the resources below for more information: