7 Ways to Utilize Harm Reduction in Your Everyday Life-Without Substances

Everyone can use harm reduction every day in their daily lives, in fact most people practice these strategies without even knowing it! So what is harm reduction and what does it mean to use it in your life?

Putting you in control, harm reduction allows people to choose their own adventure to a safer way of using drugs and alcohol but also our mental health and general existing. Check out these common everyday tools for prevention and if you’ve ever used them!

1.      Wear a seatbelt

Let’s start out with a daily preventative method: seatbelts. Although car accidents cannot be stopped by wearing a seatbelt, using one can reduce the risk of death from a car accident by 45-60%.

2.      Smoke alarms/Carbon Monoxide detector

Often a reminder of the pizza we forgot in the oven, smoke alarms can be the deciding factor between life and death. Rather than becoming aware of the situation when it is too late, in house detectors alert us to make a move toward safety right away!

3.      Washing your hands

From surgeons and food servers to teachers and kids, hand washing plays a vital role in reducing the spread of germs…and sticky hands. Preventing germs can minimize sickness and could be lifesaving to some people we interact with.

4.      Use the sidewalk

Rather than having pedestrians and cyclists collide with high speed drivers, slower foot traffic can safely walk on protected sidewalks. Also, using bicycle lanes and keeping them clear of vehicles can greatly keep our cyclists much safer!

5.      Setting boundaries

Probably the hardest things to accomplish on this list but maybe the most important. Whether it be learning how to communicate with parents, getting through the year with a challenging roommate, or even with yourself, boundaries help us say no and protect us from situations we don’t want to be in

6.      Recycling

Harm reduction for the environment! Today recycling can help us with plastic waste and other harmful affects to the planet. Together we can help prevent climate change from being detrimental to the future!

7.      “Mental Health” Days

With how things are in society today, many people are overworked, underpaid, and still learning how Covid affected life. Taking a day to yourself can be a nice reset to remind us of what we enjoy and help reduce stress and anxiety levels. So grab your blanket and turn on