When people start to be valued by others, they start to value themselves. And even when their drug use remains unchanged, harm reduction nearly always increases the amount of warm, social contact that the most traumatized and marginalized people have. Because this is essential to coping with trauma, it provides a foundation for further growth. Harm reduction is the opposite of tough love—it is unconditional kindness and imbues what looks to outsiders like irredeemable ugliness with startling moments of transcendent beauty.
