The Barn Hosting 6th Annual Breakout Bash to Raise Awareness for Addiction and Mental Illness

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- This Saturday, The Barn is hosting its 6th annual “Breakout Bash” to raise awareness, to educate, and to appreciate those suffering from addiction and mental illness.

The all-day charity event will be kicking off at 1:30PM when Levi Jameson takes the stage followed by Funknado at 3:30PM, Frampton & Friends at 5:30PM, and the Lost Dogs at 7:00PM. There will be drawings and raffles to help raise funds for NAMI, a group which provides addiction and mental illness care free of charge, and some food and drink specials as well. The goal of the event is to create an environment where individuals can feel comfortable learning and discussing addiction and mental illness, which is something everyone is impacted by.  

“One thing I’ve learned in working in this area is that everyone is touched, some people don’t talk about it. So there might be people who think they’re not affected but it’s only because probably within their family or their circle they’re ashamed and they’re hiding it. I know, it wasn’t until my brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia that I found out that there was several relatives that I was unaware of that were suffering from a brain disorder, but it was something that was never talked about. Those people would just be absent at family get-togethers, so if you weren’t already attuned to it, you wouldn’t know that it was already prevalent,” Paul Quinn, mental health advocate with NAMI stated.

It is expected that one in three families has at least one member that does or will have a mental disorder whether it’s diagnosed or not. That’s why NAMI and The Barn are teaming up to normalize and foster a place to gather and educate about these issues all while raising funds for their cause and while enjoying some great music and conversation. 

“What we’ll be doing is having music all day long, with also a message about mental health and addiction. That recovery is possible with treatment and I feel it’s important that we normalize these conversations about these topics that have generally been taboo just because there’s so much stigma, stereotypes, and ignorance really,” Quinn said.

At the event, you can find flyers and other information on where and how to receive help as well as information for family members to educate them on their loved ones who may be struggling with mental illness and addiction. You can also find out more information on The Barn’s Facebook page.