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We can all agree that having an addiction is not a good thing. However, substance abuse or addiction often brings about negative attitudes and stereotypes — called stigmas — that can lead those struggling to struggle even more. Consequently, the stigma of addiction and of getting addiction treatment itself can keep you from seeking the healing and recovery you deserve. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Understanding the Stigma of Addiction

When you have a drug or alcohol addiction, no doubt your life is filled with daily challenges. And your addiction likely negatively impacts those around you, such as your friends, loved ones, and colleagues. Our society today is well aware of both the micro-level and macro-level problems that addiction causes. While this produces greater addiction education awareness in some, it can cause the stigma of addiction to develop in others. This ultimately impacts your life, too.

As stigma and addiction intertwine, you may face negative views or attitudes, discrimination, as well as harmful stereotypes. This addiction stigma can create barriers to substance abuse treatment, making your condition worse as a result, shares the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Rooted in a lack of understanding of substance use disorders and how they’re treated, some of the stigmas you may face include:

Common Addiction Stigmas

  • Seeing addiction as a moral failure or a choice: Instead of understanding addiction as a compulsive condition rooted in changes in the brain, the stigma of addiction may lead others to think your struggles are due to your poor values, bad decisions, a lack of willpower, and wrong choices.
  • Thinking all people with addictions are aggressive, lie, or steal: While some individuals with severe substance use disorders may resort to these types of behaviors, such a stereotype can be improperly labeled upon anyone with substance abuse challenges. 
  • Believing that an addiction is permanent: Some can believe that due to addictive personalities, family history, etc., an addiction can last the entirety of your life. However, with the right treatment, you can overcome substance abuse.
  • Viewing you as a “junkie” or “addict”: These kinds of terms used in everyday language are often rooted in the assumption that you’re to blame (and even deserved to be punished) for your addiction. However, such classifications feed negative biases and dehumanize you

SOURCES: National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Government of Canada

The Impact of Addiction Stigma on Your Recovery

According to Johns Hopkins University, rates of addiction stigma are extremely high among both the general public and within professions (including healthcare) that interact with people who have addictions. However, the fallout of this alcohol or drug addiction stigma is that it damages your health and well-being as someone struggling with substance abuse. Stigma can even interfere with the quality of care you may get in clinical treatment settings

The stigma of addiction can also fall under one of the more significant barriers to substance abuse treatment. The stereotypes and negative attitudes you may face can prevent you from ever seeking addiction treatment in the first place. Or you may feel ashamed about your addiction and think that there’s something inherently wrong with you. While you may be aware that professional addiction treatment can help you, you may fear being “found out” by others. Discussing with your employer your need for a leave of absence to get treatment, for example, may be intimidating. This cautiousness to disclose your condition may keep you from getting the help you need.

As you internalize the negative messages associated with the stigma of addiction, you may begin to believe them yourself. This only lowers your self-esteem and exacerbates the negative feelings you’re struggling to regulate. You may isolate yourself as a result. And even worse, you may seek out more drugs or alcohol to cope with these stigmas. 

How to Fight Against the Stigma of Addiction

For those reading this who may have a loved one abusing substances, you can do your part to fight against the stigma of addiction. Your efforts may even encourage your loved one to get help. So how can you reduce stigma? For starters, you can educate yourself on addiction, its root causes (such as repressed childhood trauma), and how it affects the brain. This can help you dispel any misconceptions you may have believed, as well as any underlying biases. Then, show your support to your loved one who’s struggling.

And if you’re dealing with substance abuse yourself, overcoming the stigma of addiction means refusing to let it keep you from pursuing recovery. This means choosing to seek professional treatment for your addiction, in spite of the stigmas that get in the way. And once you’ve successfully navigated treatment and are turning your life around in recovery, speak out about your experience. Your story may encourage others who are struggling themselves.

Overcome Addiction in a Stigma-Free Environment

If you’re ready to seek professional treatment for your addiction, choosing a program that can help you take a break from your distractions (including stigmas) and focus wholly on your recovery can make all the difference. At Sana at Stowe, our rehabs in Vermont allow you to pursue addiction recovery at a trauma-informed treatment center in the beautiful Green Mountains. With our help, you can break the cycle of your addiction and achieve long-term sobriety. To get started, call us now