The Unfortunate Stigma of Addiction
What is stigma? It is a negative term that can be considered a mark of shame. It is often used to judge or discredit someone. In the case of addiction, it can prevent people from getting the help they need.
The stigma of addiction is an unfortunate reality. It is stigmatized in many families, communities, and organizations, including medical organizations.
Addiction Is recognized as a chronic brain disease (and not as a moral failing). Many factors that cause addiction to develop, including genetics, trauma, and mental health conditions, are out of the individual’s control. Treatment of addiction as a chronic disease result in similar outcomes to other chronic diseases including diabetes, asthma, and hypertension. Blaming the individual for their addiction is counterproductive
Successful treatment of chronic diseases involves first making a diagnosis. This often occurs at a physician’s office, or at a hospital. It then involves appropriate treatment. Treatment of most chronic diseases (such as Type 2 Diabetes, Coronary Artery Disease, and Hypertension) often involve lifestyle changes, counseling, social support, and medications. Early diagnosis and treatment of many chronic diseases is associated with improved outcomes. Addiction treatment involve lifestyle changes, counseling, social support, and medications.
Stigmatization of addiction makes it harder to come forward to allow a proper diagnosis to be made, and for appropriate treatment to be instituted.
Throughout recorded history, many diseases have been stigmatized. Whether it is leprosy in ancient times, cancer many decades ago, HIV, mental health, or addiction in more recent times, it exists, and it is related to a lack of understanding of the condition.
Stigmatization prevents individuals from seeking help and receiving help. It is sometimes incorrectly labelled a character flaw, and some individuals shamefully do not feel that people with addictions warrant the help that they need. Stigma of this disease results in shame.
It is not hard to treat patients non-judgmentally. It is not hard to show the same respect to a patient with addiction as it is someone with asthma or diabetes.
Our practice (along with many other addiction treatment organizations) is committed to treating all individuals with non-judgment and respect.