Self-stigma and addiction

Self-stigma in addiction occurs when individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) experience shame based on mythological stereotypes in public stigma, as well as from their own sense of what they take to be shameful about addiction. This process leads to changes in identity in line with negative stigmatising stereotypes. The main source of the shaming process comes from public stigma where powerful others impose upon the individual with SUDs a social world (an ambience) containing false and distorting attitudes and beliefs that are internalised and lead to harmful effects, including further substance use and self-sabotage. A second source of self-stigma is the private shame that individuals feel based on accurate recognition of their situation. This may generate the motivation to heal but typically only when it occurs in a supportive context where public stigma is absent and acceptance by others is present. With the barrier of public stigma removed, or at least lowered, the individual with SUDs will stop self-stigmatising based on the damaging mythology around addiction and so may be given the support he or she needs for self-compassion, and in particular self-trust, in order to recover.