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Self-stigma and addiction
Matthews, Steve
Matthews, Steve
Author
Abstract
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.
Keywords
addiction, stigma, self-stigma, shame, stereotype, human kind, acceptance, self-trust
Date
2019
Type
Book chapter
Journal
Book
The stigma of addiction : An essential guide
Volume
Issue
Page Range
5-32
Article Number
ACU Department
Plunkett Centre for Ethics
Faculty of Theology and Philosophy
Faculty of Theology and Philosophy
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
All rights reserved
File Access
Controlled