Introduction
Stigmatization and prejudice are among the most prominent problems of contemporary society. In this context, the stigma against those who suffer from drug use disorders is a collection of unfavorable beliefs and assumptions that might prevent them from receiving treatment and exacerbate their problems (Volkow, 2021). Despite the fact that substance use disorder is a chronic and curable medical condition, research reveals that people who suffer from it frequently experience stigma and prejudice. The main reasons behind this are the general lack of knowledge about the causes of these disorders and the effective treatments available for them.
Reasons and Consequences of Stigmatization
Individuals who struggle with addiction disorders may encounter prejudice, poor treatment, and stereotyping from society at large, particularly in healthcare settings. These difficulties can cause patients to delay getting medical assistance (Biancarelli et al., 2019). In fact, in 2021, 10.4% of those believed they required substance use treatment but decided against it out of fear of criticism from society (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2023).
Those with drug use disorders may also feel guilty in this situation and might even blame themselves for being addicted. Thus, individuals could adopt unfavorable views regarding themselves or develop self-stigma related to their substance usage. These sentiments of embarrassment and loneliness could exacerbate drug abuse.
The implication of this is that people are afraid to disclose their conditions. Particularly for reasons of shame, fear of social rejection, or loss of parental rights, pregnant women may avoid discussing substance use (Frazer et al., 2019). In order to avoid discrimination or harassment, a person who hides their addiction in a healthcare setting may not be able to receive care. For instance, medical professionals could not be aware of the potential interactions between drugs and patients’ prescription medications or might neglect to check patients for diseases that are usually connected to substance use (Biancarelli et al., 2019).
Another issue is the biased attitude within the healthcare setting. While most practitioners were aware of opioid use disorder being curable, Stone et al. (2021) claim that they also exhibited stigmatizing views about it, which had an impact on the care they offered. In other words, medical professionals may not offer evidence-based care because of their prejudices toward addicts.
In many cases, racial inequities and other forms of prejudice provide an additional barrier to the already existing ones in healthcare. For instance, the incidence of opioid use disorder and prescription medicine among young black individuals is lower in comparison to the corresponding white population. As a result, black people tend to delay the treatment of their drug abuse issues for up to five years (Hadland et al., 2018).
Methadone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine are examples of medications for opioid addiction that provide reliable and productive therapies that might aid in recovery (Wakeman et al., 2020). However, because they must be taken consistently and because some of them can cause euphoria in persons who do not have opioid use disorder, these medications are frequently mistaken for and stigmatized as being similar to illegal substances.
Drug abuse stigma also affects the accessibility of available healthcare programs. Similarly, needle exchange programs and syringe services programs assist in reaching individuals with addiction issues and in reducing the health problems related to drug use, such as endocarditis, hepatitis, and HIV. Yet, some individuals avoid participating in these programs out of concern about social stigma from the authorities, friends, and medical experts (Ibragimov et al., 2021). Moreover, because of stigma-related policies, financing issues, and the misbelief that these programs might actually encourage the use of illegal drugs, many municipalities and communities have been extremely slow in implementing these and other harm-reduction initiatives.
Stigma Perpetuation
Popular phrases used to describe addicts can convey the false impression that drug use and other related behaviors are voluntary rather than compulsive. According to research by Muncan et al. (2020), using derogatory or non-academic terminology to describe individuals feeds prejudice and dehumanizes them. According to research, language has the power to affect therapists’ opinions (Muncan et al., 2020).
Apart from that, the idea that drug users are harmful and a menace to society may spread if drug use is viewed as a criminal offense. Black people and other groups of color, for instance, are more likely to be detained for using illegal drugs in the U.S., where punitive laws have a disproportionately negative impact on them (Volkow, 2021). Such a state robs marginalized populations of potential recovery chances.
Critical Reflection
Based on the provided evidence, it is possible to outline the three major directions that would aid in addressing the stigma in healthcare and society. First of all, there is a need to increase awareness regarding substance use disorder as a medical condition. Once the general population accepts its chronic and treatable nature, people will be able to confront bias on both conscious and subconscious levels.
Second, replacing the stigmatizing terms with proper and adequate scientific and academic terms will ensure that addiction will stop being the only attribute society sees in these patients. This notion is particularly important in the case of healthcare professionals, who are expected to be exemplary in the context of substance use disorder treatment. Third, systemic discrimination prevents addicted people from accessing health promotion programs by limiting their financing and proliferation.
Conclusion
The stigma behind substance use disorders is a result of a poor understanding of this condition’s background. It is often perceived as a deliberate choice rather than a disorder, invoking bias toward affected people. In turn, this creates artificial psychological barriers in the addicted people, preventing them from receiving medical help. Therefore, in order to promote health and address the addiction issue, there is a need to confront discrimination and ignorance at all societal levels.
References
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Frazer, Z., McConnell, K., & Jansson, L. M. (2019). Treatment for substance use disorders in pregnant women: Motivators and barriers. Drug and alcohol dependence, 205, 107652. Web.
Hadland, S. E., Bagley, S. M., Rodean, J., Silverstein, M., Levy, S., Larochelle, M. R., & Zima, B. T. (2018). Receipt of timely addiction treatment and association of early medication treatment with retention in care among youths with opioid use disorder. JAMA Pediatrics, 172(11), 1029-1037. Web.
Ibragimov, U., Cooper, K. E., Batty, E., Ballard, A. M., Fadanelli, M., Gross, S. B., & Cooper, H. L. (2021). Factors that influence enrollment in syringe services programs in rural areas: a qualitative study among program clients in Appalachian Kentucky. Harm Reduction Journal, 18(1), 68. Web.
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Stone, E. M., Kennedy-Hendricks, A., Barry, C. L., Bachhuber, M. A., & McGinty, E. E. (2021). The role of stigma in US primary care physicians’ treatment of opioid use disorder. Drug and alcohol dependence, 221. Web.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2023). 2021 NSDUH annual national report. SAMHSA. Web.
Volkow, N. D. (2021). Addiction should be treated, not penalized. Neuropsychopharmacology, 46(12), 2048-2050. Web.
Wakeman, S. E., Larochelle, M. R., Ameli, O., Chaisson, C. E., McPheeters, J. T., Crown, W. H., & Sanghavi, D. M. (2020). Comparative effectiveness of different treatment pathways for opioid use disorder. JAMA network open, 3(2). Web.