Written by: Painrecovery 8/20/2009 10:54 AM
Why are the words “addiction” and “addict” so problematic for so many people? Much of this difficulty can be attributed to the stigma that is assigned to them. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines stigma as “a mark of shame or discredit.”* It is often attached to social judgment and cultural norms. The stigma attached to “addiction” and “addict” makes them “dirty” words. Despite volumes of research on drug dependence and scientific evidence to the contrary, addiction is viewed by many as a moral failing or weakness. Addicts and their families are subjected to social, legal, and financial discrimination, making it difficult for them to obtain the help they need. When addicts do access help, insurance is inadequate to cover the cost of effective treatment. Family members are often the most judgmental because they have experienced the consequences of the addict’s behavior, not realizing the addict is sick, not “bad.” Addiction is one of the few diseases that carries such a negative emotional charge and is a source of shame or embarrassment. Who would want to have a diagnosis or label that carries such a stigma? For those with chronic pain who take opioids, attempting to discuss this topic is often met with resistance and denial. Usually people begin taking medication to manage physical pain, but at some point, often without realizing it, start using the medication to manage emotional pain as well. Eventually the medications no longer work for long or very well to ease the physical or emotional pain, and the side effects may actually cause more physical and emotional pain. This happens because long-term use of opioids can increase the body’s and brain’s pain signals. This is called pain rebound syndrome or opioid-induced hyperalgesia. In the end, medication use that started as a reasonable treatment approach to relieve suffering can be the cause of problems in all areas of your life.
Why are the words “addiction” and “addict” so problematic for so many people? Much of this difficulty can be attributed to the stigma that is assigned to them. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines stigma as “a mark of shame or discredit.”* It is often attached to social judgment and cultural norms. The stigma attached to “addiction” and “addict” makes them “dirty” words. Despite volumes of research on drug dependence and scientific evidence to the contrary, addiction is viewed by many as a moral failing or weakness. Addicts and their families are subjected to social, legal, and financial discrimination, making it difficult for them to obtain the help they need. When addicts do access help, insurance is inadequate to cover the cost of effective treatment. Family members are often the most judgmental because they have experienced the consequences of the addict’s behavior, not realizing the addict is sick, not “bad.”
Addiction is one of the few diseases that carries such a negative emotional charge and is a source of shame or embarrassment. Who would want to have a diagnosis or label that carries such a stigma? For those with chronic pain who take opioids, attempting to discuss this topic is often met with resistance and denial.
Usually people begin taking medication to manage physical pain, but at some point, often without realizing it, start using the medication to manage emotional pain as well. Eventually the medications no longer work for long or very well to ease the physical or emotional pain, and the side effects may actually cause more physical and emotional pain. This happens because long-term use of opioids can increase the body’s and brain’s pain signals. This is called pain rebound syndrome or opioid-induced hyperalgesia. In the end, medication use that started as a reasonable treatment approach to relieve suffering can be the cause of problems in all areas of your life.
Copyright ©2009 Central Recovery Press
1 comments so far...
Re: The Stigma of Addiction I think that when you look at addiction, alcohol and gambling are for some the first to come to mind. Later there were drugs but the hard drugs we first think of when looking at addiction came much later. I think the reason that today's addictions are looked upon as a moral failing is because they are grouped with alcohol and gambling. What makes alcohol and gambling such "moral crimes" is due to religion. Unlike today's world, much of early recorded history involved various churches who were state sponsored. Life revolved around the church. All churches need money. Discretionary income can be tithed or put in the collection plate. I am not anti-religion. I simply feel that if you have discretionary income whether yesterday or today someone has already found a good place for it. I believe the stigma of addiction attached to alcohol and gambling (later other drugs) came about because if one spends money on alcohol and gambling they are spending money on these addictions when the money could be put to better use. Better use for the money according the those more enlightened would be donation to the church or to help out your fellow man. Churches are well known for their charity before and after the introduction of social welfare programs. If people are spending money on addictions there is less money available for use in more benevolent ways. I think that often it was felt that to use money for other than donation to the church, the family, or your fellow man it was considered morally wrong. Addiction wrecks lives and this fact has been known since the beginning of time. In summary, I think that the question of morality and the thought that addiction is a moral failing is in part tied to the belief that one must live a moral and just life adhering to a moral code set down by men of religion. To live a moral and just life and to do good in the world one must not engage in and thereby promote addictive behaviors. Without addiction discretionary income is available for use by the church to maintain itself and to help out the less fortunate. Some say "charity begins at home;" charity can then begin in the church.
Re: The Stigma of Addiction
I think that when you look at addiction, alcohol and gambling are for some the first to come to mind. Later there were drugs but the hard drugs we first think of when looking at addiction came much later. I think the reason that today's addictions are looked upon as a moral failing is because they are grouped with alcohol and gambling. What makes alcohol and gambling such "moral crimes" is due to religion. Unlike today's world, much of early recorded history involved various churches who were state sponsored. Life revolved around the church. All churches need money. Discretionary income can be tithed or put in the collection plate. I am not anti-religion. I simply feel that if you have discretionary income whether yesterday or today someone has already found a good place for it. I believe the stigma of addiction attached to alcohol and gambling (later other drugs) came about because if one spends money on alcohol and gambling they are spending money on these addictions when the money could be put to better use. Better use for the money according the those more enlightened would be donation to the church or to help out your fellow man. Churches are well known for their charity before and after the introduction of social welfare programs. If people are spending money on addictions there is less money available for use in more benevolent ways. I think that often it was felt that to use money for other than donation to the church, the family, or your fellow man it was considered morally wrong. Addiction wrecks lives and this fact has been known since the beginning of time. In summary, I think that the question of morality and the thought that addiction is a moral failing is in part tied to the belief that one must live a moral and just life adhering to a moral code set down by men of religion. To live a moral and just life and to do good in the world one must not engage in and thereby promote addictive behaviors. Without addiction discretionary income is available for use by the church to maintain itself and to help out the less fortunate. Some say "charity begins at home;" charity can then begin in the church.
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