Shame and dishonor keep drug or alcohol addicts from seeking treatment

Social stigmas present one of the biggest obstacles for people with a drug or alcohol addiction.
Treatment or rehab is not an option, many addicts think, because they are afraid of the embarrassment or shame that comes with admitting they need help. They continue to hide their addictions, telling lies to those closest to them and who might be the ones best able to help them.

Drug and alcohol addicts are not the only ones who feel embarrassed or ashamed. Families of addicts are embarrassed. It’s hard for them to accept that a loved one may be abusing alcohol or drugs. Even harder is to accept that someone in the family may have a gambling or sex problem and need treatment. When family members choose to ignore or excuse the addict’s behavior, they are not helping anyone. Addiction is a long-term problem that is almost impossible to “will away” without professional treatment and help.

Even employers are embarrassed to acknowledge they have employees who may be addicts, or be in recovery. They often don’t know how to handle these employees, whether to fire them, not promote them, or to ignore them for as long as possible. Eventually, the problems an employee has with substance abuse will affect job performance and the work environment.

Such shame and embarrassment often arises from ignorance about the disease of addiction, and produces damaging effects on some addicts and those who care about them. Shame and dishonor hurt everyone in the addict’s immediate circle and, worse, can delay or prevent recovery especially when that shame or disapproval is expressed as punishment.

People with drug or alcohol problems often internalize the shame, convinced that their addiction is their fault and that they are too weak to solve their problem. Moreover, the stress of secrecy also causes people with addiction, as well as their family members, to develop other medical illnesses and social problems.

Social stigma and shame about drug or alcohol addiction is often due to ignorance and lack of knowledge. Even in the field of medicine, many people hold deep negative feelings about people with drug or alcohol addictions. Most doctors view addiction as a social rather than a health issue and generally do not go very far in the treatment of the condition.

One would think that in the U.S. and Canada, the social stigma of addiction would be less than in other countries. But within law, social work and medicine, there is still a strong negative undertone when it comes to dealing with addicts, especially habitual relapsers.

In most countries in Asia, shame and dishonor are still enormous factors that contribute to the distress of addicts and their families. There are very few resources outside the family as well. Doctors tend not to refer addicts for professional help partly because of a lack of information about addiction, its causes and its treatment. They also tend not to refer addicts for professional help because there is a great shortage of trained professionals – doctors, therapists and other mental health experts - who can treat addicts.