Stigma and addiction

What is stigma?

According to the Greeks it is a mark of shame.

It refer to bodily signs designed to expose
something unusual and bad about the moral
status of the signifier. The signs were cut or
burnt into the body and advertised that the
bearer was a slave, a criminal, or a traitor — a
blemished person, ritually polluted, to be
avoided, especially in public.
• The meaning of stigma has been
expanded to include any mark or
sign of a perceived deviation from
the norm ( Jones et al. 1984).
Reactions to the person who
is stigmatised
• Avoiding the person.
• Attributing deviant, flawed, limited,
spoiled, or generally undesirable
qualities to the person.
• Isolating them and their families.
• Labeling them.
• Keeping them away from mainstream
society and its benefits.
 Self stigma

• Internalising the stigma and living it.

• Isolating oneself from society.
• Not reaching out for help.
• Searching for other deviants.
• Continuing with the addiction.
• Low self esteem and self efficacy.
 Problems with stigma

• Pre treatment.
• During treatment.
• Post treatment.
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