First and foremost, it is important to understand that substance addiction is a very sensitive issue, and it can happen to the best of us, it only takes a day of trying it out and youʼre hooked due to the highly addictive components present in those substances.
Stigmatization refers to placing a stigma on a particular person or group of person or an object. To be stigmatized is to be labelled as bad.
Social stigma is the extreme disapproval of a person or group of persons on grounds that serves to distinguish them from other members of the society.
Having defined the major terms here, it is pertinent to remind ourselves that substance addicts are human beings like everyone else, and as a matter of fact, everyone has something or the other he/she is addicted to. Something one can’t live without.
Note that placing a stigma on drug addicts doesn’t solve a problem, it only heightens it.
This is a major problem associated with substance abuse. Stigmatization. Yes, people consume illegal substances that can have negative impacts on their health and well-being as a whole, but this doesn’t mean that they should also suffer from stigmatization.
It slows down the healing process. Because of the stigmatization, addicts will be shy or scared to own up to the fact that they abuse substance and this will limit their chances of getting help. You can only get help when you speak up. But how do they speak, when a large chunk of the society are going to reject them and automatically place a stigma on them?
It is important to understand that addicts can’t heal on their own, they need the help of community members to totally heal.
Instead of stigmatization, people should instead draw the addicts closer, talk to them, take them as friends, make them see that they can live a stress-free and good life without the aid of illegal substances. That way, they begin to see that you love and care for their well-being.
The effect illegal substance has on its users can be emotional most times, that’s why it should also be tackled from an emotional aspect, which is showing love.
Many therapists have agreed that showing love and care to addicts is one of the best ways to get them out of that situation.
Members of society should be interested in the healing of an addict instead of believing that the addicts life has been deteriorated beyond repair and an addict is a disease to the society.
Yes, addicts can have traits of violence as a result of the substance they consume but stigmatizing isn’t the solution, it only makes it worse for them, knowing that the society already sees them as write-offs.
We should all take a cue from the old saying “LOVE CONQUERS ALL” because it actually does.
If you’ve been practicing stigmatization in any way, itʼs time to stop and shower love and help instead. It’s important to help the little way that you can.
Stigmatization never solves a problem
At the end of the day, it all boils down to being our brother’s keeper.
Letʼs go out there and show love the best way we can.
Thank you so much, this article was enlightening. Stigma is like an infection that slows down the healing process of addiction.
Hello. This post was extremely interesting, especially since I was searching for thoughts on this matter last Wednesday. Philis Onofredo Haily