What Is Meant By The Stigma Of Alcohol Or Drug Programs How Might Such Stigmas Be Overcome - Essay Example

It makes them feel morally weak, and this feeling averts them from seeking treatment. Stigma is either real or imagined by alcohol and drug dependents. The supposed stigma among people seeking treatment can vary on each individual but woman are more prone to feel stigmatized. Most people with alcohol problems are married, who has a home, children, and a job. For women, they are usually housewives, who can easily hide themselves. If they were career women, someone in the theatre, an artist, or in business, their situation is similar to that of the men but the stigma is twice heavier and exceedingly crueller for women.

This pushes them to go underground earlier and continue longer and their chances have only recently begun to catch up with men. Drug misuse and alcoholism are treatable conditions but the stigma embedded deep in people’s minds says alcoholism and drug dependence is untreatable in spite of scientific indications of its treatability and living proofs who have recovered from their conditions. Society imposes stigma which cruelly damages the morale of people experiencing alcohol and drug problems because most still think that their condition is because feebleness and a defect in one’s character which is incurable. . looking for treatment can result to losing a job, insurances, your family, or social service will rule out that you are unfit to be a parent and take your children away from you for being an alcohol or drug addict.

These stress factors causes many medical and social problems for individuals and their families. When parents find out that their adolescent has an alcohol or drug problem stigma creates guilt and neglect. Dr. Nora Volkow, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse can be quoted saying, "At one point, we had the stigma of leprosy. Nobody spoke about leprosy. We had a stigma of cancer at one point. There's still a significant stigma with some of the mental diseases, but much less so than there used to be.

But the one that's lagging behind is addiction." (De Leon 2)   Despite the existence of effective programs for treating alcohol dependencies and disorders, less than a quarter of people who are diagnosed actually seek treatment. In a recent study by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health researchers report that people diagnosed with alcoholism at some point in their lifetime were more than 60% less likely to seek treatment if they believed they would be stigmatized once their status is known.

People need to be educated to remove this social stigma. Public awareness should be improved regarding the scientific realities of alcohol and drug dependence will in fact save precious lives. People should try and encourage people with alcohol or drug problem to seek help early in the advancement of their illness when it is most mendable. Words that we use in dealing with alcohol and drug dependents should also be chosen carefully. According to an article published by TASC (Treatment Alternative for Safer Communities), in discussing substance use