MODULE 4SOCIAL STIGMA

Curriculum 1
Physiology and Pharmacology for
Addiction Professionals
The Colombo Plan Asian Centre for Certification and Education of Addiction Professionals Training Series
Curriculum 1
4.2
Module 4 Learning Objectives
Define social stigma
Describe the possible effects of stigma related
to addiction
Describe at least three strategies for
counteracting stigma

4.3
Social Stigma
Severe social disapproval of personal
characteristics or beliefs that are against
cultural norms

4.4
Social Stigma
Social stigma often leads to status loss,
discrimination, and exclusion from meaningful
participation in society
4.5
Social Stigma
Stigma can interfere with effective treatment:
A person who sees that addiction is stigmatized
may feel shame and be reluctant to seek
treatment
Social supports for recovery may not be adequate
in a community that stigmatizes addiction

4.6
Stigma Study
Study participants reported that:
People treated them differently (60%)
Others were afraid of them (46%)
Some of their family members gave up on them
(45%)
Some of their friends rejected them (38%)
Employers paid them a lower wage (14%)



Source: Luoma, J.B., Twohig ,M.P., Waltz, T., Hayes, S.C., Roget, N., Padilla, M, & Fisher, G.
(2007). An investigation of stigma in individuals receiving treatment for substance abuse. Addictive
Behaviors 32(7). 1331-1346.
4.7
Stigma
Stigma negatively affects recovery rates
4.8
Stigma
The stress of hiding an SUD either out of
shame or to avoid stigmatizing responses from
others can cause other medical and social
problems and make it harder to seek treatment

4.9
Words Matter!
4.10
Language of Stigma
User
Abuser
Intravenous drug user (IDU)
Junkie
Addict

4.11
Language of Stigma
Clean
Dirty
4.12
Language: People First
Person with a substance use disorder
Person who injects drugs
Person with addiction
4.13
Small-Group Exercise: Stigma
Role-Play
Use the case study you created in the last
exercise as a base
Develop a 3-4 minute role-play that illustrates
stigma
4.14
Stigma
Can lead to self-fulfilling predictions that those
who are addicted cannot recover or play
positive and productive social roles
Can lead to discrimination (e.g., employers not
wanting to hire anyone who is in recovery)
Can lead those who are addicted to feel
hopeless and reluctant to seek help

4.15
Journal
Are you surprised by anything youve heard?
Are you having trouble accepting a chronic
disease model of addiction?
Has your thinking changed in any way?
What are some ways you might be able to fight
stigma in your community?