The concept of stigma has been defined in various ways throughout history. Goffman defined it as “a deeply discrediting attribute” that is assigned to a person or group for a characteristic that differentiates it from what is socially considered normal ; because the stigma makes the person who possesses it different from others.
This term is related to the concept of prejudice, as the act of negatively judging the characteristics of another person; which entails differentiation and sometimes hierarchization, establishing oneself as better or superior for not possessing the discredited characteristics.
This process is a universal phenomenon and characteristic of human beings; It is a cultural construction of societies and an elaboration that is based on beliefs and prejudices on the groups that coexist in it, despite causing harm to them and affecting their dignity and rights.
Stigma is the result of a process that involves five interrelated components:
The stigma in the addicted person
Although substance use disorder has been treated as an illness for years, there continues to be a great stigma towards people who suffer from it and these They are usually described as idiots, criminals or vicious, there is a belief that they are dangerous people and that interacting with them can entail a risk and linking them to drug trafficking or prostitution. Furthermore, it is common for the addict to be labeled responsible for their problem and to be associated with a lack of willpower.
Due to this stigma, the addict becomes a dispossessed person, whose social definition is established by comparison with non-consumers, which fixes his position as someone who is different and inferior and his life is marked and loaded with negative attributes. However, paradoxically, it can be observed how the consumption of certain substances is applauded, publicized and normalized, while its consequences are rejected.
The self-stigma of the addicted person
The stigma projected by society on people who suffer from addiction is often internalized and assimilated by them, resulting in self-stigma.
Self-stigma is a cognitive and emotional process that the stigmatized person suffers, whose creation follows four phases:
Therefore, when the addict internalizes the social belief, he acts accordingly, distancing himself from life in society, which makes him leads to situations of marginality, to the deterioration of their emotional ties, isolation, etc. This phenomenon is known as the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy or Pygmalion Effect, which consists of the person acting as public opinion expects them to do, which increases the feeling of shame, encourages consumption and delays seeking help.
The stigma of family members
The relatives of addicted people also become victims of stigma and those who decide to support their relative suffer a great lack of understanding and empathy and due to social ignorance they can be described in a derogatory way; which can cause strong feelings of guilt, failure, anger or shame.
Therefore, it is common for them to decide to keep it a secret, which leads them to minimize their contact with others and live in situations of isolation.
Stigma affects the lives of people who suffer from it in a transversal way, has an impact on your physical and mental health, your ability to find and keep a job or housing in their social relationships and in their self-concept.
On a psychological level, the addicted person suffers a feeling of guilt and shame, a self-reproach that damages their self-esteem and effectiveness, as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression.
It is common for addicts to perceive health centers as “hostile territory” and to try to prevent health professionals from being aware of their real situation or to avoid going to them altogether, which can lead to serious situations regarding their health. general, as well as a delay in the detection and initiation of addiction treatment.
Another of the big problems associated with the stigmatization of the addict is that affects the search for treatment, delaying it and becoming a barrier to accessing and remaining in it due to low adherence that leads to abandonment. Furthermore, stigma increases the possibility of carrying out risky behaviors.
