Overcoming Rehab Stigma

In every social group, or social formation, people have fears and they have desires. People as a group have over the years agreed on a certain social code, the breaking of which leads to consequences. If we take a look at our modern societies, we can see that they are productivity oriented. It is no surprise, then, that someone suffering an addiction that makes them less productive is usually stigmatized by society. In a destructive and unhelpful way, that stigma leads to deeper loops of addiction where people in society (even within the family of the affected) shy away from helping.

Overcoming Stigma

We can’t claim that our societies are perfect, and to some extent, we must see addiction as a social phenomenon expressing the issues in society. What is considered forbidden or wrong for a certain society is not static, and it’s about time that the stigma of having an addiction is washed away, along with the advancement of social services and people’s awareness about the root causes.

In modern medicine, addiction is seen not as overindulgence but as a disease, and as such, those with addiction are treated not with shame but with empathy. This is a transformative movement that must be communicated to the public for them to also empathize with those in need of care.

Rehab has Changed

If you look at a site for rehab care, including some of the best in the business, you will find that the sophistication of rehab treatment centers like Ascension House Sober Living and others has developed significantly over the last decade. They’re modern, comfortable and plush, with expert help and treatments developed with specific addictions in mind. Going to one of these centers, individuals learn, make friends, and relate to the other stories of the inhabitants.

In terms of treatment, there are new advancements that make rehab an important step in recovery:

• Psycho Education Groups
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
• Motivational Enhancement Therapy
• Alternative experiences embedded in therapy such as Yoga, Meditation and Equine Therapy

Addiction is far more commonplace than we think

The final point of education when it comes to avoiding the stigmatizing addiction is that it’s a common occurrence. Around the world, levels of addiction, anything from alcohol addiction to gambling problems, are higher than perhaps we are comfortable acknowledging. But this shouldn’t stop people visiting places such as a rehab center near Olympia, Washington (if you live in and around this area) if they know that this is the right time to get the help they need.

The stories behind addictions are also often sad and lonely, and these stories demand of us empathy and not disgust. Empathy and encouragement could help drive positive change in the lives of addicts and could prompt them to seek out professional help (like that of addiction recovery programs found here – http://sandiegorecoverysolutions.com/alcohol-recovery.html) to assist them in their return to sobriety. One of the biggest crises in addiction in the modern world is to prescription drugs, which are taken for depression, anxiety or pain relief. Publicizing this fact will help the world reconsider its relationship with addiction and addicts.

The Results

Overcoming the stigma of rehab is a vital first step. It takes a person from the negative into the positive, even if it appeared at first to be a very small and insignificant step. Allowing people to feel comfortable making public their addiction, so that support structures can form around them, will greatly help ease the death count and the medical costs generated by the repression of the ‘problem’ of addiction. And revealing the excellent facilities and sober living homes will help build public trust in these institutions.