New research indicates more than 60 percent of Americans with drinking problems do not seek help due to the stigma of alcoholism,UPI reported Dec. 5.
Investigators led by Dr. Katherine Keyes of Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health looked at National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) responses from more than 6,300 participants who met criteria for an alcohol use disorder.
According to their findings, problem drinkers who perceived a stigma associated with alcohol abuse -- fully two-thirds of the sample -- were less likely to seek treatment than those who did not.
This was especially true among men, racial and ethnic minorities, and participants with lower income and education.
"Given that alcohol use disorders are one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in the United States, the empirical documentation of stigma as a barrier to treatment is an important public health finding," said Keyes.
Stigma reduction should be integrated into public health efforts to promote alcohol treatment, the authors concluded.
The findings were published in the December issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.
It is the mission of First Call Alcohol/Drug Prevention and Recovery to reduce the impact of alcohol, drugs, and addiciton by providing quality resources to individuals, families, and the community.
The stigma attached to addiction is part of the impact this disease has on individuals, families, and the community. First Call offers programs and events to increase awareness and education of the disease of addiction.
The Mike Johnson Memorial Walk for Recovery and HOW to COPE with First Call are some of the events and programs First Call offers to educate the community on this disease. Check out www.firstcallkc.org for all we do.
Post your thoughts on reducing the stigma associated with the disease of addiction.
Are support groups for addicts that are "anonymous" feeding this stigma or do they encourage people to seek help with their secrets? I don't know. Support groups for cancer or diabetes don't have to swear to secrecy who go there, yet we are taught that addiction is a disease just like these. Maybe it's time to start talking about how anonymity might be the way we continue to hide behind our shame of this disease.
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