Guilt and shame are toxic
Substance use is complicated. If it’s ever been a part of your life, you probably have memories of people making you feel ashamed about it, or of people giving you ultimatums for getting sober...like “If you don’t stop drinking, I’m going to leave you.”
Have you ever felt crushed by guilt and shame?
We hear this a lot from our clients, and it’s really tough to hear. Many of the people we serve report feeling judged or misunderstood by their family and others. This sense of judgement creates deep shame and guilt for those struggling with substance use, and can often prevent people from seeking the help they need and deserve. Plus, it kills people’s sense of self worth and confidence, which makes it even more difficult to get free from all kinds of unhealthy behaviors.
Being judged kills self-worth.
We all know there is a lot of stigma surrounding substance use and addiction, but beyond that, there are powerful individual stories that deserve respect and compassion. Beyond stigma there is a fresh lens of believing in people and their ability to make positive change happen. Through that lens, we can see the power of resilience and inner strength. We can see amazing humans that deserve support to take those first, sometimes scary, steps of a life-changing journey.
What people deserve is respect and support.
If you’ve ever struggled with substance use or addiction, or if you’ve ever watched someone you care about go through this struggle, you know just how difficult it is to break the cycle, get help and commit to recovery. It’s a difficult journey that’s made even tougher by the stigma of guilt and shame that people have to break through in order to make change happen.
What if we chucked the stigma and embraced support instead?
As a non-profit, we’ve learned that our community is pretty amazing. We know it can be a place where people feel safe; where no one feels guilt, shame or ultimatums around asking for help with substance use problems. We’re already working together to build a culture of support that celebrates resilience and empowers people to get the help they need. It’s awesome to think about how a vibrant network of community support could give people the chance to believe in themselves, and the strength to weather all the ups and downs of the recovery journey.
Community = Strength
Whether we’ve battled substance use personally or witnessed others go through it, we can all bring empathy to the table as part of a vibrant community-driven support network. We can show up for the people we care about, without judgment, to empower their journey towards sobriety, healthier behaviors and a brighter life.
We’re in this Together
A big part of this is keeping the conversation open and taking time to hear people’s stories. We can also ask questions and learn about what struggles people are facing. That way, we know how to show up and offer support in a meaningful way.
What would be meaningful to you, or your loved one, if they were struggling with substance use?
Share your Story
Share your own recovery story to inspire others and help us build community support. It’s anonymous and easy to do!
See you next week!
Kelsey
Kelsey Brasseur, INHC
Director of Recovery Programs
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