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Freedom From Stigma and Support: Member Appreciation Week

CheeryMango May 25th, 2021

Hello from the Addiction Support Team as we join in Member Appreciation Week, May 24 to May 28th, happening throughout the 7 Cups community. Our theme for today is Freedom From Stigma and Support for those who experience Stigma.

Stigma is a set of harmful and negative beliefs used to define and assign labels to groups of people. Stigma is rarely based on facts but rather on assumptions, preconceptions, and generalizations. The media and entertainment industries have helped perpetuate many falsities about addiction and the traits of an addict. Some of the most harmful misconceptions and beliefs may include:

➼The perception that addicts lack of willpower and self control

➼The perception that addicts are less intelligent

➼The perception that addicts can not change

It is important to raise awareness about stigma and offer support and encouragement for those who are the victims of negative assumptions and misconceptions. Some ways we can offer support, as a community here at 7 Cups, and raise awareness in our home communities are:

➼Offering compassionate support

➼Displaying kindness to people in vulnerable situations

➼Listening while withholding judgment

➼Understanding people are more than their addiction

➼Treating people with drug dependency with dignity and respect

➼Replacing negative attitudes with evidence-based facts

➼Speaking up when you see someone mistreated because of addiction

➼Sharing your own stories

What addiction related stigmas or misconceptions do you believe are the most hurtful?

If you could teach the world one thing about recovery, what would you choose to say?

Click HERE to participate in other Member Appreciation Week events.

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IceCream4IceCream May 25th, 2021

@CheeryMango

Great post Cheery!

What addiction related stigmas or misconceptions do you believe are the most hurtful? Addiction is not a choice. It is a condition with biological causes. We need to be more supportive and compassioante

If you could teach the world one thing about recovery, what would you choose to say? 2. I haven't personally dealt with addiction but am studying about it. Um, perhaps that recovery is a process, and sometimes relapses happen, but it's never a person's fault for relapsing.

azuladragon34 May 25th, 2021

@CheeryMango

If you could teach the world one thing about recovery, what would you choose to say?: Recovery is a process, so do not find fault if someone relapses.

What addiction related stigmas or misconceptions do you believe are the most hurtful?: I haven't been addicted but what I hear is that they are losers and jobless. That's not nice because we do not know what they're going through.

blissart May 25th, 2021

@CheeryMango

What addiction related stigmas or misconceptions do you believe are the most hurtful?

once an addict always an addict

If you could teach the world one thing about recovery, what would you choose to say?

support off near ones matters much

LilacKalypso9 May 25th, 2021

@CheeryMango

What addiction related stigmas or misconceptions do you believe are the most hurtful?

"Addiction is just a choice; you choose to take these substances or engage in [insert behaviour] and become dependent on it"

"You can't be an addict, when you have everything going for you in life: a successful career, good family, loving relationship etc.."

If you could teach the world one thing about recovery, what would you choose to say?

Recovery is possible, no matter the circumstances. Addiction itself is an illness, which shouldn't be used to define a human being; we need to delve further into how and why has led the person to this stage, instead of criticising so easily.

HopefulBambi May 25th, 2021

What addiction related stigmas or misconceptions do you believe are the most hurtful?

"They are selfish" or "They're lazy". Both totally uneducated and hurtful misconceptions. Nobody can know what one is going through unless they've been through their walk of life.

If you could teach the world one thing about recovery, what would you choose to say?

Nothing happens overnight, and really difficult hurdles happen often to quite a lot of people. Be there as a support for each other along the way. Judging is only going to make things worse.

Izzy274 May 25th, 2021

What addiction related stigmas or misconceptions do you believe are the most hurtful?

The harmful stereotypes of addicts and the idea that addicts are lazy or it's their fault that they're addicted.

If you could teach the world one thing about recovery, what would you choose to say?

Recovery is not a straight line, and there will be ups and downs, so don't lose hope even if it feels like things are going backwards <3.

Storyhymns1234 May 26th, 2021

What addiction related stigmas or misconceptions do you believe are the most hurtful?

I think that people think it is very easy and we are trying not hard enough because we are lazy or we love to do it and do not want to improve as if it is on our hands and we choose to. It is the worst feeling you get and that makes you feel not to share your feelings with anybody.

If you could teach the world one thing about recovery, what would you choose to say?

It takes time but everything in the world does too. So, just take recovery as life is and move ahead with belief.

lyricalAngel70 May 27th, 2021

What addiction-related stigmas or misconceptions do you believe are the most hurtful?

I believe that the most hurtful myth about addiction is that "We should only pray to God & do nothing about it as we would get better just by praying. No need to seek any professional help or visit a therapist." With all due respect, yes, praying to God does help people but it should not be seen as the only resort to quitting an addiction.

If you could teach the world one thing about recovery, what would you choose to say?

Don't rush towards it, take one step at a time. Always appreciate your efforts no matter how tiny they are & congratulate yourself for each step taken forward. Baby steps are better than not moving at all. ❤

intuitiveFig5483 May 29th, 2021

1. The stigma that “addiction is a choice, not a disease” is easily, in my mind, the most hurtful/damaging one out there. No one chooses addiction...they are biologically wired for it and all it takes is the right trigger to set it off and swallow you whole. Doctors prescribe medications to their patients that end up triggering addiction. Then when they aren’t able to refill the script (or can’t afford it), they turn to other, less desirable avenues to get the relief they need. Anyone who genuinely believes that anyone would choose such a life for themselves is just plain ignorant. 2. Recovery works. One. Day. At. A. Time. ❤️

Jesselistens2294 June 1st, 2021

''once an addict always an addict''

That is one thing people say that i truley believe couldnt be further from the truth,

the way i would rephrase it would be

Once an addict, now a Warrior.

I am so gratful to be alive and i am also grateful for all of you here at 7 cups.

you are all so strong and wonderful! I hope you have a good rest of your night/day depending on where you live!