Stigma is a complex construct that is present within societies at different levels. The impact of stigma can severely damage individuals and communities. People who use substances are often on the receiving end of stigmatising attitudes and discrimination from different sources ranging from the general public to healthcare professionals and politicians.

Stigma from external sources can lead to the internalisation of these negative attitudes. This can have a negative impact on an individual’s mental wellbeing, the likelihood of them seeking support and overall treatment outcomes.

Below is a...

Stigma is a significant barrier to wellness and good health for people who use substances.

The goal of this primer is to facilitate conversations and increase awareness of the stigma surrounding people who use substances, their support networks, and service providers in the community.

The publication was developed in partnership with the Community Addictions Peer Support Association. 

CCSA is addressing the stigma surrounding substance use through online learning.

CCSA have developed an introductory learning module as the first in a planned series of modules on the topic of stigma and substance use.

These modules are developed with the needs of both the general public and professional audiences in mind. The first module, The Sting of Stigma, will introduce you to the concept of stigma, and explain why it is harmful and what its impacts are on people with problematic substance use and substance use disorder.

Learning Objectives

This course will help you understand:

1. Wh...

The Policy and Communications team at Adfam have asked us to relay this call-out to ISSUP members and the international DDR community...

Adfam is a UK-based charity that improves life for families affected by someone else’s substance use.

We’ve heard through our frontline projects, findings from an online survey, activity on our online family forum and statements from partner organisations that Covid-19 is resulting in a number of additional challenges for families in the UK that are affected in this way. These challenges are complex and multifaceted and include:

• An increase in domestic...