You’re Not a Bad Person. You Need Support.

5 Jul 2026 · 1 min

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In this personal testimony, the speaker describes how internalized stigma and family criticism made them feel like a bad person for being unable to “fix” themselves while struggling with substance use disorder and mental health issues. They recount hearing repeated questions such as “What’s wrong with you?” and feeling judged for their impact on work and relationships. The narrative highlights that this experience is common among many dealing with addiction and mental health challenges. A turning point occurs when the speaker works with a compassionate mentor named Patty, who reframes the speaker’s self‑perception by stating, “You’re not a bad person; you’re a person that needs treatment.” This paradigm shift underscores the importance of supportive language and recognizing the need for treatment rather than assigning moral blame.

Chapters

I just thought I was a bad person because I couldn't fix myself. And I was hearing around me the stigma of, "What's wrong with you? What's wrong?" And, you know, I would have family members who say, "What's wrong with you? Why can't you stop this? Don't you see what you're doing to yourself? Don't you see what you're doing to your job? Don't you see what you're doing?" And this is what everybody— I'm not special, Chrissy Myers. I'm not special at all. This is what everyone deals with when they struggle with substance use disorder or mental health issues. They think, "Why can't I?" be like everyone else. What's wrong with me? And my big paradigm shift was the moment that I worked with a really a grand old dame, and her name was Patty. And she said to me, Mr. Shannon, you're not a bad person. You're a person that needs treatment. Paradigm shift.