Amber Hollingsworth argues that fear of social exclusion after getting sober — the "stigma of sobriety" — deters more people from seeking help than the stigma of being labeled addicted. She frames partying and substance use as culturally glamorized, describes common fears (being left out, called a loser, losing friends), and invites viewers to share their opinions in the comments while linking to a follow-up video about addiction.
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Now, I hear people talk all the time about the stigma of addiction. In fact, I get quite a bit of criticism for even using the words addict and alcoholic. People say that those terms, those words keep people from taking the steps necessary or getting help. And you know what? I'm sure that there is a little bit of that. But for the most part, I really don't believe in my heart of hearts that that is what holds people back. It is not the stigma of addiction, and it's actually the stigma of sobriety that's holding people back from getting help. Because I know that there's a lot of you out there who want to get sober, who are thinking about getting clean, who are thinking about getting help. And you're not worried that your friends and family are going to know you're addicted. You're worried about what your friends and family are going to think once you get sober. Because you see the drugs and alcohol and the partying is so glamorized in our culture. We worry that we'll be left out. We worry that we'll be a loser. We'll worry that we won't have have any friends anymore. We worry what people will think if we don't drink, if we don't use. Now I truly believe that it's that fear that keeps more people back from seeking help. It's my personal belief that the stigma of sobriety is more of a deterrent than the stigma of addiction. But I want to hear your thoughts on this. Let me know what you think in the comments below. And up next, watch this video. All about the truth behind what addiction really is, why it happens, and how to beat it.
