For years, substance use disorders (SUDs) have been misunderstood. They have often been viewed as moral failings, the result of poor choices, or personal weakness. But mounting evidence and expert opinions are challenging these outdated views, and a new perspective is gaining ground: SUDs are diseases of the brain, just like diabetes or heart disease. This shift in thinking is crucial for better treatment access, reducing stigma, and saving lives. Breaking addiction stigma is one of the most important steps toward helping individuals with SUDs get the care they need.
John Driscoll, CEO of Caron Treatment Centers, emphasizes that educating the public about the nature of SUDs is key to breaking down the walls of misunderstanding. When people begin to view addiction as a health disorder, rather than a moral failing, they are more likely to seek treatment. In turn, treatment providers also see a valuable opportunity to expand services and reach more individuals who need help. Breaking addiction stigma helps people see addiction for what it truly is—a medical condition requiring compassionate care.
The Prevalence of Substance Use Disorders
The need for a paradigm shift in how we think about SUDs is evident in the statistics. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), an estimated 39.7 million adults in the U.S. were affected by a substance use disorder in 2022. However, a shocking 94.7% of those individuals did not seek treatment or didn’t think they needed it. This is a clear sign that the stigma surrounding addiction is keeping people from reaching out for help.
People suffering from SUDs are often reluctant to seek treatment due to the shame and guilt associated with their condition. The public perception of addiction as a moral failing makes it harder for individuals to ask for help or access the care they need. Breaking addiction stigma is a crucial step in helping individuals feel empowered to reach out for help, without fear of judgment or shame.
Reframing the Disease: A New Approach to Addiction
Driscoll, who became CEO of Caron Treatment Centers in September 2023, advocates for a shift in the way addiction is perceived. “We won the battle of parity,” Driscoll said. “This is a health care disorder. We need to stop fighting the old battles and start fighting the new one of getting people to access the care for the conditions they suffer from.”
Driscoll’s message is simple but powerful: addiction should no longer be treated as a moral issue but as a medical one that requires appropriate care and support. Caron, based in Wernersville, Pennsylvania, is a nonprofit organization that has been offering a full continuum of care for individuals dealing with SUDs. The center provides a range of services, including medical stabilization and detox, residential treatment, outpatient care, partial hospitalization programs (PHP), and intensive outpatient programs (IOP). By offering a wide array of services, Caron helps individuals at every stage of their recovery journey, whether they are starting with detox or transitioning to outpatient care. Breaking addiction stigma allows people to see addiction treatment as a normal, necessary step in improving their health.
Co-Occurring Conditions: A Complex Challenge
One of the key reasons why substance use disorders can be so challenging to treat is the frequent presence of co-occurring conditions. Many individuals with SUDs also suffer from mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These dual diagnoses complicate treatment but also present opportunities to provide more comprehensive, holistic care.
Dr. Nasser Khan, Chief Operating Officer at Acadia Healthcare, highlighted the prevalence of co-occurring conditions in people with substance use disorders. “More than 21 million adults are estimated to have a mental health condition along with an SUD,” Dr. Khan said. This means that treatment for SUDs must also address the mental health needs of patients in order to be effective.
Acadia Healthcare, which operates more than 250 behavioral health care facilities across the U.S., has focused on integrating mental health and substance use disorder treatment. Dr. Khan noted that opioid use disorder (OUD) and other SUDs often coexist with mental health issues, making a comprehensive treatment approach even more necessary. “If you can get patients engaged in opioid treatment programs (OTPs), you’ve solved a major healthcare problem. Now, we need to ask ourselves, ‘What else can we do in that setting?’” he said.
The integration of mental health care is essential for providing more effective treatment. Many treatment centers, like Acadia and BayMark Health Services, have begun co-locating mental health services within their SUD facilities to provide holistic care. BayMark operates over 400 locations across the U.S. and Canada, offering medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for those with SUDs, and they have expanded into mental health services through acquisitions in recent years. However, as Jason Kletter, president of BayMark Services, pointed out, the industry still faces significant challenges due to the siloed nature of funding for mental health and substance use care. Overcoming these silos is essential for creating a seamless care continuum. Breaking addiction stigma involves breaking down these barriers in the healthcare system to provide comprehensive care for everyone who needs it.
The Power of Strategic Partnerships
While some providers are integrating mental health services within their own facilities, others are turning to strategic partnerships to provide more comprehensive care. One example is Ophelia, an opioid treatment company that recently partnered with Thriveworks, a mental health service provider. This collaboration allows both companies to refer patients to one another, broadening the spectrum of care available to those struggling with both addiction and mental health issues.
Dr. Daniel Frogel, CEO of Thriveworks, believes that these partnerships can help providers focus on their specialties while ensuring patients receive care in other areas. For example, Ophelia can continue to provide the best possible treatment for opioid use disorder, while Thriveworks can connect patients with mental health services. These partnerships are an innovative way to expand the range of care offered to people with SUDs and mental health conditions, helping to fill gaps that have traditionally existed between different types of care. Breaking addiction stigma also involves encouraging partnerships that provide more holistic care options for those seeking help.
Caron Treatment Centers also plans to stay focused on its specialty in SUDs, with Driscoll explaining that the organization will “double down on substance use disorders and begin trying to up the science of assessment, as well as the measurement of outcomes and care by focusing on the origin of the disease, which is the brain.” By honing in on the biological basis of addiction and mental health disorders, Caron hopes to improve treatment outcomes and help people recover in a more effective and targeted way. Breaking addiction stigma requires not only changing public perceptions but also advancing scientific understanding of addiction and recovery.
Addressing Stigma: A Critical Step Toward Recovery
One of the most significant obstacles to treatment for those struggling with substance use disorders is stigma. The negative stereotypes and misconceptions about addiction often keep people from seeking help. This is particularly true in healthcare, where providers may unintentionally perpetuate harmful ideas about addiction. Dr. Khan pointed out that language plays a major role in reinforcing these stigmas. He compared the stigmatizing language used around addiction to the way people discuss medications like Ozempic, which is used to treat obesity.
“People write about how there are people using this medication as a crutch and they’re not solving the underlying problems,” Dr. Khan said. “Addiction is a disease like diabetes, and methadone is a medication like insulin. To make it about choice is to fundamentally misunderstand the biology of the disease.”
Improving the language used by healthcare providers is one step toward reducing stigma. Educating the public about the biological nature of addiction and the availability of effective treatments like medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is another important part of the effort. Kletter from BayMark Health Services believes that spreading awareness about the availability of treatment and making sure that people understand it is a medical issue will help those struggling with addiction feel less ashamed and more willing to seek help. Breaking addiction stigma requires everyone, from healthcare providers to the public, to use more accurate and compassionate language when discussing addiction.
Moving Forward: Changing the Conversation
The conversation around substance use disorders is slowly shifting, but there is still much work to be done. The more we can reframe addiction as a disease, reduce stigma, and create integrated care models, the more people will be able to access the treatment they need. By shifting our thinking about addiction from moral failing to a medical condition, we can help millions of people recover and lead healthy, fulfilling lives.
Providers, policymakers, and communities must continue to work together to break down the barriers that prevent individuals with SUDs from seeking care. As the healthcare industry becomes more attuned to the needs of individuals with co-occurring conditions, the ability to treat addiction in a holistic way will continue to improve. By breaking addiction stigma, we are one step closer to ensuring that everyone who struggles with addiction has access to the care they deserve.
If you or someone you know is struggling with a substance use disorder, remember that help is available. Treatment works, recovery is possible, and you are not alone. Breaking addiction stigma could be the first step in opening the door to recovery for those who need it most.
