What is self-esteem?
- It is the value that you attach to yourself. Self-esteem can be influenced by how others and society perceive you. The terms self-esteem and self-worth have very similar meanings.
- Self-worth is synonymous with self-esteem, meaning that they have very similar meanings. So your self-worth is how much you value yourself
- There can be multiple sources of self-worth, and you may have more in some areas than others. The full shelves on this bookcase represent the parts of a person they know to be their strengths. The empty shelves represent parts of themselves they want to work on. Activity 3 in this section will help you identify your ‘full’ shelves.
- People with low self-worth pay attention to the areas in which they view themselves as a “failure”. It is easy to say big statements like ‘I am worthless’ when you are struggling in one area of self-worth. Some people also have trouble separating themselves from their behaviours. For example, just because you have trouble making friends does not mean that you are an unfriendly person.
What is stigma?
- Stigmas are negative, harmful ideas or stereotypes attached to a group of people who share a common characteristic.
- This characteristic can be anything from age, race, gender, or a behaviour, like using drugs
- It is important to remember that stigmas are inaccurate ideas that often come from a lack of understanding, even if they are widely held.
Sometimes, the person experiencing stigma can adopt those negative beliefs about themselves.This is called self-stigma, which can lead to low self-esteem!
What are some common stigmas surrounding substance use? Why are they unjustified?
Truth: Drug use is often associated with right vs. wrong in media, politics, and certain cultures or religions. Some may even personally believe that using substances is “wrong” because of their political views, the criminal justice system and other institutions. These systems also have long histories of racism and other forms of oppression. However, it is important to know that using drugs does not make someone a bad person. In reality, the reason why someone uses drugs is complex and involves changes to the brain.
See the video at the bottom of the page for a historic example from the US.
Truth: To some, it can be hard to understand how difficult it can be to stop using drugs and get needed support.
They may fail to account for the following:
- Experiences of trauma or oppression
- Family history of substance us problems
- Difficulties accessing health care or bad experiences in the health care system
- Physical or psychological dependence on drugs
- Any other factor which might lead to and maintain substance use.
Truth:
- People who use drugs, and those who experience a mental illness, are much more likely to be victims of violence than the ones acting violent..
- When a person who uses drugs does commit a violent or dangerous act, news outlets are much more likely to report on it.They often make the situation seem more dramatic than it was and focus on the person’s drug use as the cause of the problem.
Truth: People who use drugs make the best decisions for their own recovery and their goals in life. When people are able to choose what they want for themselves, they have better health and life outcomes.
Truth: Many people have difficulty with substance use, whether it be someone who has used their whole life, or someone who has just recently started using. People who struggle with substance use come from all ages, backgrounds and walks of life. Many celebrities have struggled with substance use, including Kurt Cobain, Demi Lovato and Johnny Depp.
Truth: No one benefits from harsh conditions and punishment. In fact, severe conditions and isolation can lead to substance use. People who use drugs and those experiencing substance use problems need love, support and safety to set and meet their goals. Most importantly, they will benefit from choosing their own path and goals.