Shame, Men, and Addictions Recovery: Possibilities for Transformation

In this chapter, we examine the role of shame for menRole of shame for men in recovery from addictionsAddictions. We draw on existing literature and some of the findings from previous research we conducted to highlight how addiction treatmentAddiction treatment can support the transformative learningTransformative learning of men working through and with shame. We begin with an examination of the unique features of men in their experience of shame, paying particular attention to masculine normsMasculine norms—of being independent, in control, productive, and strong—and to two common responses when men fail to live up to these standards: anger and social withdrawal. We then examine the link between addictions and shameLink between addictions and shame, including how public attitudes and the self-stigmaSelf-stigma associated with addictions have evolved, with three explanatory models of addictionModels of addiction: addictionAddiction as a moral failing, as a biomedical ‘disease’, and as psychosocial coping. The chapter continues with literature on two potentially transformative outcomes of addressing shame: self-reflection and dialogue, followed by examples of how shame and recovery intersect, taken from one of the author’s (Dan) qualitative study examining the transformative learning of seven men who underwent residential treatment. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the role that shame can play in men’s recovery from addictions and how recovery may, ultimately, be about learning to relate to oneself, others, and the world in a different way.