Stigma and Alcohol Use Disorder: Overcoming Societal Attitudes

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic, relapsing-remitting condition characterized by an inability to cut down on alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences (NIAAA, 2023, www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-topics/alcohol-facts-and-statistics/alcohol-use-disorder-aud-united-states-age-groups-and-demographic-characteristics ). According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth Edition (DSM V), the 12-month prevalence of AUD in the United States is 12.9%, and the lifetime prevalence is 29.1% (Grant et al., JAMA Psychiatry 72:757–766, 2015). There are currently multiple treatment modalities for patients with AUD, including various methods of psychotherapies in addition to three FDA-approved medications. Despite the availability of treatment options for AUD, fewer than 10% of patients diagnosed with AUD actually receive treatment (Grant et al., JAMA Psychiatry 72:757–766, 2015). The implications of this are widespread, as untreated AUD can contribute to increased psychiatric and medical illnesses, prolonged hospital stays, and increased healthcare spending. One possible reason for the gap between patients diagnosed with AUD and those treated is stigma existing against those patients (Stringer and Baker, J Fam Issues 39:3–27, 2018). This chapter aims to define stigma in the context of addiction, to understand why that stigma exists, to shed light on the implications it has on treatment, and to consider ways to reduce it in medical providers.