Why Going Public with Your Sobriety Is Often Its Own Struggle
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse, 15.1 million adults reportedly had Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Of those adults who had AUD, only 6.7 percent sought treatment. Seeking help for alcohol addiction has been cloaked in negativity. Millions have refused to discuss treatment and even more have refused to seek treatment at all.
Alcohol addiction can be a heavy weight to carry. As a society, we have demonized addiction causing millions to either refuse to seek treatment or to go through recovery in secret. The stigma around addiction, and even worse, the stigma around seeking treatment is only ended by more people coming forward. The more awareness people have about addiction and the options available in treatment, the more accepting communities as a whole can be.
Going public with sobriety can seem daunting. Recovery, at times, can be fragile. For many, going through alcohol treatment has some sort of shame carried with it. Instead of celebrating a person who has chosen a path away from addiction, we persecute them. It is an awful trend carried over for decades.
The more people, however, who choose to showcase their sobriety and bring it to public light the more likely millions more will join the fight. The less addiction and treatment for addiction is shrouded in secrecy the more accepting people will be. It can take a generation or more for positions to change, but they do evolve.
Going public with addiction and sobriety can be as simple as discussing it with friends and family. Millions hide their addiction from those that are closest to them including parents, siblings and spouses. Being willing to admit your struggle and talk about your recovery journey can help numerous people.