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What’s included?
- How media shapes our view of addiction
- The problem with stigmatising narratives
- Recovery narratives: a powerful counter-story
- Why diversity in recovery stories matters
- Expectations and faulty narratives in early recovery
- Changing the narrative
How media shapes our view of addiction
Think about the last headline or TV drama you saw about addiction. Chances are, it focused on crime, chaos, or tragedy. News and entertainment media have enormous power in shaping how we see substance use and recovery – but too often, the stories lean toward sensationalism and stereotypes.
Research shows these portrayals are reductive and incomplete. They rarely reflect the diversity of lived experience, yet they strongly influence public attitudes, cement harmful stereotypes, and create rigid expectations of what addiction and recovery “should” look like.
The problem with stigmatising narratives
Common beliefs about addiction often frame it as a moral failing – linked to irresponsibility, selfishness, or lack of willpower. These views ignore the complexity of substance use and instead reduce it to a question of character.
Stigma operates everywhere: in media, in personal relationships, and even in policies and practices. It becomes so normalised that we rarely question it. But stigma isn’t just inaccurate – it’s harmful. It creates barriers to treatment, isolates individuals, and undermines access to community resources that are critical for recovery.
Recovery narratives: A powerful counter-story
Recovery narratives are first-person accounts of the journey from addiction toward a life with greater meaning and connection. They show the many routes people take to achieve and sustain recovery, highlighting both internal strengths and external support systems.
Hearing someone else’s story can spark hope, reduce shame, and counter isolation. When someone says, “I’ve been where you are”, it validates experience and fosters resilience. Authentic recovery narratives challenge stereotypes and simplistic portrayals, encouraging identity transformation and offering a more human, hopeful perspective.
Why Diversity in Recovery Stories Matters
Recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all. People enter and exit addictive behaviours through varied pathways, and treatment approaches work differently for different individuals. Even those with the same addiction can experience vastly different consequences, shaped by structural barriers and marginalisation.
To resonate across backgrounds and circumstances, recovery narratives must include diverse voices and experiences. Diversity ensures stories inspire and motivate people wherever they are on their journey.
Of course, recovery storytelling isn’t without criticism – especially when stories are exploited or tied to ideological agendas. But raw, truthful accounts shared voluntarily remain a powerful way to counter stigma and offer hope. They don’t prescribe a single route to recovery; they reassure that there is no one way forward. Narratives that include slips and relapses, alongside learning and re-engagement, reflect reality and should be amplified, not shamed.
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Expectations and faulty narratives in early recovery
Stigma and stereotypes don’t just shape public opinion – they influence how individuals see themselves. In early recovery, dismantling ingrained negative beliefs can take significant effort.
Faulty assumptions also create unrealistic expectations among families and loved ones. If addiction is wrongly framed as a matter of “bad choices,” recovery may be assumed to follow simply from “better decisions.” These misconceptions can lead to confusion, disappointment, and strained relationships when reality doesn’t match the myth.
When expectations are based on stereotypes rather than individual circumstances, people in early recovery may feel devalued and demotivated – precisely when support matters most. With relapse risk highest in early recovery, honest narratives that reflect setbacks and resilience are essential. If relapse is treated as moral failure rather than a predictable risk, individuals may withdraw at the very moment connection is most needed.
Changing the narrative
Recovery thrives on connection, meaning, and empowerment. By ensuring that representations of recovery are authentic and diverse, we can challenge stigma, reshape cultural expectations, and create spaces where people, whatever their pathway, feel understood and supported.
