The Internalized Stigma and Self-Esteem in Individuals with Alcohol and Risky Substance Use Disorder

The objective of this study is to determine the relationship between the internalized stigma and self-esteem in individuals with alcohol and risky substance use disorder. The sample of the study is consisted of 233 individuals who have been diagnosed with alcohol and substance use disorder and are undergoing inpatient or outpatient treatment. The researcher’s Socio-Demographic Information Form, Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory (CSEI) and The Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI) were applied to the participants. The data of the study was collected in person between 10th of May – 31st of December 2021 at the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Research, Treatment and Education Center (AMATEM). The mean CSEI score of participants was 39,51 ± 11,84, and the mean ISMI score was 78,70 ± 9,70. It was discovered that the social withdrawal scores of the unemployed are higher than those of the retired (p < .05). There was a positive correlation between social withdrawal and self-esteem r = 0.172, and stigma resistance and self-esteem r = 0.14 (p = 0,033 < 0.05). It was found that the self-esteem and the internalized stigma experienced by individuals with alcohol and risky substance use disorder were moderate, and there was a positive correlation between self-esteem and the ISMI subscales of social withdrawal and stigma resistance.