When you hear the words “opioid use disorder,” what comes to mind?
For too many people, the answer is shaped by stigma: assumptions, fear, judgment, or the belief that addiction is simply a matter of choice or willpower. But opioid use disorder, or OUD, is a medical condition. People living with OUD are parents, children, friends, neighbors, coworkers, veterans, caregivers, and community members. They are people in need of support, treatment, and dignity.
At Community Medical Services, we believe stigma is one of the biggest barriers standing between people and the care that can help them recover. Stopping stigma requires changing how we see people, how we talk about treatment, and how we build communities where recovery is possible.
Why Stigma Keeps People from Getting Help
“The primary reason people don’t seek treatment for their OUD is stigma,” says John Koch, director of Community Engagement at Community Medical Services (CMS). And he should know, having fought the battle of OUD for many years before getting the help he needed to thrive, living the life he wanted to live.
“It’s hard for people to admit they have a problem and need help for fear of being labeled, shamed, discredited,” says Koch. “People with OUD don’t feel like they can talk about it because they’re so used to being judged. But that’s why people die. They need to be able to talk about what’s going on without judgment. They need to be seen for who they really are: fathers, mothers, daughters, sons …. People in need of help,” he says.
People with OUD often worry they will be labeled, blamed, discredited, or treated differently if they tell the truth about what they are experiencing. That silence can be dangerous. When people do not feel safe asking for help, they may continue using alone, avoid treatment, or miss opportunities for connection and support.
The message should be clear: needing treatment is not a failure. Asking for help is a brave and protective step.
Stigma Can Come from Many Places
CMS Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robert Sherrick is all too familiar with the impacts of stigma. “Stigma is a cycle
that’s difficult to break,” he says. “Self-stigma is the type patients are susceptible to. This self-blame often impedes their treatment. Stigma also exists in the medical profession. Errors in treating patients happen when the focus is influenced by stigma instead of by pursuing the best patient outcomes,” says Dr. Sherrick. The criminal justice system is yet another example where stigma makes it difficult for people with OUD to get treatment. And the cycle continues.
Stigma can also affect the way systems respond. In healthcare, bias can influence the quality of care a person receives. In the criminal justice system, stigma can make it harder for people with OUD to access evidence-based treatment. In communities, stigma can create resistance to opening treatment centers, even when local access to care could help save lives.
Breaking the cycle starts with seeing the whole person, not just the diagnosis, the substance use, or the worst moment of their life.
Breaking the Stigma: Opioid Use Disorder Is Not a Moral Failure
Science shows that an opioid use disorder isn’t about weakness, personal or moral failure, or even a lack of willpower. Many people in the behavioral health field see addiction as a disorder of motivated behavior, meaning, once someone’s brain chemistry has been destabilized by opioids, a person’s motivation changes and they can become trapped in a continuous cycle that only professional treatment, counseling, and a strong support system can help them overcome. Understanding that OUD isn’t always a choice can be a first step towards stopping the stigma, says Koch.
“There’s a lot of debate right now about whether OUD is a disease or a learned behavior,” says Dr. Sherrick. “It’s both.”
“It really comes down to education,” says Dr. Mark Stavros, CMS Medical Director for Arizona. “We need to think of OUD as a medical condition and not just a behavioral disorder. There’s a medical component and a behavioral component,” he says, comparing it to diabetes. “You can’t give a diabetic insulin and then tell them to eat whatever they want.”
Like other chronic health conditions, opioid use disorder often requires ongoing care, practical support, and treatment that addresses more than one part of a person’s life. Medication can help stabilize withdrawal and cravings, but recovery is also supported by counseling, peer support, community resources, and relationships built on trust.
How Empathy Can Change the Treatment Experience
Koch believes the way to stop the stigma is through empathy and education. Before judging someone, we can pause and consider what that person may be carrying: trauma, chronic pain, grief, fear, withdrawal, unstable housing, untreated mental health needs, or years of being told they are not worth helping.
“Just take one second to think about what that person is going through,” he says. “We need to remember that substance use disorder is not a moral failing. It happens to people from all walks of life, not just someone experiencing homelessness or low-income individuals. It happened to me, and it was the caring hand of a police officer that got me the help I needed.”
Empathy can be learned over time from colleagues, mentors, patients, and people with lived experiences. That matters because every interaction can either reinforce stigma or help interrupt it. A receptionist, counselor, provider, first responder, family member, or neighbor can all make a difference in whether someone feels safe enough to take the next step.
To emphasize the importance of empathy when treating people with OUD, Dr. Sherrick referenced a study that showed counselors with a high level of empathy were highly successful in treating patients with OUD, while results from those counselors who showed no empathy toward patients were worse than if the patients had no counseling at all. “The study showed that unempathetic counselors could actually cause patients harm,” he said.
Avoiding certain words will also significantly help destigmatize substance use disorders (SUDs). When talking about people with a substance-use disorder, use non-stigmatizing language. Here are words to avoid, terms to use, and why.
Words Matter: How to Talk About Opioid Use Disorder
The words we use can either reduce shame or increase it. Person-first, medically accurate language helps remind us that someone is not defined by their diagnosis or substance use. If you encounter a friend or acquaintance who uses stigmatizing language, Koch suggests reminding them that they are referring to someone who is hurting and needs empathy and support. Stigmatizing language actually prevents that person from seeking and getting the help they need.
Here are simple language shifts that can help reduce stigma:
If you hear someone using stigmatizing language, you do not have to shame them in return. A simple correction can help: “I know what you mean, but I try to say, ‘person with opioid use disorder’ because they are a person first.”
How Stigma Affects Access to Treatment
Stigma does not only hurt feelings. It can limit access to care. Communities sometimes resist treatment centers because of fear or misinformation. This “not in my backyard” mindset can make it harder to open clinics in areas where people need care close to home. When treatment is farther away, people may have to navigate transportation barriers, work schedules, childcare needs, and daily responsibilities just to stay connected to lifesaving support.
A critically important aspect to addressing the opioid crisis and helping those one-in-three people with a substance-use disorder is to make treatment more accessible by meeting people where they’re at. Recovery for people with OUD is possible, but they can’t do it alone.
“Access to treatment is a huge step toward recovery,” says Koch. More local programs are needed for people to enter treatment and stay in treatment. CMS works to meet people where they are by offering medication-assisted treatment, counseling, peer support, and resources that help patients build stability over time. Recovery is possible, but people should not have to overcome stigma just to reach the front door of treatment.
How Families and Communities Can Help Stop Stigma
Stopping stigma is not only the job of treatment providers. Everyone has a role to play. Stigma occurs all around us and in places we may not even realize. Awareness and education are key as hospitals, the healthcare industry, first responders, lawmakers, business leaders, and other stakeholders take a leading role in creating positive change.
Families can help by listening without judgment, learning about opioid use disorder, and supporting treatment even if they do not fully understand every part of the recovery process.
Healthcare professionals can help by using person-first language, examining their own biases, and treating OUD with the same seriousness and compassion as other medical conditions.
First responders, law enforcement, and court systems can help by connecting people to treatment instead of relying only on punishment.
Employers can help by creating policies and cultures that support recovery, privacy, and access to care.
Neighbors and community leaders can help by supporting local treatment access instead of opposing it.
And each of us can help by remembering this: people with OUD are not “those people.” They are our people. They are part of our communities, and they deserve care.
Find Support at Community Medical Services
Stigma keeps people silent. Compassion helps people heal.
If you or someone you love is living with opioid use disorder, Community Medical Services is here to help. Our teams provide evidence-based treatment in a respectful, supportive environment designed to meet people where they are.
To start your recovery journey, find a CMS clinic near you or contact our compassionate treatment experts today.
