Courtesy Stigma and Personal Witness

The stigma attached to addiction, addiction treatment, and even addiction recovery is extended professionally and socially to those who choose to work in the addictions arena. Erving Goffman, the premier stigma theorist, referred to this as courtesy stigma—discredit extended to families and others closely linked to people with addiction disorders. It is common for addiction counselors and recovery support specialists to encounter courtesy stigma. This can take the form of other health and human service professionals looking askance at those who would choose to work in the addictions field or in the responses of civilians when introduced to us. The phrases “I could never do that kind of work” and “it must take a special person to help THOSE people” may express the civilian’s respect for those who counsel people with addictions, but I suspect these phrases can also convey the civilian’s suspicion about the mental status of anyone who would choose such work. Such reactions are also a way for civilians to emotionally distance themselves from such problems. (williamwhitepapers.com/blog, 02.10.2018)

http://www.williamwhitepapers.com/blog/2018/10/courtesy-stigma-and-personal-witness.html