Stigma

The stigma around substance use is a challenge. With the use of stigmatizing language* and discriminatory attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours, many individuals who need help with their substance use do not actively seek out support. Many apprentices, employers, and tradespeople indicate that stigma towards their chosen career is a barrier to considering and/or reaching out for support (Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, 2023). Due to the stigmatized nature of substance use, it is commonly seen that men in the trades are not often expected to talk about their substance use, making it less likely they will reach out for help when needed (Government of Canada, 2023b). In other cases, substance use is normalized to the extent that harms are ignored or overlooked.

*Stigmatizing language is language that assigns stereotypes, judgement, and negative labels to a specific group of people. Examples of stigmatizing language regarding substance use includes words like “junkie”, “drunk”, “addict”, and “drug abuser”.

Stigma can (Health Canada, 2024):

• Lead people to not seek out help for fear of being judged by friends, colleagues, and loved ones
• Lead people to hide their substance use from others and/or use alone
• Contribute to individuals who use drugs receiving lower quality of care when accessing services

Stigma exists at all three levels: (Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, 2023; Draper, 2024):

SELF-STIGMA – Internalizing negative attitudes and beliefs about people who use substances and applying it to themselves. Fear of being perceived as ‘weak’ or a ‘failure’, or as a ‘bad person’ for using substances.

SOCIAL STIGMA – Societal attitudes and beliefs that disapprove of people who use substances. Societal view that seeks to punish those who consume substances through loss of job and/or creating a fear of disclosing or seeking help.

STRUCTURAL STIGMA – Organizational practices, policies, and/or rules that increase stigma of substance use. Societal view that seeks to punish those who consume substances through loss of job and/or creating a fear of disclosing or seeking help.

The combination of self, societal, and structural attitudes and perceptions where stigma is prevalent towards those who use substances can play a role in affecting the way trades students approach reaching out for help and accepting help. To combat stigma, the attitudes and messages that students should encounter on campus should be ones that introduce and reinforce the understanding that using substances is not a weakness or moral failing and that asking for help is always okay.

Take our More Feet on the Ground course to learn how to recognize, respond, and refer students to support who are experiencing a mental health concern on campus.

Stigma reduction can contribute to more open dialogue around mental health and substance use support (between employer and apprentice as well as campus staff and student) and decrease more high-risk practices (i.e., using substances alone) (Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, 2023). While some specific signs and symptoms may be dependent on the substance being used, these are some more general signs that someone involved in high-risk substance use may exhibit:

• Lower productivity
• Relationship changes (i.e., conflict with colleagues and classmates)
• Difficulty concentrating
• Decreased coordination, concentration, memory, and motor skills
• Changes in personality (e.g., isolation, loss of interest in activities, irritability)
• Decreased overall health