Identifying whether certain groups of people with AUD have high levels of perceived alcohol stigma may have clinical significance. Within addiction treatment samples, higher perceived stigma is associated with an elevated risk of being secretive about substance use, concealing negative and distressing personal information, and treatment non-completion (Brener et al. 2010; Luoma et al. 2010; Palamar 2012). Stigma may limit active treatment participation due to secrecy and concealment, which may be of particular concern in treatment when clinical decisions related to psychopathology (e.g. suicidal ideation) or contraindications of alcohol use (e.g. certain psychiatric medications) are time-sensitive and/or rely on the disclosure of distressful or stigmatizing information (Livingston et al. 2012). While these studies of addiction stigma in treatment settings may have methodological limitations (e.g. cross-sectional designs), it is certainly possible that the combination of AUD, comorbid psychiatric disorder, and sensitivity to stigma could limit progress in treatment settings.
