Substance Use and Misuse: Myths and Facts

12809One reason that social workers may struggle to completely remove subtle bias from their work with clients with substance use disorders is due to inaccurate beliefs about substance use and misuse. Societal misconceptions about substance use are widespread. Even social workers who work diligently to avoid stigma and approach clients with openness may still hold a few inaccurate beliefs about substance use that may have been reinforced by friends, news stories, or other media.

In this Assignment, you use an activity to explore your knowledge of substance use and misuse. You then reflect on strategies you can use to navigate misinformation and ensure that your social work practice with this client population is grounded in facts.

Submit a 2-page reflection on the Myths and Facts activity. In your reflection:

Identify at least one myth that you had previously believed to be true. Is it challenging for you to now accept the true information, and why?
Describe the information on which you based your answers (e.g., prior knowledge, past experiences, media portrayals).
Explain how you plan on ensuring your information is accurate as a social worker.