NARRATIVES OF DRUG ADDICTION: OVERCOMING STIGMA IN THE CONTEXT OF MEDICAL CROWDFUNDING

Abstract

Medical crowdfunding has been rapidly growing in popularity over the past decade. As the opioid epidemic and other drug use disorders grip the United States, many medical crowdfunding campaigns have emerged that attempt to elicit donations to pay for drug addiction-related services and treatment. In this study, I examine twenty-seven American medical crowdfunding campaigns that seek to pay for drug addiction treatment to investigate how stigma surrounding drug addiction and the nature of medical crowdfunding's platform influence campaigner's narratives. I contend that instead of directly arguing against stigma, the campaigners in my study employ specific narrative strategies to prove that each addict is primarily worthy of overcoming any stigma associated with drug addiction, and secondarily worthy of monetary donations. These narrative choices include proving that the addict is ready for and will truly benefit from treatment, shifting blame for the addiction off of the addict themselves, and emphasizing the positive social effects that will result from the addict becoming sober.