Self-esteem In Drug Use: The Theory Of Self-loathing

From psychology, the origin and maintenance of drug use behavior has been studied. Numerous explanatory theories and models have been developed around the phenomenon. The best known are those that explain the initiation and maintenance of consumption as a conditioning process. But what do we know about the role of self-esteem in drug use?

The 2019 drug report of our country reported that around a third of the adult population admits to having consumed an illicit substance at some point in their life.

Drug use disorder is a serious problem that is becoming more and more widespread, with an earlier and earlier onset. In young people, especially, the role of self-esteem in drug use is crucial. Let’s see why.

Self-esteem and its dimensions

Self-esteem is the assessment, positive or negative, that we make of our self-concept : the description we make of ourselves. In addition, it is a very useful tool to face difficult life situations. A higher or lower level of self-esteem can make the difference between an adequate coping strategy and a wrong coping strategy.

It is not a unitary factor, but a multidimensional one. Furthermore, not all dimensions exert the same influence on the initiation or maintenance of consumer behavior. There is no agreement on the number of dimensions and, therefore, we are going to focus on those that are relevant for explaining the role of self-esteem in drug use.

• Social : it is the perception of feeling accepted and belonging to a social group.

• Family : it is how it is perceived as part of a family and in the relationships that are established within the family nucleus.
• Academic : it is how it is perceived in the academic field (if it is the case). If he thinks he is capable of performing academically what is expected of him, if he considers himself a good or bad student in relation to his cognitive ability, if he is capable of overcoming failures, …

Research results indicate that there is a negative correlation between family and academic self-esteem and substance use. In other words, the higher the level of family and academic self-esteem, the lower the probability of drug use. While social self-esteem is positively related to drug use: young people with higher social self-esteem are more likely to use substances, which is paradoxical.

Social self-esteem has to do with the ability to interact in novel contexts, such as nightlife. Substance use helps regulate these interactions, which can enhance self-perception as a social being (hence the positive correlation).

Theories that give a relevant role to self-esteem in drug use

There are numerous authors who consider that the role of self-esteem is central when explaining the origin or maintenance of substance use. That is, they consider that there is a positive relationship between poor self-concept and low self-esteem or self-confidence and substance use.

The authors explain that, since drugs are harmful and harmful, only people with low self-esteem would be willing to ingest them.

Among the aforementioned theories we find:

• Kumpfer and Turner’s social ecological model. This model focuses on the role of stress in school and on self-efficacy.
• Simons, Conger and Whitbeck’s multidimensional social learning model. It focuses on self-esteem, interaction skills, coping skills, and emotional distress.
• Brook, Gordon, Whiteman, and Cohen’s Family Interaction Theory. This theory includes a wide range of intrapersonal variables, considering self-esteem as the most significant.
• Theory of self-loathing, by Kaplan, Martin and Robins. It focuses on self-esteem in general, so we will focus on it.

The self-loathing theory: explaining the influence of self-esteem on drug use

Self-loathing theory, also called self-loathing theory or self-rejection theory, is an explanatory model of drug use behavior. Kaplan and his collaborators explain that deviant behavior (consumption) would respond to a self-compensatory need of the subject in the face of low self-assessment.

The negative perception of oneself would be determined by unfavorable social experiences, responsible for the psychological discomfort and their low self-esteem. Consequently, the individual progressively moves away from circumstances that are a source of discomfort and looks for alternatives that help him regain his self-esteem.

This, together with the accessibility of illicit substances or belonging to a social group that consumes, for example, can make these behaviors more likely. In fact, when they are carried out, they obtain recognition from the peer group, at the same time moving away from conventional behaviors. This reasoning is in accordance with the positive correlation found between social self-esteem and consumer behavior.

Prevention through self-esteem improvement

Despite the considerable volume of research on the subject, there is still no agreement on the correlation between self-esteem and drug use. However, self-esteem is considered to play an important role.

This has made work on improving self-esteem have acquired a central role, not only for the prevention of drug use, but also, within treatment programs for use disorders, as the first step in the process.

As we have mentioned, self-esteem is a powerful tool to face difficult situations. Therefore, the higher our self-esteem, the greater the ability to cope, the greater the ability to establish healthy relationships and the greater motivation. This is beneficial both for rejecting drugs or wanting to discontinue use and for coping with a relapse.