Identity Construction and Stigma in Recovery

Murphy critically explores identity construction in recovery from addiction and the role of societal stigma and labelling in obstructing successful recovery. The chapter explores how recovery narratives are drawn upon to support negotiating a new ‘normal’ identity in the liminal spaces between ‘addict’ and ‘recovering’. The ‘re-storying’ of identity offers opportunities to uncover or rediscover a past self, and to build up resources to challenge and overcome stigma. Debates about the individual versus the social nature of identity construction and links to official definitions of ‘addiction’ are outlined and used as a theoretical backdrop for understanding how narratives encountered in recovery communities and illustrated in this study, can help to overcome negative labelling, and enable the construction of a new ‘normal’ identity.