The shame felt in addiction often isn’t toxic – it’s healing
The push to take shame out of recovery is well-meaning. But it overlooks the power this emotion has to motivate change
by Owen Flanagan
Owen Flanagan is James B Duke Distinguished University Professor of Philosophy and Professor of Neurobiology emeritus at Duke University in North Carolina. He lives in Durham, North Carolina and Brooklin, Maine. He is the author of What Is it Like to Be an Addict? Understanding Substance Abuse (2025).
Written by Owen Flanagan