Family and Stigma: Overlapping Roles in the Nonlinear Path of Yaba Cessation

Abstract

This article aims to examine the roles of the family and the impact of stigma, focusing on the family as a systemic mechanism that does not operate in a single dimension but functions both as a supportive net that helps sustain and protect its members, and as a lever of change that can drive recovery. The study employed a qualitative research methodology, collecting data through in-depth interviews with individuals who use or formerly used methamphetamine (yaba) and their family members. The findings reveal that families play two distinct roles. On the one hand, they act as a pulling force, providing care, support, and inspiration for cessation. On the other hand, they may also serve as a pushing force, manifested through sarcasm, repeated reminders, and stigmatization from close relatives, which create deeper psychological wounds than stigma from outsiders. The study further indicates that the path to quitting yaba is nonlinear, often characterized by effort, relapse, and repeated attempts. Family roles thus emerge in overlapping forms: both as a positive force that sustains and as a shadow of stigma that undermines. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for designing sustainable rehabilitation strategies and measures, which will be discussed in greater detail in the subsequent sections of this study.