Abstract

This study examines how addiction within marriage functions as a site of psychological injury for Palestinian women, generating depression, panic, and moral injury under conditions of secrecy, stigma, and social surveillance. Drawing on thematic analysis of 30 detailed testimonies from Palestinian women in digital peer support forums, the research examines the collapse of marital trust, the corrosion of intimacy, and the moral disorientation that addiction precipitates. Findings reveal that women endure betrayal, emotional withdrawal, and chronic vigilance, manifesting in anxiety, sleeplessness, and somatic complaints. Shame, cultural codes of honor, and fear of social judgment intensify isolation and suppress disclosure, while limited access to gender responsive services perpetuates distress. The concept of moral injury illuminates how deception, abandonment, and coerced silence violate women’s core values, leaving wounds of conscience alongside fear-based trauma. Coping repertoires include prayer, secrecy management, selective disclosure, and strategic disengagement, often aimed at survival rather than transformation. By situating addiction within the intersecting pressures of patriarchy, occupation, and stigma, the study argues for culturally attuned interventions that prioritize ­dignity, confidentiality, and community-based recognition of women’s injuries.

Keywords:

• Addiction
• Palestinian women
• psychological injury
• moral injury
• stigma

Title

Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse

Publisher

An-Najah National University

Publisher Country

Palestine

Indexing

Thomson Reuters

Impact Factor

1.2

Publication Type

Both (Printed and Online)

Volume

24

Year

2025

Pages

1-18