Background: Opioid dependence is a chronic disease. Substitution treatment for opioid addiction involves a lot of rules and control that can lead to stigmatization.

Purpose: To describe the experience of control and stigma in people with substitution treatment during opioid dependence.

Method: A literature review with qualitative content analysis inspired by Graneheim & Lundman (2004). The study is based on 14 scientific articles that were applied mainly through the databases Cinahl and Pubmed.

Result: Two main themes with eight sub-themes emerged. The most prominent in the result was that people with substitution treatment feel stamped as a drug addict. They can also feel suspicious and less credible. Having substitution treatment is associated with shame. One does not always dare to tell the surroundings that one has treatment. Within the framework of treatment, they feel controlled and supervised.

Conclusion: People with substitution treatment experience stigma in terms of discrimination, preconceived opinions and reduced credibility. Stigma arises in several different contexts, such as work, friends and family, but also in health care and even in substitution treatment. This is because this form of treatment includes a number of rules and controls that make you feel controlled and supervised. This risks contributing to further stigmatization.