By Mersades Morgan
The language we use influences and reflects our policies and approaches to substance use disorder (SUD). Different terms convey different meanings and can impact perceptions, cause and controllability, punishment, or treatment.
The language we use can implicitly (or unknowingly) effect judgment that can perpetuate stigma/discrimination against individuals experiencing SUD. It is crucial that we understand that people are people and we need to address them as such, not as their diagnosis. This is why we say “person first,” because this helps to destigmatize the way we talk about others and the terms we use. Some common examples include changing the words to be person first:
- “addict” -> to “person with a substance use disorder,”
- “relapse” -> to “recurrence,”
- “recovering addict” -> to “person in recovery.”
The way that we reduce stigma is by educating ourselves and those around us. The shift in language eliminates labeling and instead helps us view individuals with respect and dignity. This can take practice, but is well worth the work to improve the lives of those around us and encourage recovery.
The Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness has many additional resources for families and individuals with SUD. Visit myusara.com for additional information and local information.