How you talk about addiction matters. The sigma surrounding addiction is one of the main reasons why those who struggle with SUD don’t seek treatment. It is important that we are thoughtful with how we talk about SUD to ensure that we are promoting non-stigmatizing behaviors and encouraging individuals to seek treatment.
The Boston Medical Center has created this chart of stigmatizing language vs non-stigmatizing language. Referring to the terms below when deciding how you will talk about SUD is a great way to ensure that you are not contributing to the harmful stigma.
Non-Stigmatizing Language |
Stigmatizing Language |
Person with a substance use disorder |
Substance abuser or Drug Abuser Alcoholic Addict User Drunk Junkie |
Babies born with an opioid dependency |
Addicted Babies/born addicted |
Substance use disorder/Addiction Use, misuse Risky, Unhealthy, or heavy Use |
Drug Habit Abuse Problem |
Person in recovery Abstinent Not drinking or taking drugs |
Clean |
Treatment or medication for addiction Medication for opioid use disorder/medication for alcohol use disorder Positive, negative (toxicology screen results) |
Substitution or replacement therapy Medication-Assisted Treatment Clean, Dirty |
*Information in the toolkit is adapted from the Boston Medical Center’s opioid resources https://www.bmc.org/addiction*
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