Addiction Diction

Oftentimes, the negative ways of describing drug addiction can drive individuals away from getting the help they need.  We as a nation are still recovering from an era that viewed addiction as a defect in moral character, and while science has advanced and improved our understanding of the disease, changes are still required to update the national conversation.  

Language shapes people’s thoughts, beliefs, and actions and its effect can be seen in their resulting implicit biases, and understanding (or misunderstanding) of others. In order to reduce the stigma associated with the negativity of the past, there is a need to change the language, perceptions and underlying attitudes towards those struggling with addiction. 

Attitude & Perceptions 

The way a person is described can constitute a significant difference in how they are judged and treated by others. If one is described as an “addict” or “substance abuser” rather than “having a substance abuse disorder” or “struggling with an addiction”, they may be viewed as a social threat. Often these views fuel the perception for the need to take disciplinary action against them, as evidenced by the increased population of drug offenders in prison (representing 45% of all incarcerations at the time this article was written). 

Clearly, the language we use to describe addiction affects our attitudes and the overall community mindset towards helping individuals reintegrate into society. The first step towards change in this aspect is beginning to dispel fact from fiction:  having an addiction is like having a lifelong disease that severely compromises the areas of the brain that traditionally helps an individual contain their impulse to use alcohol or drugs. 

The second step for changing perceptions of addiction is to increase our empathy for others, and to learn a bit more about the lives of individuals who struggle with addiction. Reading about addiction may be a good starting place (as is making it this far into the post).

Author Brene Brown shares her tool for conceptualizing others who are different than her: “People are hard to hate close up. Move in.” True, in a study published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress, 96.5% of those interviewed with a diagnosed substance use disorder had experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, and the link between abuse experienced in childhood and the later development of a substance use disorder is also well documented.

Often a problem with alcohol or other drugs develops because it first presents as a solution to one’s difficulty regulating their emotional state. These individuals often do not remain in their addiction by choice, but because it has become an ingrained habit, and often their only known way to cope. 

Words can indeed hurt an individual, especially those that already suffer from emotional dysregulation. In order to lower the barriers for a person with an active substance use disorder to seek and get help, more medically appropriate language is required.

Alternatives

As a move to counter the unsympathetic attitude associated with many of the terms in use, The Office of National Drug Control Policy drafted a glossary of suggested language to replace words that have been seen to have a negative impact. Instead of using the word “addict”, one could opt to say “person with a substance use disorder”. “Clean” can be substituted with “abstinent” or “sober”, “dirty” with “actively using”, “drug habit” with “addictive patterns” and instead of saying “reformed alcoholic,” try “person in recovery”.  Refraining from using even more offensive terminology and opting for more medically appropriate terms, can help decrease the stigma and increase sensitivity towards these individuals.  Thus, the implementation of person-first language carries a neutral meaning and distinguishes a person from their diagnosis. 

At Peace Club, every aspect of our program has been developed with intentionality, down to the very words we speak. While it may be easy to feel powerless when staring down a problem like “the opioid crisis”, remember that small changes like altering the words we use does actually matter, and we invite you to do your part.