Words Have Power
Stigma is a key barrier to the pursuit of getting help.
Judgements About Substance Use Disorder (SUD)
The negative associations for people who have SUD are rooted in the actual words we use. In order to reduce stigma, it’s essential that we see THE WHOLE PERSON. They may be someone dealing with SUD. And they may also have a family, a dream, a career, and a lot more, just like the rest of society.
One way of choosing words that help is to emphasize the person first rather than the illness, separating them from their illness, which can make it easier for them to ask for help. So instead of saying “drug user”, it would be more helpful to say “a person with SUD (or substance use disorder)”. Since a person is much more than their diagnosis, SUD is just one of the many ways to describe someone who may also be a sister, an employee, a student, an artist, a bank teller, an athlete, a boss, or a friend.
Stigma is a key barrier to the pursuit of treatment. And the words we use either fight stigma or promote it. Our words can either carry hope and possibility or pessimism and low expectations, both greatly influence the people around us.
Words can instantly motivate, encourage, and inspire. They can also instantly shame, scare, embarrass, and degrade.
The negative associations for people who have SUD are rooted in the actual words we use. To reduce stigma, it’s essential to see the whole person. They may be someone dealing with SUD. And they may also have a family, a dream, a career, and much more, just like the rest of society.
Using “person-first” words that separate a person from their SUD can reduce shame, making it easier for them to ask for help.
RESOURCES
Recovery-Friendly Workplace NH: Recovery Friendly Workplace offers business owners the resources and support they need to foster a supportive environment that encourages the success of their employees in recovery
The Power of Perceptions and Understanding: Overcoming Stigma, Ending Discrimination Resource Guide
Preventing and Reducing Stigma; Evidence-Based Practice: a transcript from presentation by Chuck Klevgaard, a nationally-recognized expert in substance misuse prevention, public health, and school-based health
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Stigma and Discrimination
Faces and Voices of Recovery: nonprofit recovery advocacy organization
Shatterproof: a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the United States
Judgements About Mental Health
The same approach applies to people with mental illness. Often, judgment becomes our default response when we don’t know what to do, say, or feel. This judgment creates a barrier between us and those we don’t understand, and it also forms a barrier around our own hearts. It’s more fulfilling to keep an open heart.
Suggestions For Conversation
Moreover, it feels better to know how to support someone who is struggling. Asking honest questions leads to better outcomes than remaining silent or making assumptions. Don’t be afraid to ask someone if they’re okay. You don’t have to fix them; simply listen (if they want to talk) and ask if there’s anything you can do to help. You don’t need to have answers, offer suggestions, or take control. Saying things like “you’ll be fine” or “you don’t have anything to be sad about” can make someone feel unheard, or unseen, or uncared for. Letting a person have their own truth is a good way to show them that you respect their feelings.
Click to read or download Stigma Toolkit booklet. To order printed copies, email: #ob#NfxCRGEN#at#APUPAU.bet#ob#
