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ANTI-STIGMA VOL 3 A GUIDE FOR WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO USE SUBSTANCESLANGUAGE MATTERS IN COMPASSIONATE CARE

Stigma is a social phenomenoninvolving negative attitudes(prejudices) or beliefs (stereotypes)about others typically (but not always)based on characteristics such assexuality or health conditions that areperceived as contagious, dangerous orincurable. (National Institute of MentalHealth, 2024)WHAT IS STIGMA?

WORDS MATTER!! WE CAN SHOW LEADERSHIP IN HOW LANGUAGE DESTIGMATIZES THE DISEASE OF ADDICTION.NATIONAL INSTITUE ON DRUG ABUSE, 2021

TERMS TO AVOID ADDICT SUBSTANCE OR DRUG ABUSERUSERJUNKIEALCOHOLIC DRUNKCRACK BABY TWEAKER REFORMED ADDICTNATIONAL INSTITUE ON DRUG ABUSE, 2021HOMELESSCLEANDIRTY

INSTEAD USE THESE TERMS:PERSON IN ACTIVE USE: USE THE PERSON’S NAMEPERSON WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORERPATIENT PERSON WITH ALCOHOL USE DISORDERPERSON IN RECOVERY MISUSEBABY BORN TO MOTHER WHO USED DRUGS WHILE PREGNANT (USE PERSON-FIRST LANGUAGE)NATIONAL INSTITUE ON DRUG ABUSE, 2021

TRY SAYING THIS...I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.THEIR LIFE IS WORTH SAVING.WE HAVE TREATED THIS PATIENTBEFORE.A PERSON CAN BE A GOODMOM/DAD/PARENT AND BE INRECOVERY.THEY HAVE A SUBSTANCE USEDISORDER.THEIR RECOVERY SHOULD BECELEBRATED, AND WE SHOULDCONTINUE SUPPORTING THEM.WE SHOULD FOCUS ON BOTH THEIRACUTE CONDITIONS AND THEIRSUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.[THESE WORDS SHOW COMPASSIONAND EVERY PERSON’S LIFE IS WORTHSAVING.]INSTEAD OF THISIT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD.THEY’RE A LOST CAUSE.THEY’RE A FREQUENT FLYER IN THEEMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.THEY CAN’T BE A GOOD PARENTWHILE IN RECOVERY.THEY’RE A JUNKIE/ADDICT/ALCOHOLIC.THEY’RE JUST GOING TO RELAPSE.THEY HAVE A SUBSTANCE USEDISORDER, BUT WE SHOULD ONLYFOCUS ON THEIR HIGH BLOODPRESSURE.[THESE WORDS PROPAGATE STIGMAAND DON’T RECOGNIZE THEPERSON’S VALUE.]ARE YOU USING COMPASSIONATE SUD LANGUAGE?AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION, 2021

LANGUAGE MATTERS IN COMPASSIONATE CARE,AND THAT IS NOT LIMITED TO WHAT YOU SAY INFRONT OF A PATIENT. WHAT YOU SAY BEHINDCLOSED DOORS WITH COWORKERS CAN BE THESEED FOR STIGMA AND BLAMING THE PATIENTFOR THEIR ILLNESS.FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SUBSTANCE USEDISORDERS, THIS MEANS SEEING THEM AS APERSON BATTLING A SEVERE ILLNESS ANDPROVIDING HOPE. OUR WORDS REFLECT OURTHINKING AND MAKE A PROFOUND DIFFERENCEIN THE OUTCOME OF CARE. LET’S CHOOSE TOINSPIRE AND SUPPORT OUR PATIENTS.AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION, 2021

HOW DO WE STOP STIGMA OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER?RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGES THAT STIGMA BRINGSTO COMMUNITIES INCLUDING PATIENTS. REVISING WORDS AND TERMS WHEN DISCUSSINGSUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.SUPPORT PEOPLE. TREAT EVEERYONE WITH DIGNITYAND RESPECT; OFFER SUPPORT ANDENCOURAGEMENTUSE “PERSON-FIRST LANGUAGE” FOCUSING ON THE PERSON NOT THEIR CONDITION. JOHN HOPKINS, 2023

TIPS YOU CAN PROVIDE WHENPEOPLE ARE CONFRONTED WITHSTIGMA:SEEK TREATMENT: DON’T LET THE FEAR OFBEING LABELED PREVENT YOU FROM SEEKINGHELPDON’T LET STIGMA CREATE SELF-DOUBT ORSHAMEDON’T ISOLATE YOURSELF; JOIN A SUPPORTGROUP!KNOW THE FACTS. EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUTMENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE USEDISORDERSJOHN HOPKINS, 2023

Resources

REFERENCES:DOSE OF REALITY (2021). STOP THE STIGMA. NM HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.DOSEOFREALITY.COM JOHNS HOPKINS (2019). REDUCING THE STIGMA OF ADDICTION. JOHN HOPKINSMEDICINE. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.HOPKINSMEDICINE.ORGMAYO CLINIC (2017). MENTAL HEALTH; OVERCOMING THE STIGMA OF MENTALILLNESS. RETRIEVED FROM: HTTPS://WWW.MAYOCLINIC.ORG NATIONAL INSTITUE ON DRUG ABUSE (2021). WORDS MATTER-TERMS TO USEAND AVOID WHEN TALKING ABOUT ADDITION. RETRIEVED FROM:HTTPS://NIDA.NIH.GOV SAMHSA (2023). 988 LIFELINE CHAT AND TEXT. RETRIEVED FROM:HTTPS://988LIFELINE.ORG