Stigma & Recovery Dialects

Someone you know is facing a substance use disorder right now. How we talk about substance use in our everyday lives has an impact on how likely that person is to seek and successfully complete treatment. Adjusting our language is one of the simplest ways we can support each other and reduce stigma and discrimination.

Instead of This...	Say This...
Addict / junkie / druggie	Person with a (serious) substance use disorder
Addicted to X	Person with a (serious) X use disorder
Alcoholic	Person with a (serious) alcohol use disorder
Clean screen / clean test	Testing negative for
Dirty screen / dirty test	Testing positive for substances
Drug habit	Substance use disorder; compulsive or regular substance use
Drug / substance abuser	Person with a substance use disorder
Drug offender	Person arrested for drug violation
Former / reformed addict or alcoholic	Person in (long-term) recovery
Relapsed	Had a setback / resumed use
Stayed clean	Maintained recovery

Want to learn more about stigma?

Check out these resources:

Stigma - Your Words, Your Power (PDF)
Recovery Dialects (PDF)
Anti-Stigma Toolkit (PDF)
"What is Stigma" video from the Addiction Policy Forum