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Substance Use Disorder

Person-first language for talking about addiction

Person-first language for talking about addiction
Instead of… Use… Because…
Addict, user,
substance
or drug abuser,
or junkie
Person with a substance use disorder (SUD), person with
an opioid use disorder (OUD), or person with opioid addiction
Person-first language helps emphasize that
SUD is a medical condition. It also shows that a person
has a problem or illness, not that they are the problem.
It doesn’t blame the individual for their disorder.
Alcoholic or
drunk (noun)
Person with alcohol use disorder (AUD) or person who
misuses alcohol or engages in unhealthy/hazardous
alcohol use
Person-first language helps emphasize that
SUD is a medical condition. It also shows that a person
has a problem or illness, not that they are the problem.
It doesn’t blame the individual for their disorder.
Former or
reformed addict Person in recovery or person who previously used drugs
Person-first language helps emphasize that
SUD is a medical condition. It also shows that a person
has a problem or illness, not that they are the problem.
It doesn’t blame the individual for their disorder.
Dirty, failing
a drug test Testing positive (on a drug screen) Using medically accurate terminology helps people
stay hopeful that they can make a change.
Habit SUD or drug addiction
Describing an SUD as a habit may make it seem
less serious than it is and may imply living with an
SUD is a choice.
Abuse Use (for illicit drugs) or misuse (for prescription
medications used other than as prescribed)
The word “abuse” brings on negative judgments and
associations with punishment.
Clean Being in remission or recovery, abstinent from drugs, not
drinking or taking drugs, or testing negative (on a drug screen)
Saying someone is “clean” inappropriately suggests
that if they’re not in recovery, they are “dirty.”
Addicted baby
Baby born to a parent who used drugs while pregnant,
baby with signs of withdrawal from prenatal drug exposure,
newborn exposed to substances, or baby with neonatal
abstinence syndrome
Babies cannot be born with addiction because
addiction is a behavioral disorder. Emphasize the
medical condition without judgment.

Alternative accessible version (pdf)

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