The Language We Use in Addiction Treatment
The language we use related to alcohol and drug use disorders is often stigmatizing and misguided. Alltyr’s mission is to transform addiction treatment in America. Changing language is a necessary step in that process. Here’s is Alltyr’s guide to addiction language for the 21 st Century. Instead of saying: Say: alcoholic person with an alcohol use disorder (AUD) addict person with a substance use disorder (SUD) alcohol /drug abuse risky use, heavy drinking, risky drinking sober abstaining, in remission betrayer, liar, cheat, thief, selfish addicted person, sick, ill enabler loved one enabling unhelpful or unskillful behavior tough love self-care, setting reasonable limits and expectations unmotivated, denial ambivalent about change, non-adherent, not yet able to overcome barriers to change, demoralized dry drunk irritable, moody, troubled, erratic, struggling slip, lapse, relapse use episode, recurrence, se...