Stigmatizing language makes recovery difficult

I applaud the Courage Center’s desire to expand recovery support services to youth and their families in Lexington (“Church’s bid to help addicted teens faces pushback,” Nov. 27). We should agree that our community suffers when young people begin using alcohol and drugs.

Interestingly, alcohol and drug disorders are frequently described as a pediatric disease because most who end up with substance-use disorders began using before age 18. The American Medical Association recognized substance-use disorders as a disease in 1956, but we still struggle with too many of our citizens unwilling to seek treatment and recovery support. With the rising use and misuse of opioids, we certainly need to have more treatment and recovery options available.

What we don’t need is demoralizing and stigmatizing language that was used in the newspaper article with the repeated references to “addicts.” This type of language continues to stigmatize those struggling with disorders and evokes feelings of shame and humiliation, which can contribute to increased use and the cycle continues.

What would it take for teenagers or young adults to willingly admit to having a disease when society uses language to describe them in this negative way?

Fortunately, there is progress in some areas to avoid defining people by their diseases. The Courage Center has expertise in motivating young adults and families to seek recovery, not to exclude them from recovery support options or shame them for having this disorder.

This story was originally published December 10, 2017 at 7:17 PM with the headline "Stigmatizing language makes recovery difficult."