Every person is so much more than the challenges they experience. See the person, not the illness or disorder.If you have a family member or friend managing an often stigmatized health challenge, find support in your community for yourself and for them.Seek reliable and factual information to learn more about substance use disorder and/or mental health.If we are in a situation where we don’t know what the appropriate person-first language is to use, simply ask.Be conscious of your language - person-first language, not problem or issue-first.In addition to using person-first language, there are other ways you can help yourself, family, and friends by understanding what contributes to stigma. It affects teens and college students who don’t want to appear “different” from friends. This listing does not constitute an endorsement by the Division or the State of North Carolina and is intended solely as a convenience to those persons or. It affects workers who fear losing their jobs or being treated differently by colleagues. One of the most common reasons people don’t seek treatment for mental health challenges or substance use disorder is stigma or shame. How that person chooses to self-identify is up to them, but does not give us permission to use that same language. On occasion, we may be in a situation where we hear a person with substance use disorder refer to themself as an “addict” or a “junkie.” That is their personal choice. When it comes to mental health, perhaps rethink the everyday use of “crazy” or “psycho” because both perpetuate stigma. If a person is being drug tested, they are not “clean” or “dirty.” They either tested negative or positive. There are also other terms that can be adjusted. But when you refer to a “person in recovery from substance use” or “a person with depression”, that can make a big difference in reducing stigma about the disease of addiction or mental health challenges. Both person-first and identity-first approaches to language are designed to respect disabled persons. Terms like “user,” “junkie”, “addict”, “crackhead” are demeaning and disrespectful. Choosing between person-first and identity-first language. When we use person-first language, we put the emphasis on a person, but not their diagnosis, condition, or challenge. Why does it matter? In short: it’s people first, it’s not the problem first. Person-first language conveys respect and acceptance by emphasizing the fact that people with behavioral, psychological, or substance use issues are first and foremost just that: people. In short, it describes what a person has, not who a person is. When SAFE Project talks about stigma and shame, we often refer to person-first language.
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