The United States has a problem on its hands that it can no longer ignore.
Since 1999, over one million people in the United States have died due to drug overdoses. Young people have been especially impacted, with accidental drug overdoses being a leading cause of death among people under the age of 45.
And the issue of drug use is becoming increasingly prevalent. In 2020, the number of overdose deaths increased by an annual rate of 31 percent. Furthermore, from the period of 2019-2022, life expectancy in the United States decreased annually due to opioid overdose deaths.
These statistics paint a dire picture of the current state of affairs in the United States. It’s easy to feel far removed when reading these statistics, but each number is a real person with people who deeply care about them. Nearly half of American adults have a family member or close friend who has faced drug addiction.
This is a staggering number of people who are deeply struggling. It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of such a large issue, but there is something we can do as individuals to improve the situation — stop the stigma with the words we choose.
Stigma against those with substance use disorders is defined by the National Institute on Drug Abuse as “a set of negative attitudes and stereotypes that can create barriers to treatment and make these conditions worse.” Something as simple as attitudes held about those who use drugs may seem insignificant in the face of such a large issue. But these attitudes manifest themselves in tangible ways, in the very words we speak.
Common words like “junkie” or “addict” are thrown around lightly in our society, yet hold profound negative associations. They may just be words, but studies published in Harm Reduction Journal and Health Education Journal have found that these terms feed into negative biases and dehumanization. We often don’t realize the weight of the words we use and the effects they have on those struggling with addiction.
In 2021, around 10.4 percent of people with substance use disorders who felt they needed treatment but did not receive any in the past year said they did not seek treatment because they were fearful of attracting negative attitudes from their communities. Individuals with substance use disorders can face negative bias even in health care settings, which can explain why this may happen even when help is sought.
This line of reasoning is very easy to understand. Feeling accepted is inherently important to anyone, so when people feel like looking for treatment might bring judgment, it’s easy to see why many do not seek help. This is why combating stigma is the first step to combating drug abuse.
Stigma also may lead to poorer physical and mental health outcomes. By not seeking treatment out of fear, improvements in physical and mental health cannot be made. In this sense, stigma pushes those who are already struggling to the margins of society, further alienating them from those who could help them in their communities and in a healthcare setting.
We may not notice it, but the way in which we choose to say things can help reinforce the harmful stigma surrounding drug use. What changes can we make in our day-to-day language?
It all starts with what is called “person-first language.”
PFL emphasizes that a person has a problem rather than being the problem themselves. It also avoids the negative associations with terms like addict.
How exactly can we implement PFL?
Instead of using the term “junkie,” we can use a term like “a person with substance use disorder.” The term “addict” may have a less harsh association than “junkie,” but can still be replaced with PFL, like “a person struggling with addiction.”
These may seem like simple swaps, but their importance is profound. By making more person-first choices when speaking about drug addiction, we can emphasize every person’s dignity and avoid attributing individual blame.
The commonly used terms highlighted above, though often not used with harmful intention, undermine a person’s humanity. They make people struggling with drug addiction out to be the problem themselves.
Using PFL avoids defining individuals by what they are struggling with, creating a more encouraging environment for seeking help. It does not imply blame for their issues. Instead, it recognizes the real medical condition they are facing.
In a society of ever-present issues, it is easy to feel that nothing you do as an individual matters. With problems that loom so large, many become trapped in the mindset that they are too small to do anything. But this defeatist mindset is what holds us back from improving as a society.
Imagine if everyone who sat back and did nothing made a small change — this would create a positive impact. We must keep this in mind when facing the drug crisis in our nation.
Creating a more encouraging and stigma-free environment starts with the words we choose. We can help to reduce the stigma that surrounds drug addiction, leading more people to seek help.
Change starts with us and that doesn’t always have to be something big.
It can start with how we speak.
Kayla Cloherty is a freshman majoring in history.
Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece that represents the view of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the staff editorial.