The Language We Use When We Talk About Substance Use and Addiction Matters

Joey

Joey

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The language we choose when we talk about substance use matters

When Hunter Biden, son of President-elect Joe Biden, was recently interviewed by Amy Robach at ABC News, Robach brought up Hunter's substance use issues, noting that he had been "in and out of rehab seven, eight times."
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When Hunter Biden, son of President-elect Joe Biden, was recently interviewed by Amy Robach at ABC News, Robach brought up Hunter's substance use issues, noting that he had been "in and out of rehab seven, eight times."


Hunter responded, "Say it nicer to me." He went on to correct Robach's language, saying that he had "sought treatment for an issue, like most people" and noted that the interviewer was "insensitive."


Negative language

Terminology such as, "addict," "junkie" and "abuser" continue to be commonplace. In Hunter Biden's case, the interviewer's characterization was that his multiple episodes of treatment indicated a personal failure.

Negative language about individuals who use substances contributes to how society views these individuals. For example, one study had clinicians read case vignettes that either used the term "substance abuser" or "substance use disorder." The clinicians who read the "substance abuser" vignettes were more likely to conclude that the character in the vignette was personally culpable, and were more likely to support punitive treatment for the character.

I recently completed a study for which I interviewed 10 individuals attending outpatient treatment for substance use and 10 clinicians providing outpatient counseling.

I asked all of the participants how they perceived language around substance use, particularly as it related to relapse and recovery. I heard multiple stories of how disempowering the language around substance use can be, and how many of the participants who struggled with substance addictions felt judged and misunderstood by broader society.
 
So my point for discussion here is how do we revise this language we use? What is the best route to saying things in a more accurate and less loaded way? What do you think the language should look like?
 
I don't think Hunter Biden is a good example of someone who has had the "negative" connotations of some of these terms applied to him.

Nevertheless, I don't entirely agree with the premise anyway, and I don't know anyone who has been in the worst of worst situations who would either.

I have very good friends who have been in rehab, who have been homeless, who have been in a hospital bed after life-threatening overdose. The only one of them who would take umbrage to the use of some of these terms is my ex-bf and that's only since he took a college course in addictions counselling. Ok, I just contradicted myself from the paragraph above, I realise......one exception making the rule, of course. :P

Not one of the rest, including myself who hit a decent rock bottom once upon a time, woud consider any of it insulting. In fact, on the contrary, we joke about it openly.

That's just me and my experience with my own group of degenerate associates (and I can assure you not a one would take offence to that descriptor).
 
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It's like saying "Im bipolar" instead of "i have bipolar disorder".

I think it's a fair swap. I consciously try to member not to define myself by something out of my control.

So i guess my question is does one admit no control, like in NA, or not?

I tend to disagree with the notion that we are powerless. That's why, to me, bipolar disorder is different.
 
It matters if you walk with golden plated people and it might be normal in drug cases since most people whom you buy drugs from aren't ur comrades but strangers and so you know. People who are scared to talk about drugs on the street/wapp or who don't smoke let's say a blunt when they walk around the block those ppl are toxic. The CIA doesn't watch you, they have other greater things to waste their time on
 
Shady's Fox said:
It matters if you walk with golden plated people and it might be normal in drug cases since most people whom you buy drugs from aren't ur comrades but strangers and so you know. People who are scared to talk about drugs on the street/wapp or who don't smoke let's say a blunt when they walk around the block those ppl are toxic. The CIA doesn't watch you, they have other greater things to waste their time on
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This is true too. Best dealers and least sketchy users are straight up. To a point.
 
Slightly off topic I guess. But the DEA has a publication containing drug slang and code words used in the business ( last release 2018 ).

It's 124 pages long!
 
dalpat077 said:
Slightly off topic I guess. But the DEA has a publication containing drug slang and code words used in the business ( last release 2018 ).

It's 124 pages long!
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Just took a look at it. Most of those terms are either extremely outdated, local, or just a joke because no one talks like that.

On the flipside I just got a cavity in my witches teeth seeing I smoked. Smokings so bad for your teeth they just disappear the more you smoke them.
 
Outlier said:
Just took a look at it. Most of those terms are either extremely outdated, local, or just a joke because no one talks like that.
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You cannot be serious? I've just spent six months trying to get all that shit in my head! You know. Just in case there was a sudden change of career path. 🤪
 
The show intervention is a bad approach to confront someone's substance use. I think when the gang gives Frank an intervention on It's always sunny is a better idea. Social workers are bad at counseling an addict. Sometimes a user needs tough love sometimes empathy. Really they could give them a bag of grass and see if their condition improves.
 
ions said:
The show intervention is a bad approach to confront someone's substance use. I think when the gang gives Frank an intervention on It's always sunny is a better idea. Social workers are bad at counseling an addict. Sometimes a user needs tough love sometimes empathy. Really they could give them a bag of grass and see if their condition improves.
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This Rehab Center Helps People Get Off Drugs By Getting Them Onto Cannabis

Can recovering addicts smoke weed without backsliding into substance abuse? It’s a question frequently asked by those in...
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Zephyn said:
www.civilized.life

This Rehab Center Helps People Get Off Drugs By Getting Them Onto Cannabis

Can recovering addicts smoke weed without backsliding into substance abuse? It’s a question frequently asked by those in...
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California is always pushing ahead. Opiate use is a qualifying condition for MMJ in PA. Unfortunately with schizophrenia diagnosis, they would most likely not qualify me. It's expensive to go through what you need and the dispensary is also expensive here for crap. So they push me to the black market. Psychiatry should look into patients more better and find out whats wrong rather than prescribe antipsychotics. Cannabis is so much better I find.
 
Psycho_Logic said:
For someone who is thinking of that kind of a career you are pretty vocal about it.🤣
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What’s wrong with a career at the DEA? Did you think I was referring to something else? 🤣

Just doing my homework is all. First assignment probably be to update that manual! 🤣

Psycho_Logic said:
That said, Sahara desert is very visible so your coca plantation is not that secretive. You are in the marketing phase already? 🤐🤣
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Are you talking about my genetically modified E.Coca? It’s for science and research and just playing my little part to green the planet. I’d be awarded a Nobel Prize if I pulled it off! 🤣 Also a backup plan just in case I don’t make it through the psychological assessment! 🤪

Nothing criminal or illegal to be found here! What were you thinking? 🤣
 
dalpat077 said:
What’s wrong with a career at the DEA? Did you think I was referring to something else? 🤣

Just doing my homework is all. First assignment probably be to update that manual! 🤣


Are you talking about my genetically modified E.Coca? It’s for science and research and just playing my little part to green the planet. I’d be awarded a Nobel Prize if I pulled it off! 🤣 Also a backup plan just in case I don’t make it through the psychological assessment! 🤪

Nothing criminal or illegal to be found here! What were you thinking? 🤣
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Fuck any of you who work for the dea!!!
 
dalpat077 said:
Look. It’s hard work. But somebody has to do it. :cool:
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No, they don't. Perhaps some level of control is necessary but the dea is a historically and presently corrupt organization that should be disbanded asap
 
Zephyn said:
I met a supposed dea informant who wanted me to tie her up and force her to smoke dmt, I had to pass.
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Was her posture like a cop too? You know what I mean? Like not street smart at all and more military looking posture and naive.

Those silly DEA and their DMT rape fantasies.. Id just offer her a spot on my couch and a drug cigarette instead, Drug cigarettes are SO amazing and I am totally blasted right now on drug cigarettes.

Now that a notorious druggie, a moderator on BL has brought drug cigarettes to light, the DEA is going to include drug cigarettes in their manual, and they should if they want to be woke rather than a joke. They are the cigarettes with the bad drugs yo. Very bad. Very very bad.
 
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