Dr. Sarah Wakeman

If we're labeling people with active addiction as dirty or people with addiction as the same as child abusers with that sort of language, we're really sort of subtly increasing stigma. So that's a small thing that we can all do is just try to use language that's a bit more humanizing. Yeah.

If we're labeling people with active addiction as dirty or people with addiction as the same as child abusers with that sort of language, we're really sort of subtly increasing stigma. So that's a small thing that we can all do is just try to use language that's a bit more humanizing. Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, it's hard to change. But, you know, like everything, you just want to be humble, curious, and keep trying. I mean, there's lots of language that we've changed. Like, think about so many terms we use for...

Yeah, it's hard to change. But, you know, like everything, you just want to be humble, curious, and keep trying. I mean, there's lots of language that we've changed. Like, think about so many terms we use for...

you know for you know people who are born with different abilities or for people of different races or other identities that we're really stigmatizing and we've like learned to use different language even if it feels a little awkward when you're first learning it I think understanding the science and the data behind the impact it has to use certain language I think is really useful yeah because that's helped me to understand just because now I understand the first principles of it I need to make sure I describe people as a person first yeah so a person with addiction addiction is much better than calling someone an addict yeah exactly

you know for you know people who are born with different abilities or for people of different races or other identities that we're really stigmatizing and we've like learned to use different language even if it feels a little awkward when you're first learning it I think understanding the science and the data behind the impact it has to use certain language I think is really useful yeah because that's helped me to understand just because now I understand the first principles of it I need to make sure I describe people as a person first yeah so a person with addiction addiction is much better than calling someone an addict yeah exactly

And one thing people ask me will say, well, what if someone refers to themselves that way? Because people may do that. And that's fine. People can use whatever language they want for themselves. But I think as a healthcare professional, for sure, or someone who's trying to help combat stigma, like we can choose to use different language.

And one thing people ask me will say, well, what if someone refers to themselves that way? Because people may do that. And that's fine. People can use whatever language they want for themselves. But I think as a healthcare professional, for sure, or someone who's trying to help combat stigma, like we can choose to use different language.

And I've actually had patients sort of ask me like, well, why do you use that terminology when they use a different language? And it actually can be sort of empowering to be like, oh, yeah, I'm actually a person in recovery. I'm a person with addiction. I'm not going to label myself that way anymore. Yeah.

And I've actually had patients sort of ask me like, well, why do you use that terminology when they use a different language? And it actually can be sort of empowering to be like, oh, yeah, I'm actually a person in recovery. I'm a person with addiction. I'm not going to label myself that way anymore. Yeah.

You're like defining yourself as incapable of doing something instead of being like, I'm working on organization right now.

You're like defining yourself as incapable of doing something instead of being like, I'm working on organization right now.

Yeah, you're sort of labeling them as that is the only thing that they are and that they will be that forever. And, you know, a friend of mine is a journalist who is in recovery and writes a lot about addiction. Maya Solovitz wrote this great New York Times piece that addiction doesn't always last a lifetime.

Yeah, you're sort of labeling them as that is the only thing that they are and that they will be that forever. And, you know, a friend of mine is a journalist who is in recovery and writes a lot about addiction. Maya Solovitz wrote this great New York Times piece that addiction doesn't always last a lifetime.

Because I think there's this idea in our head that, like, you know, people with addiction will always have addiction. And it's this, like – incurable thing and that actually people have lots of different journeys. And for some people, you know, that becomes something they deal with and then they move on in their lives. For other people, it's something that they actively manage.

Because I think there's this idea in our head that, like, you know, people with addiction will always have addiction. And it's this, like – incurable thing and that actually people have lots of different journeys. And for some people, you know, that becomes something they deal with and then they move on in their lives. For other people, it's something that they actively manage.

But this idea that you sort of boil things down to like the only thing I am in this world as a person with addiction, you really limit everything else about yourself.

But this idea that you sort of boil things down to like the only thing I am in this world as a person with addiction, you really limit everything else about yourself.