People Who Take Drugs Are Real People

Learn More About Substance Use

• Learn about the substance(s) your family member is/are using, and about substance use in general.
• Seek out information that is non-blaming and non-judgemental.
• Many organizations that provide services to people who use drugs have knowledgeable staff who may be able to answer your questions, in addition to providing public information and education sessions and programs.

Tip: The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) offers an online tutorial  as an introduction to understanding addiction.

Changing Our Language

Language is powerful. It reflects our values and beliefs, and impacts our thoughts and actions. Much of the language that society uses to describe people who use alcohol and/or other drugs is negative and degrading. Terms like abuser, junkie, addict, drunk, user, perpetuate stigma and discrimination*. This affects both the individual’s self-esteem and their treatment by others. As a result, people who use alcohol and/or other drugs become marginalized and alienated from the supports they need, including health and social services.

There is no other health issue for which the term ‘abuse’ is used [1].

Stigma and discrimination

Stigmatizing language can create a barrier for people who use drugs to access supports and services because they do not feel welcomed. Stigmatizing language also reduces individuals to one aspect of their identity that is not fair or accurate. Individuals are more than their substance use, they are people first. They are mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, musicians, artists, students, teachers and much more. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

A study about language used by substance use treatment providers found that when individuals were referred to as ‘substance abusers’ more punitive interventions were recommended. When people were said to have a ‘substance use disorder,’ treatment options were recommended [2]. This shows that even among highly trained clinicians, variations in language can directly impact the type of treatment they provide to someone who is seeking help.

Don’t say	Say
Drug/substance abuser	People who use alcohol or drugs
Drug/substance abuse	Drug/substance use
Addict	People with substance use issues

It is important to note that while we should not attach negative labels to other people, individuals should be able to self identify as they wish.

Some people seek to ‘reclaim’ negative language, as a way of taking the power of that language back for themselves. This is similar to what has happened in the 2SLGBTQ+ community with words such as ‘queer’.

* The Oxford English Dictionary defines stigma as “a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality or person”, and discrimination as “the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people.” [1] White, W., Kelly, J.F. (2010). Alcohol/Drug/Substance Abuse: The History and (Hopeful) Demise of a Pernicious Label. Commentary.
[2] Kelly, J.F., & Westerhoff, C.M., (2009). Does it matter how we refer to individuals with substance-related conditions? A randomized study of two commonly used terms. International Journal of Drug Policy, in press.

Strategies to Reduce Stigma

Stigma and discrimination present a major barrier for people who use drugs to access the services they needed.

The following strategies will help you identify what you and your organization can do to reduce drug-related stigma and discrimination.

What You Can Do

Explore your own values and beliefs about substance use and how they may impact how you work with people who consume alcohol/other drugs:

• Focus on building respectful and trusting relationships with clients.
• Use neutral, non-judgemental language.
• Advocate on behalf of clients to ensure they get the services and resources that they are entitled to.
• Challenge drug-related stigma and discrimination when you see it.
• Advocate for systemic change – health, housing, employment sectors, etc.
• Participate in networks advocating for evidence-based drug policy.

What Your Organization Can Do

Ensure your organization complies with provincial policy and legislation that protects people from discrimination and requires a “duty to accommodate.”

Read more: The Stigma, Discrimination and Substance Use report details the experiences of people who use alcohol and other drugs in Toronto.

Creating Welcoming Services

Supporting a family member who uses drugs can be challenging and isolating. For many, a family member may be the only person in their lives who is aware of their struggle with alcohol or other drugs. The following information is intended to provide some suggestions, considerations, and resources to help family members.

Services & Supports Available for Your Family Member

Substance use treatment and support services are not a one-size-fits-all situation – depending on a person’s needs and goals, some services are better suited than others. Respect your family member’s perspective about what services or supports are best for them.

Some common treatment approaches include:

• Abstinence-based programming, requiring people to not be using while accessing services and to have the goal of abstaining from substance use
• Harm reduction, which aims to work with people to reduce their use, or to learn strategies to reduce the harm the use is having on their life. Abstinence may be a goal but is not a requirement for service.

Tip: Pushing a person into treatment can strain your relationship and deter them from seeking support. Try finding out what resources are available and share these, providing your family member with the tools to make decisions that work best for them.

Communicate

Open and non-judgemental communication is an important part of any relationship, and even more so for those trying to support family members who use substances.

• Ask your family member how you can support them, rather than offering advice or recommending what they should do.
• Try to understand the role that drug use has in their lives and what else is going on for them.
•  Provide a safe and supportive space for them to share their experiences and feelings.

Tip: The language you use can have a great impact on your communication with a family member. Instead of using negative terms such as ‘addict’, use language that puts the person ahead of the problem such as ‘people who use substances’ or ‘substance use issue’.  This shows that you know there is more to them than the issues they are facing.

Seek Out Support for Yourself & Other Members of Your Family

Think about how you can support yourself:

• Self-care is an essential part of caring for someone else and also models coping strategies to the person(s) you are supporting.
• Talk to other members in your family or supportive friends or seek individual counselling.
• Family support programs can connect you with other people experiencing similar situations, to information and resources, and teach you new skills to better support yourself and your family.

Finding the right counsellor or service for you or your family member can be challenging. Some things to look for include:

• The language used by the service (e.g., person who uses drugs vs. ‘addict’);
• The rules, requirements or restrictions of the program (e.g., can you or your family attend for support if you or they are actively using; is regular attendance mandatory for ongoing service);
• Accessibility and a feeling of safety and comfort in the space the services are offered in;
• Flexibility in the format of services offered (e.g., open/closed group, individual, and/or family counselling); and
• Opportunity to talk openly about you or your family member’s drug use in a non-judgemental and unrestricted way

Tip: Before you meet with or contact a service think of some questions you would like to ask of them. For example, what is the process for accessing the services?

Tip: METRAC has a Client Rights Guide for interviewing a new therapist, which can help prepare for that first conversation with a new service provider.