Words matter.
People with substance use disorder (SUD) have a medical condition and need medical care. Yet the language often used to describe people with substance use disorders tends to blame or demean them, creating a stigma that interferes with their opportunity to seek treatment.
Eliminating stigma is one of the first steps to helping people with substance use disorders access the medical care they need.
The mission of the Superior Health Quality Alliance Shine a Light on Stigma campaign is to increase respect for and dignity of persons with substance use disorder. We are asking individuals and organizations to learn about and commit to eliminating the stigma surrounding substance use disorders by changing the language they use.
Take the Pledge
Ending stigma is about preventing the judgment and shame imposed upon people with substance use disorders so that we create an environment that promotes healing and recovery in a supportive and respectful way.
The words we use directly influence our thoughts and feelings about others. We can help eliminate stigma by adjusting how we talk about it.
By pledging to “Shine a light” on stigma, you are making a conscious decision to think about your words and choose person-centered language. This shift will elevate the person and help eliminate the discrimination that stigma creates.
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What Does Taking the Pledge Mean?
Individuals and organizations are invited to commit to reducing stigma, paving the way for better access to treatment for those who need it.
By pledging to Shine a Light on Stigma:
- You choose to use person-centered language when discussing substance abuse disorder.
- You agree to use words that are supportive, non-judgmental, culturally responsive and welcoming.
- You pledge to use peer-to-peer coaching to create an environment where anyone can safely point out stigma-producing words to help eliminate their use.
These shifts will help elevate the person and eliminate stigma.
Organizational Pledge
Personal Pledge
Learn More About Stigma
Shine a Light on Stigma Podcast
This podcast series explores ways to eliminate stigma and help people with substance use disorders access the medical care they need. Produced by Superior Health and Telligen Quality Improvement Network.
Dr. Bobby Redwood, an emergency physician, and Superior Health subject matter expert on addiction medicine, developed this seven-video series for physicians as part of the Shine the Light on Stigma campaign. The videos review the widely taught stages of change model for assessing a patient’s readiness to act on a new healthier behavior while providing tips and sample scripting of judgment-free language to help us avoid stigmatizing opioid use disorder and the patients who suffer from it.
This video focusing on stigma is one in a four-part SUD series within the Superior Health Front Line Forces training program. Each video is approximately four to nine minutes in length, describes addiction as a chronic medical condition, offers strategies for combatting stigma, describes resources for treatment and discusses prevention strategies.