Stigma Reduction: A Media Toolkit

The toolkit includes info about:

• Person-first language:  Words like “addict” and “alcoholic” are stigmatizing because they define the person by the disease. The toolkit contains recommended words/terms.
• The disease of addiction: The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as “a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences.”
• Family impact: When interviewing a family member, privacy and vulnerability must be respected.
• Reducing stigma:  Articles that focus on recovery, use positive or neutral images and include information about addiction as a treatable condition help reduce stigma.
• Respecting people’s comfort levels: Speaking about recovery is a personal choice.

Watch a recording of our Stigma Reduction Toolkit rollout event

Presenters include:

• Dr. Jennifer Murphy, Associate Professor and Chair of Criminal Justice at Penn State Berks.
• Yvonne Stroman, Community  Programs Specialist at COCA
• Tracy Hoffmann, Hoffmann Publishing