The terms 'addiction' and 'addict' are problematic and cause a lot of debate – some people find them helpful to identify with, and other believing them to be damaging, or a hindrance to recovery.
While 'addiction' is a legitimate medical term, there is debate about what it means. Some believe that it’s a brain disease, others a psychosocial condition, some believe it’s for life, some believe it’s something which can end (see
Don’t call me an addict. I don’t live there anymore.). It’s also a tough word to identify with, and many of us aren’t sure when we cross the line into being addicted. Maybe it doesn’t matter… it’s important to remember that you don’t need to feel like it’s an addiction to seek help in changing your use.
'Addict' is even more problematic, with many feeling it disempowers people and stigmatises them. Nowadays it’s much more standard to use people-centred language such as 'people with an addiction',
as formalised in the American Press’ Guide in 2017. However there are definitely people who don’t have a problem with it, including some people in our community. Even health care workers can’t agree on whether to use it -
Johan Hari calls it “an interesting internal debate among those of us who are basically all on the same side”
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So a few questions to discuss:
How do you feel about the words ‘addiction’ and ‘addict’? Do you personally identify with either of them?
What impact do you think they have? Positive or negative?
Do you agree that they can be a hindrance to recovery? Why?
Are you always in recovery or are you recovered? Once recovered do you identify as recovered?