Pubdate: Sun, 15 Nov 2015 Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA) Copyright: 2015 PG Publishing Co., Inc. Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/pm4R4dI4 Website: http://www.post-gazette.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/341 Authors: Lauren M. Broyles and Shaddy K. Saba DRUG ADDICTION IS NOT A MORAL FAILING As a nurse addictions researcher and social worker, respectively, we are disappointed by the orientation, tone and language used in the Nov. 8 Forum article "Three Moms, Three Addicts." The subtext arguably comes across as "we suburban white people from religious homes, with talented and beautiful children who attended good schools were living right, and addiction happened to our kids." This implies both that addiction is a moral failing and that certain communities should not be affected. These ideas are inaccurate and unhelpful. Furthermore, the undercurrents in these women's stories reflect a biopsychosocial model of addiction, but the language in the article reflects the outdated moral model. The underlying issues presented are trauma, mental health and lack of timely access to integrated treatment for substance use or mental health disorders. But the language used here is about being "clean" (vs. dirty), being "blessed" (vs. cursed), "good choices" (vs. bad) and being "good but troubled" (vs. bad), with "tough love" and religion as the implicit solutions. When talking about the complex issue of addiction, language should (1) respect people's worth and dignity ("people-first language"); (2) focus on the medical nature of substance use disorders and treatment; (3) promote recovery; and (4) avoid perpetuating stereotypes through the use of slang and idioms. Following these principles would not diminish the pain and loss of these women. Instead, it reinforces the fact that their children were multidimensional people, and honors the complexity of addiction and its treatment in all people and all communities. LAUREN M. BROYLES, Ph.D., R.N. O'Hara SHADDY K. SABA Shadyside - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom