Knowledge centre · Illustrated explainer
How can language support a person?
Discussing a difficulty without reducing a person to a label.
- Put the person first
- Describe the difficulty
- Listen to preferences
How to read the diagram
Labels that define someone only by addiction can obscure the rest of their identity. NIH discusses language as one part of reducing mental-health and addiction stigma.
Expressions such as “person experiencing addiction” distinguish the person from the condition. Listening to how someone wishes to describe themselves also matters; respectful language is more than a substitution list.
Limits of this account
Changing words alone does not resolve discrimination, access barriers or clinical difficulties.
Sources and their relevance
- NIH · 2021 — Words matter: language can reduce mental health and addiction stigma
Why person-first language matters for reducing stigma.
Sources checked: 16 October 2026. Original conceptual diagrams prepared for this site. General information, not individual diagnosis or a care plan.