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1. Speak up and speak out. Those people that are in recovery need to speak out and show the world and their local communities what people in recovery look like, what people in recovery act like- that those in recovery go to work, go to school, vote, & are productive members of society. 

2. Demand equality and parity in medical coverage.  Insurance companies are large and powerful and need to be held accountable. People need to demand that medical insurance companies offer adequate, long-term benefits for alcohol and drug treatment.

3. Petition state lawmakers for less criminal penalties for drug offenders. Addicts are sick people and part of the classification of someone suffering from addiction is that they use regardless of or despite the consequences. Jail does not deter addict and it does not offer them a solution for their addiction. It simply wastes taxpayer’s money that could be going somewhere better. Addicts and alcoholics needs treatment, not jail.

4. Support substance abuse treatment and support services for recovery. People love to say they support addiction recovery and treatment in theory, but when push comes to shove people often don’t want to support the necessary steps to aid those from addiction through treatment and into recovery. All too often the NIMBY issue (Not In My Back Yard) comes into play. People don’t want treatment centers or sober living homes in their neighborhoods. However, these are important services to those people in need.

5. Replace your language with words that reduce addiction stereotypes.

Words matter & carry so much power when it comes to eliminating the stigma of addiction. What we say when we talk about people struggling with drugs or alcohol has a huge impact on whether or not they decide to enter treatment or delay their recovery and reject healthcare options that can help reverse their condition. If you truly want to help reduce the stigma of addiction, try replacing names and language that shift blame and attention to the struggling person rather than the disease.

Here are a few examples of alternatives to try:

Say “person with a substance use disorder (SUD)” instead of “addict”

Say “person with a drug problem” instead of “junkie”

Say “person with an alcohol use disorder (AUD)” instead of “alcoholic”

Say “addiction” instead of “drug habit”

Say “Person in recovery” instead of “Clean (person)”

Positive verbiage can change how others can understand things and can educate others to use the same positive words.  Plus, it will allow the person with a substance abuse disorder to feel heard, and help them understand that this is a real medical disorder, not that they are just "bad", "weak", or "don't really want help".