Words are Powerful: Destigmatizing Substance Use in Parents

Kansas Children’s Service League (KCSL) believes that parents with substance use disorders should be able to seek support without judgment to access treatment and heal. With services like our Parent-Child Assistance Program (P-CAP), we believe these parents can recover, lead a healthy life and be a part of a stronger, happier family. However, substance use disorders are still often talked about in stigmatizing ways that prevent individuals from seeking the support they need. Through simple language changes, harmful stigma towards people with substance use disorders can be reduced.

Stigma is a set of negative and unfair beliefs a society or group has about something. Regarding substance use disorders, stigma stems from old and inaccurate ideas that addiction is a moral failing that is looked down upon instead of a treatable disease where individuals can lead healthy lives.

Gender roles and societal expectations are part of the stigma surrounding men and women. Men with substance use disorders experience stigmatization because of stereotypes surrounding masculinity and not showing signs of weakness. Women experience it because of societal standards, including their role as caregivers.

Feeling stigmatized reduces the willingness to seek support for substance use, mental health care and primary health care due to the fear of potential legal, social and employment effects if their substance use is disclosed.¹ Parents fear repercussions of family separation if information about substance use is released.

Because of this, pregnant and postpartum people are less likely to seek the proper care they need for both their substance use disorder and prenatal care. They are afraid their babies will be taken away or will face legal battles, leading them to avoid prenatal care or withhold self-report of substance use when care is sought. Stigmatizing language could also skew healthcare professionals’ opinions on people with substance use disorders, potentially changing the care they provide to them.

Babies and children of people with substance use disorders also face the effect of stigma. They are called negative names that identify with the use of substances, not the baby. Children can face discrimination from peers, educators and healthcare providers.² They also often struggle with their relationships with their parents or caregivers and negative stigma surrounding them could further damage the relationship.

To reduce stigma, try using these terms when speaking about substance use. These terms emphasize person-first language, which maintains the integrity of the individual and takes focus away from the disorder. This language helps enforce that a person with substance use disorders has a problem rather than is the problem.

Replacing outdated and negative terms with this language destigmatizes substance use disorders, giving parents and caregivers a better chance to seek support.

KCSL’s P-CAP program offers assistance to pregnant people and families with substance use disorders. Through in-home case management, we aim to help families, like Alicia and her family, build and maintain healthy lives free of substance use and prevent child abuse and neglect.