Person with a substance use disorder, person with alcohol use disorder

Both “alcoholic” and “addict” are words that are permeated with stigma and negative attitudes toward people living with these types of substance use disorders.

Words such as  “alcoholic”, “drug addict” or “junkie” are also best avoided, because they focus on the addiction and not on the person. It’s important to remember that even if a person may have a history of substance use, it is not their only identity and defining trait.