Lexicon · Language
Stigma-aware language — a working guide
The APA Inclusive Language Guide and the National Center on Disability and Journalism's style guide on the words that matter and the ones that don't.
American Psychological Association7 min read
Language in mental health is genuinely contested: person-first vs identity-first, recovery vs management, addict vs person with a substance use disorder. The APA's inclusive language guidelines and the NCDJ Disability Language Style Guide are the two most-cited working references.
Neither is doctrinal. Both name the trade-offs and recommend, in many cases, asking the person themselves what they prefer.
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A note on this article
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