WNYC Radio | Why Language Matters When It Comes to Addiction
Hosted by Todd Zwillich, WNYC, The Takeaway
With Recovery Research Institute Founder & Director Dr. John F. Kelly
Here, The Takeaway sits down with John F. Kelly, associate professor of psychiatry in the field of addiction medicine at Harvard Medical School, whose 2010 research tested two different ways of referring to someone dealing with addiction. His work turned up important results for our understanding of language and addiction.
In 2015, Kelly spoke before the International Society of Addiction Journal Editors at a conference in Budapest. In response, the group formulated a consensus statement that recommends against using stigmatizing terminology, most notably “abuse” and “abuser,” in published addiction science.
Another move influenced by his research, Kelly said, was the decision by the Associated Press to include a new entry on addiction and to revise drug-related entries in the latest edition of its stylebook.
