I’ve made two posts so far asking teen wolf writers to not describe stiles as being ‘addicted’ to adderall. Because a person seeking treatment for their LD, if that treatment happens to include or be centred on medication, is not addicted to anything, even if the medication in question can be addictive.

Now.

While no one called me out for it, I also want to make it clear that I wasn’t trying to stigmatize addiction, which is also serious and, if only the usual stigma were non-existent, something people could seek treatment for without shame. Because there is no shame in being addicted to something. It happens.

The distinction is important, however, for those of us with a mental health problem and the stigma (not distinct really, from what people who get addicted to something have to deal with) attached to seeking a pharmaceutical treatment to benefit our mental health.

I know I resisted for years the notion that I might need medication because of this stigma. That taking medication is the easy or lazy way to treat a mental health problem. That I’d be weak for doing it. Or turn into some kind of zombie. Or being someone I’m not.

None of these things are true. And dismissing someone as an addict or junkie, even if they are addicted to something they haven’t been prescribed or even if they have been prescribed and become addicted, is to seriously make things harder for them. You are simply adding to the situation that makes it harder to either quit or for people to seek necessary treatment for mental health problems.

It also just means you are an asshole.