Qaamuuska

Person-first Language: Person-first language is a linguistic prescription structuring sentences to name the person first and the condition or disease from which they suffer, second. It is recommended to use “person first” language; instead of describing someone as an “addict”, for instance, to describe them as a person with, or suffering from, addiction or a substance use disorder. Person-first language articulates that the disease is a secondary attribute and not the primary characteristic of the individual’s identity.

Pharmacotherapy: Pharmacology is medical treatment by means of medications.

Physical dependence: Physical dependence is adaptation to a drug that produces symptoms of withdrawal when the drug is stopped.

Potency: Potency is the degree of concentration of the psychoactive ingredient of a substance.

Prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP or PMP): Prescription drug monitoring programs are state or territorial-run electronic databases that track controlled substance prescriptions. PDMPs help providers identify patients at risk of opioid misuse, opioid use disorder, and/or overdose due to overlapping prescriptions, high dosages, or co-prescribing of opioids with benzodiazepines.

Primary Prevention: Primary Prevention means intervening before any symptoms or problems exist (No Risk). This can take the form of media campaigns, education on SUD and Mental Illness, teaching coping skills, and reducing access and availability of substances and/or risky situations.

Recovery: There is no one single definition of recovery because recovery is unique to everyone’s personal journey. SAMHSA defines recovery as “a process of change through which people improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential.” In Maine, we accept and promote all pathways to recovery.

Recovery Coach: A recovery coach is typically a non-clinical peer support specialist or “peer mentor” operating within a community organization (e.g., a Recovery Community Center) or a clinical organization (e.g., treatment program or hospital) and can therefore be a paid or volunteer position. Recovery coaches are most often in recovery themselves and therefore offer the lived experience of active addiction and successful recovery. They focus on helping individuals to set & achieve goals important to recovery. They do not offer primary treatment for addiction, do not diagnose, & generally, are not associated with any specific method or pathway to recovery, supporting instead an array of recovery pathways.

Recovery Community Center: A Recovery Community Center is a center or hub that organizes recovery networks regionally and nationally to facilitate supportive relationships between individuals in recovery as well as family and friends of people in recovery. Centers may provide advocacy training, peer support organization meetings, social activities, job linkage, and other community-based services.

Recovery Residence: Recovery Residence is a broad term that encompasses a wide range of recovery housing programs from democratically operated to clinically oriented extended care that offer sober, safe, and healthy living environment that promotes recovery from alcohol and other drug use and associated problems. Many recovery residences accept residents on Medication Assisted Treatment.  In Maine, the Maine Association of Recovery Residences, a 501c6 nonprofit organization, oversees the ethical and safety standards for recovery residences.