The topic of mental health has been one with a long history of shame and secrecy. When we look at the history of stigmatizing mental health, it can be uncomfortable to think about previous societal and systemic barriers that people had to adequate care. Furthermore, misinformation about mental health has been widespread and reiterated for decades.
While our society is growing more and more aware of mental health care and treatment, there are still some habits that might be contributing to continued stigmatization. While we aren’t aiming for perfection, it can be helpful to look at granular changes we can make as individuals that can contribute to overall understanding and accurate representation of those living with mental health concerns. We have created a list of common phrases that are overused within cultural vernacular that would be helpful to reduce or replace in order to reinstate that actual meaning of the word and restore mindfulness within conversations.
‘They’re so crazy/psycho…’
While you might be frustrated with this person, it’s helpful to remember that ‘crazy’ and ‘psycho’ are culturally defined words that are used to other individuals living with a mental illness. Consider the replacement ‘erratic’ or ‘irrational’. Additionally, we want to remember that ‘psycho’ is derived from the word ‘psychosis’ which is a life threatening state of thinking that isn’t to be diluted to someone’s mood that makes you frustrated.
‘I’m traumatized…’
While you might have found the situation awkward or embarrassing, trauma includes a lot more than temporary discomfort. Trauma is chronic and often manifests in overwhelming our nervous systems to the point of making daily living challenging. Overuse of the word ‘trauma’ often can trivialize what survivors of trauma experience.
‘I’m so OCD…’
This one is a doozy since it has often been used for marketing purposes like ‘obsessive Christmat disorder’ or even ‘obsessive cat disorder’. We want to try and remember that OCD is wildly misrepresented in all forms of media and shouldn’t be equated to someone’s preference for organization or cleanliness. OCD is a mental illness that is underdiagnosed due to misrepresentation, so it’s helpful to do your own diligence in learning about it instead of diluting it.
‘My ADD is so bad…’
For people living with ADHD, this can be infuriating. Please remember that if you are having issues with paying attention, describe it as that instead of using a diagnosis. If you are oftentimes focused, and are having bouts of attention issues, please remember to use temporary language as ADHD is chronic and not something that happens in spurts.
‘They’re gaslighting me…’
Gaslighting has grown to be so embedded into our cultural way of speaking that we have strayed so far from the actual meaning of what it is to gaslight. If we go back to basics, gaslighting often consists of an individual questioning another's sanity and reality in a coercive way. We often use this term now in a way to blame others for disagreeing with us or to blame someone for not taking accountability for their actions. It can be helpful to think of a difference of intent. If the individual thinks they shouldn’t take accountability, that is their opinion. If a person is denying that the behavior ever occurred and accusing you of making it up, that is more aligned with gaslighting.
While this list isn’t all inclusive, it is a way to begin to be mindful of how we speak in our day-to-day language. While we aren’t always seamless, this will be a place to start advocating for mental health de-stigmitization on a grander scale. It’s a way to make a small change that could have a large impact.
The information on this website is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical or psychological condition and is not a substitute for therapy. If you are experiencing an emergency please call/text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.
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