Mental Illness Words You Can’t Say
As a writer I take claim to any and all words. They are mine and I do with them as I please. This includes mental illness / mental health terms. However, some people would argue that as a mental health writer and advocate, it is my responsibility to promote certain language and verbiage.
I did not agree to that.
I agreed to be a writer. I agreed to be opinionated. I agreed to be passionate. I agreed to be well-researched. I agreed to be intelligent. I did not agree to push a political agenda.
Mental Illness Words You Can’t Say
Nevertheless, people still insist that I not use the following words / phrases:
- Whackjob
- Nutjob
- Nutbar
- Crazy
- Bonkers
- Off his rocker
- Mentally unstable
- “The mentally ill”
- Bipolars
- “I’m bipolar”
While I don’t have any trouble with the way politically correct individuals choose to express themselves, I do have trouble with them telling me how to express myself. This is my house. If you don’t like it, there’s the door.
And about a million other things. The politically correct people have told me I’m not allowed to refer to anyone’s mental capacity in anything but the most politically correct way. Which is, in case you were wondering, a person with a mental illness or a person with bipolar disorder, etc.
Again, not to flog a horse that happens to be dead, but I have poetic license which means I get to do whatever I want with words.
I’m Bipolar. I’m Crazy. Sue Me.
I’ve talked about saying I’m bipolar before. I do not consider this to be belittling or stigmatizing and I’m sorry that you do, but that’s really not my problem. It’s a proper English statement with actual English words and if you don’t like it, feel free to take it up with Funk and Wagnells.
This is similar to the statement of I’m crazy. I am. It’s just the way it is. It’s reality. I’m using the words in a proper English fashion. Sue me.
Creative Terms for Crazy
And given all the political correctness in the world I certainly can’t use a term like whackjob or nutbar. Except, of course, that I do. I don’t use the terms liberally, I don’t apply them to the mentally ill, but I do use them. Because they’re words and I need words in order to express what I’m trying to say.
(In the case of something like bonkers I’m referring to someone with a tenuous grasp on logic, reason and sanity, which is not to say mentally ill. The most mentally well person can be nutbar – trust me.)
But I’m Offended!
Sorry to hear that. But perhaps you could respect a writer’s right to actually use words for self-expression. When I start using actual mental health terminology in a degrading way you can call me on it. Until then, I’m not terribly interested.
I’m Passionate. I Eschew Political Correctness.
One of the things people like (or perhaps loathe) about me is that I am passionate. That I am insanely (yes) attached to ideas and concepts and am willing to say so in a way that makes sense for me. And that doesn’t fall within the bounds of political correctness. Art never does. Poetry never does. Shakespeare never did. Political correctness forces tepidity. I have no intention of being tepid.
Fine Then, I Don’t Respect You
I’m sorry to hear that. But that’s OK by me. If you read more than a smattering of my work then you’ll know who I am – virulently defendant of me and my kind. And if that isn’t enough for you to respect, because you don’t approve of the letters that make up a sentence, that’s your prerogative. But I’m not going to stop because the political winds blow. I have no desire to offend but I do have desire to describe. And I’m going to do that in the best ways I know how.
26 Responses to “Mental Illness Words You Can’t Say”
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One interesting outcome of this consumertocracy-foisted political correctness, is that people with ‘mental illness’ who identify as such, have been shunted to the sidelines within the mental health movement. To be included, one has to agree to be identified as a ‘consumer’, ‘ex-patient’, or ‘survivor’. I wrote on this on “People with mental illness shunned”, here
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dj-jaffe/people-with-mental-illnes_b_746222.html
Keep up the brilliant work. It’s refreshing.
I am not sure your statment is accurate,
—As a writer I take claim to any and all words. They are mine and I do with them as I please.
Words often take claim on us. Many times we are unaware that word is directing us, not we it.
Harold A. Maio
khmaIo@earthlink.net
Harold …
You are “right on”. If we were to allow our choice of language to lead us forward, we would recognize “mental illness” as “the symptom of a serious brain disorder. The constant is the “Brain Disorder”. A person with a Brain Disorder, in treatment, free of symptoms, is often described in newsprint as experiencing “mentally illness”. This is inappropriate, for such a person is symptom free, no longer symtomatic. His/her brain disorder is responding to treatment. The person needs to be described by their given name, then lead into a description of his/her brain disorder. We need new language for the new scientific times in which we live!!!
Years ago I was asked by a therapist why I identified myself by my diagnosis… I responded that I didn’t, she then told me how I had just done so and proceeded to repeat my words back to me, after which she asked me if I’d been diagnosed with cancer, would I identify myself the same way. Her argument made sense, and I’ve been passing it on ever since, and yet I LOVE your post!! :-D
This same therapist cautioned me about sharing my diagnosis with others, especially upon first meeting as it wouldn’t give the other person a chance to get to know me. That was advice I tossed out the window, I figured if I took the time to get to know a person and THEN shared with them my diagnosis, and they decided to “hit the road” so to speak, I would just as soon tell them in the beginning, and not waste my time or theirs. In doing so, I’ve found that it’s opened up opportunities I never would have gotten to share pieces of their lives as well.
By the way, you wouldn’t happen to have any spare marbles around would you? I think mine are running amuck again!! :-) (all joking aside, years ago I made up very special marble packets for friends and co-workers, complete with a humorous little card I designed to go with them. I even gave these packets to my current psychiatrist, and therapist, My psychiatrist every now and then brings out his marbles to show he still has them!! It’s wonderful to know that even some of the professionals contribute to my humorous antedotes in this way.)
Gonna have to read more of your blog. Sounds like your marbles are intact!! ;-)
Hi Sue,
Well, therapists err on the side of caution and on the side of politically correct, which may work for them, but doesn’t for me. They do try to challenge thought processes, including subconscious ones, which may be reflected in language choice. This may be beneficial but it’s not something I, personally, need.
As for marbles? I haven’t had any of those in years ;)
- Natasha Tracy
I LOVE this post!! If we cant see life with some Humor then we are all in trouble. ‘Politically correct’ has gotten out of hand. If you were to attack a mentally ill person verbally with some of those words well that would be wrong, but you know that! We are all a little Crazy, Im Bipolar, but that doesn’t define me. I am also a lovely person who cares about people and reaches out to help others, with the occasional moody outburst or down right rage. Its part of who we are but doesn’t define us. We should all have a sense of humor. I even use some of those words when joking. Thank you for this post, I absolutely agree with you!!!
Hi Shauna,
Thanks. I agree that seeing humour is critical. We all need to learn to laugh at ourselves, that’s a human challenge in general.
“We are all a little Crazy, Im Bipolar, but that doesn’t define me. I am also a lovely person who cares about people and reaches out to help others, with the occasional moody outburst or down right rage.”
Right on.
I suppose part of it comes down to us knowing the truth about who we are and that what other people say can’t change that.
- Natasha Tracy
Love your posts N.
This one in particular has given me a bit of an insight to your humour, priceless. What I wanted to comment on has already been said by your readers, so I shall just say this, you may well use certain descriptions vis mental illness/health that are considered not PC by some, but N you own them, we the nutters out here own them, So tough PCers if you bother to have an understanding as to where Natasha is coming from… well yawn need I go on. Keep it coming N.
Hi Teresa,
Thanks. And yes, I like to think I have a decent sense of humour.
- Natasha
Yay! Go Natasha, go girl! You are right on the button with this! This very subject is a hobby horse of mine – I’m sick of non-medical people involved in mental health care telling us what’s good for us to hear and what is not, especially when the closest they’ve ever got to being a nutter is being sat next to one! If someone wants to label me as “a Bipolar”, that’s great! It’s a medal I can wear with some pride because it shows I’ve got a dangerous illness yet I’m still alive! It means I’m tough, I’m strong BECAUSE I’m alive in spite of the BP. That’s good, right? When people say to me (about something or other), in jest, “you must be mad” I reply, “Too right, and I’ve got a psychiatrist to prove it!” Why hide it? The truth will come out eventually anyway. And besides, things are often not so bad when it comes out anyway – it never ceases to amaze me how many people I know declare they are, or are related to someone who is, Bipolar.
The point is this: Sure, people are stigmatised by their having a mental illness. We are too often judged before we ever walk in a room and introduce ourselves because many people have a preconceived idea of what is Bipolar Disorder, especially when they only know the old name, Manic Depressive. But re-labelling us ain’t going to stop that. Being open about what we are, who we are, and showing what we can do – some things better than others – that’s the way to beat the bias.
Thanks Graham.
It’s true, non-medical people deciding on medical correctness is frustrating. Luckily, medical professionals often don’t bow to it. They actually use words in the way they are defined in medical writings. (Such as referring to the bipolar population and not “the population of people with bipolar disorder.”)
“…things are often not so bad when it comes out anyway…”
Often true. We add to their power by hiding them and being afraid of them.
“Sure, people are stigmatised by their having a mental illness. …But re-labelling us ain’t going to stop that…”
I tend to agree. If someone is insulting you, that’s one thing, but just changing words for the sake of political correctness doesn’t help people.
- Natasha
Brilliant. I completely agree. As someone who writes about personal experiences with mental illness a lot, I too find it frustrating when people try to tell me which words I should use. Political correctness is for politicians, not writers.
Miriam,
“Political correctness is for politicians, not writers.”
Ah, I wish that were the way others saw it.
- Natasha Tracy
I am not bipolar, but was diagnosed as one, once — is that as good as playing one on TV? Actually, manic-depressive was the term of the time and I *did* grow up with one of those. Untreated, AFAIK, all his life. I am, however, bent: mentally and physically. I’m also kinky, poly and bi. Those are all words that can be used to describe aspects of me, but don’t tell you who I am. If you want to know that, spend some time getting to know me. You’ll learn that I *am*, in fact, crazy, I also happen to have PTSD — they are not the same thing. I’m also low spectrum ASD (and the things *that* got called in my childhood really aren’t for polite company), have chronic pain due to epic scoliosis (bent literally) and am in the process of recovering from a spinal cord injury. You’ll also learn (in no particular order) that I’m passionate about causes and get active to support them, artistic, an avid motorcyclist, a long time Ophthalmic Medical Technician, a wife and a Cat Minion, a TBI and stroke survivor. Oh, and an inveterate reader. I OWN all these and a bunch more.
I have a problem with people who make assumptions based on labels. Interestingly, they’re often the ones misusing the label. The words are just descriptors of elements — which often make them easier to manage — but descriptors still. I am not the sum of my labels. They may set people up with preconceived notions that they can never overcome, or they may be utterly surprised that I identify in certain ways. Or, if we’re lucky, they file the labels as ‘interesting information’ and proceed to get to know ME.
Hi Robbie,
Well now, that _is_ a lot of labels.
And you make a very important point – no label is ever _you_ no matter how accurate it may be. _You_ (anyone) is very complicated. We are all intricate beings that never fit a label or a preconception but, nevertheless, we need them to manage our world.
It’s good you’ve come to terms with all your possible labels because, well, I think it makes you stronger. And you sound pretty, darn strong to me. I have great respect for those living with ASD as I’m sure that must be extremely challenging.
Thanks for reminding us we’re all complicated. I know I sure am.
- Natasha Tracy
You’ve discovered the political power in these unfashionable labels. They’re not for everybody in every situation, though. –pk—
Paul,
You’re absolutely correct in saying they are not for everyone in every situation. I like to think I am able to use words with wit, humour, passion and point as a writer, but not everyone has that gift. And, whenever the intent is to hurt, well that’s another thing altogether.
And of course some people won’t take it well no matter what and it’s best not to broach the subject at all. So you’re right, it varies.
- Natasha Tracy
Great subject. I’m always up for breaking down the PC language barriers in favor of accuracy, spirit, richness. Heck, I still like to call myself retard from time to time. But I get that’s off limits these days. So, I guess when I’m kicking myself for forgetting someone’s name I’ll say to myself sarcastically “Good job mentally challenged one” . . . Geez.
Hi Jeff,
Well, admittedly, “retard” isn’t a word I’d use because, well, I find it offensive. So there goes my argument altogether.
However, intention is an important point as is who one refers to and referring to oneself may always be viewed differently.
- Natasha Tracy
Hi Natasha,
I really loved this post. I agree that as a writer you should be able to express yourself freely and as you see fit and I believe people should respect your right to do so. We all have different opinions, ideas and ways of thinking about ourselves and the illnesses we have. There is no one right way to do or to think because we are all unique, and we need to express ourselves in ways that feel comfortable for us as individuals. Differences in self-expression and opinion make for interesting reading!
So power to you! I love strong women who aren’t afraid to stand up for themselves, their beliefs and their positions. I find it very inspirational.
All the best,
Sara
Thanks Sara.
“There is no one right way to do or to think because we are all unique, and we need to express ourselves in ways that feel comfortable for us as individuals. Differences in self-expression and opinion make for interesting reading!”
I tend to agree. One of the things people like about me is my non-PC passion but I realize it rubs some people the wrong way.
But you can’t win ‘em all. If you have something to say, and I certainly do, then someone is going to want to say the opposite.
I’m glad you find inspiration here.
- Natasha Tracy
Great post, Natasha. While I endeavor to use words that do not offend (being a non-nutbar psychiatrist), I respect people with mental illness who use less PC terms — they’ve earned that right.
Roy,
“They’ve earned that right.”
Thank-you, that is a lovely thing to say. It’s respectful, I think. Great to hear from a non-nutbar psychiatrist :)
- Natasha
This is a great post. Focusing on words too much can spark tons of unhealthy compulsions and obsessing for lots of people. It’s a common symptom in OCD. I often encourage people to get comfortable with any word because fear of words and trying to correct other people’s words just leads to all sorts of stress.
Much of what you wrote here, however, is exactly what I was thinking when I was reading your post on Behavioral Health vs Mental Health.
I totally agree that we want to move to a more brain-based understanding/outlook. And I loved what you said above about people getting offended. But I don’t see the difference between somebody saying “behavioral health” and somebody saying “nutjob”. Can you explain why “behavioral health” or “mental health” was stigmatizing but not other words. Aren’t they all just words?
Hi Mark,
You’re right, they are all just words. In the case of behavioural health though, it’s a judgement compared to other readily available options and a newly minted one at that. It suggests that behaviour is the problem with mental illness, and it is not. The pain’s the thing.
And I take issue with clinical words vs. colloquialisms. “Behavioural health” is a term used by professionals whereas “crazy” has a dictionary meaning but no clinical one. Certainly if a doctor called me crazy, that would be different than a writer using the term less formally.
- Natasha Tracy
Ah, thanks for clearing that up, Natasha.