People suffering with mental illness need to set the factors identifying acceptable and unacceptable word choices used to describe their diagnoses and conditions.
—
“Crazy Bernie.” Donald Trump referring to Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Psycho , the Hitchcock movie from 1960 we know so well.
American Psycho , another movie opened in 2000. Did 40 years make any difference in the choice of the word? Appears no.
I just noticed the he word “psycho” doesn’t appear as spelled incorrectly, it’s an acceptable word according to spell check. Now that’s scary!
“Cray-Z” is the headline chosen by two New York City newspapers to describe the incident that occurred between Beyonce’s sister and Jay Z in an elevator.
Is this respectful language? Should people with mental illness be offended? Should all people be offended? Are people too sensitive? Is it politically correctness run amok? Is the collective voice of people with mental illnesses being ignored or heard?
The choice and use of language has always been important to me. As a lawyer, I had to know what words to use in certain situations. Words carried specific meanings depending on the context and circumstances. To use a different or uncommon word would create an alternate understanding, even if the words appeared similar. Consistent language was critical.
When I became involved in the “mental health world” as I call it, I wanted to learn. One focus was language.
Sitting at my first national mental health conference in 2008, I expected understanding and acceptance.
The keynote was a well-respected psychiatrist. He kept talking about “consumers.” I didn’t understand to what or whom he was referring. Then the light went on—he was talking about people with mental illness. My reaction, kept to myself at that point, was how rude, how ignorant. I didn’t appreciate being put into a class or group. I had a name. I had a history. I was simply a person with mental illness. Not a consumer.
Since then I have been quite vocal about the choice of words surrounding mental health awareness.
I can certainly appreciate how someone can misspeak. Have I used language that offended or hurt someone? Of course I have. I was wrong to do so. I would suggest we all have. I learned from my poor choices, as I hope you have, too.
I have never used discriminatory language. Never painted people with the brush of stereotyping. That is a completely different and lower level than even a poor choice of words.
The use of racial slurs is not acceptable. Why is there no outcry with a headline of “Cray-Z”?
This language can devastate a person who is struggling with mental illness. It perpetuates the notion that people with mental illness are not worthy to be a part of society. No one cares and we don’t belong. We are further marginalized. Society does not have to accept us if we are dismissed. It’s easier to put us down than welcome us. The attitude and intent behind the words have the impact.
I have great concern with media using discriminatory language. Their job involves fact-checking and implementing a responsible choice of words. Their career is to write and talk. Language is the basis. They are either ignorant to words that offend or they think the words they choose don’t offend. They know better than the people who are actually offended. No they don’t.
I watched a panel of journalists at an international mental health conference discuss their role in terms of language use, such as headlines. Their arrogance was appalling. They simply knew how to report. The concerns expressed by people with mental illness to them were considered to be irrelevant.
But I don’t mean to say all journalists are ignorant. Some understand, some appreciate our thoughts, some have mental illness. Strides are being made.
People living with mental illness must be heard. We bring a necessary perspective to any discussion. If we say certain words are not acceptable, then that is final. Those words get removed from the conversation.
Mental health awareness, including non-discriminatory language, is a human rights matter. Our civil rights must be recognized and protected.
Words should embrace people, not dismiss them.
__
Photo credit: Getty Images