I think we’re becoming a much more progressive and socially conscious society and that is amazing. We’re not tolerating negative behavior and constantly pushing ourselves to be better. That being said I think that sometimes we forget how powerful our words can be. And in this case the use of certain terms out of context creates a powerful stigma against mental illness. There is a difference between slang and misuse of words. And in media, pop culture, etc. it becomes the norm to use words that we don’t understand to describe something.
I’m tired of listening to people describe someone as bipolar because their mood changed or hear that someone is psychotic because they go about behaving differently. The only people who can use these “clinical” terms to describe someone are professionals who are certified to give their opinions. No, your roommate isn’t OCD because she likes to keep the bathroom clean; she is just neat. By using these terms as adjectives it devalues people who actually suffer and struggle with these diseases every day. Because mental illnesses are DISEASES that affect the most important part of the human body; the brain which makes everything else work. And so many people refuse to acknowledge that when someone acts strange it’s because they’re sick and not because they’re weird.
One of my favorite quotes is from a TV show where the character’s mother has schizophrenia and he’s absolutely terrified of it being genetically passed down to him. He says: “I know what it’s like being afraid of your own mind.” This is something not many people can relate to. Imagine being scared of yourself and what you could become. And when we use those terms as a punch line we completely ignore what someone is internally going through and can’t control. What you might think is no big deal someone else might be struggling with thoughts of suicide.
Although Hollywood makes it seem glamorous, mental illness isn’t a game or something that is easy. You should always take this seriously especially if you feel that you struggle with some type of mental illness. So I want to encourage you to be more aware of your actions and words when regarding the topic of mental illness. People who struggle with it already feel extremely alienated and isolated and hearing people joke about it makes them feel even more alone. Use other words to describe something you find odd and try to be more open-minded about people who seem to act differently than you.
Our minds are a complex place of thoughts, memories, and ideas. We shouldn’t discourage others to be even more afraid of what’s going on inside them. The great Severus Snape once said: “The mind is not a book to be opened at will and examined at leisure.” We don’t even understand what’s going on in our own heads sometimes. And for some that means that they’re fighting against themselves. Our words and actions always affect others. Let’s try to make it a positive impact.
