I was going to title this, “why the mentally ill are not crazy”, but that sounds too much like a question. This is not a question, it is an accurate statement. I do not think it is okay to label people with psychological disorders as “crazy”. The definition of crazy in Merriam-Webster is: “full of cracks or flaws; or being out of the ordinary; or the more accurate definitions: distracted with desire or excitement, absurdly fond, passionately preoccupied”. Okay so it really depends on how you define crazy, because people with mental illness often do have desires or extreme moods, or are fond or passionate about a particular thing. But don’t we all get fond and passionate over something? Don’t we all have flaws? And what even is “ordinary”?
Of course the difference is the mentally ill have all these quirks except a little more extreme because they get in the way of normal everyday functioning. But don’t you think an unfair label such as “crazy” makes things even worse for these people?
The word “crazy” isn’t the problem. It really depends on how you use it. The word carries a negative connotation that has developed in recent times. I see so many people labeling people with mental illness as “crazy” instead of listening to these people and trying to help them cope with society. These people were born biologically different than the rest of us for a variety of genetic and environmental reasons. There is absolutely no reason to shun them from society or to make them feel as if they should be feared. And honestly, this is probably one of the reasons the mentally ill are so dangerous to themselves and others. They feel like nobody understands them, and like they are expected to do reckless and stupid things because of the unfair labels they are given.
The mentally ill have so many insecurities already. Most suffer from depression. Actually, if you look in the DSM, almost every disorder includes depression and suicide risk. Carelessly and even jokingly labeling the mentally ill as “crazy” can have fatal consequences to the labelees.
There really is no real definition of crazy anyway. There are so many things done in other cultures that Americans may label as “crazy” and vice versa. And then there’s defying social norms. If people had a better understanding of the mentally ill, and got to know them beyond the labels of their disorder, maybe they would understand why it is so hard for the mentally deranged to control their behavior and why most are super sensitive to labels society has given them.
But most people just choose to ignore these people, pretend that they are of higher status and shouldn’t associate themselves with the mentally ill.
“Crazy” people should be put in a bubble with other “crazy” people and left in the hands of doctors.
How would you feel if you knew nobody wanted to deal with you except the people who are paid to? How would you feel if you were called a name just because you were born with a disorder that makes you act in ways that you cant help?
Think about that next time you call a mentally ill person “crazy”.
