Mental Health Labels

Hi @Peter_Pan78

I agree with you that mental illness is so stigmatised. For me I have BPD as well as depression and anxiety and I don't like the words 'mental illness'. Maybe 'condition' is a better word of softer word to use. I even don't like BPD Borderline Personality Disorder (why can't it just be emotional disorder or emotional irregularity condition). I don't tell anyone that I have BPD for fear of being judged, talked about; so I just tell people that I have depression.

I still feel that there needs to be more education on mental illness for the partners/carers and children/families.

Hi Peter Pan78, to be honest with you, all of the professionals that I speak to, be them doctors, psychologists or psychiatrists, tell me that the term Mental Illness is problematic. Problematic because there is no real virus that causes mental illness and, while it is a medical condition, it has to do with a lot more than a faulty brain given that the mind is also connected to the soul or spirit or consciousness or whatever people may like to call it. The mind is far too complex. Therefore, the term Mental Disorder is much more appropriate, I have been told, and I tend to agree. "Mental disorder" not Mental Illness for me

Not only stigmatising but at times victimising too... It can always be used against you by someone who is willing to play dirty and if you buy into it you'll just sort of victimise yourself out of habit

While I agree that 'illness' is problematic I think 'condition' is a bit too euphemistic. For example it could be used like this:

'Oh don't worry about him, he has a condition.'

I like disorder more. Frankly I much prefer manic-depressive disorder to bipolar. At least the explanation is in the name. What does 'bipolar' actually mean?

This is a really interesting discussion. Excuse my brevity but I've done a 12 hour shift today and I haven't been home long = I'm brain dead.

The posts above appear to raise three different issues:

Labelling - if you research labelling theory you should find some interesting articles on this, particularly from a sociological standpoinlt.

An extension of labelling is the generic term 'mental illness'. Mental illness from my perspective gives a sense of one word. My reaction to the suggested alternative of 'mental condition' is interesting. When I say those two words together the emphasis appears to fall on mental rather than condition. In effect this is probably more a product of lack od common use than anything else. Personally I don't believe changing the title will join the mind to the body any more than those that are already in use. I have to ask myself if the negative connotations this arises 8n us a society in general is actually a form of self-stigma/stigma. I'll leave that open for further discussion.

Stigma. So what is stigma? Stigma is about negative attiltues towards difference which is in this instance is the mentally ill. Stigma can ultimately lead to discrimination ie when people start treating you differently because of your mental illness, well or unwell.

The big question is what can WE do to counteract this stigma? In my opinion, advocacy my be a large part of the answer. Many years ago I was interviewed on radio about my experience of mental illness and work.

Where I worked at the time were a couple hundred employees. Word got around about the interview and all ears were glued to the broadcast.

On my return to work that morning the overarching response was 'but you're so normal'! If we can let people around us see how ordinary we are despite having a mental illness, stima starts to have less power over us.

Quite happy to be told I'm wrong.

Hugs