In too recent of past times it was commonplace, from school playgrounds to corporate boardrooms, to hear disparaging terminology tossed around casually in regard to certain individuals or groups. Words, sometimes otherwise legitimate expressions and sometimes offensive slang, that spoke to the inherent degradation of people based on things like gender, race, sexuality, religion or nationality. However, once people learned and knew better, we as a society made the attempt to be and do better. When we collectively recognized the inappropriateness of using racial epithets, biological body parts, disability references or fully valid terms of one’s sexuality as insults, we cooperatively agreed that it was no longer acceptable. Sure there are those that remain perhaps willfully ignorant or espouse their right to use whatever language they choose, but society has largely made its decision in support of these important populations.

So how does this relate to mental health? It has long been common, and perhaps even grown increasingly so over the years, to hear obscure references to mental illness in everyday conversation. The coworker that neatly organizes her desk and jokingly blames it on her OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. The husband that tells an unflattering story about his wife and refers to her as bipolar to the nodding validation from his friends. The high school student that flippantly labels themselves as depressed after receiving a poor grade on a test. Or worse yet, the weaponized slang of words like crazy or psycho used interchangeably with actual mental illnesses.

While there certainly exists individuals that make such comments with malicious intent, many – if not most – of these individuals very likely mean no intentional harm with their comments. Similarly, some of the individuals on schoolyards and in boardrooms likely acted in poor spirit, while the majority may have simply been following what was considered culturally acceptable at that time. But just as those comments and irreverent labels do in fact harm those who identify with the groups they target, unnecessarily and inaccurately tossing around insensitive slang or otherwise legitimate mental illness terms as if they exist only in a jest or in random anecdotes carries its own harm for those experiencing mental health challenges.

When it comes to things such as race or sexuality, there are some terms that are empowering, while others are hurtful. The empowering terms can help to give voice and representation to individuals. The hurtful terms should be eliminated from our vocabulary. Similar for mental illness, some terms can be important to help provide explanation and validation. Often these terms are diagnoses provided by a trained professional with the intent of helping, which an individual may or may not then choose to share with others. Hurtful terms and, equally as important, unnecessary applications of otherwise valid terms, should be avoided. Simply put, terms of mental illness shouldn’t be used frivolously or in attack of others. We must respect the validity of professional diagnoses and the reality that those experiencing mental illness need our support rather than mockery.

In today’s climate, many of the constructive expressions relating to one’s gender, race, sexuality, religion or nationality are used exclusively within a respectful context, while derogatory alternatives are justifiably absent from regular conversation. When such a word is spoken aloud, it is often met with resistance and an appropriate acknowledgement of its harmful nature. As we work to encourage a safer space for dialogue, support those experiencing mental illness and respect the mental health journeys of those around us, here’s a gentle invitation to challenge ourselves to become more aware of our own rhetoric and its impact on that environment.