The language used when communicating about mental ill-health plays a big role in keeping alive stereotypes, myths and stigma.
It is important that all organisations and individuals discussing mental ill-health avoid using stigmatising terminology and language.
In many cultures ‘mental illness’ is a foreign and ambiguous concept. If understood at all, it can be heavily stigmatised and the idea of recovery is almost unknown.
Mindframe has recommendations for communicating about mental ill-health and what language may present inaccuracies and further perpetuate stigma.
Consider the language you use around mental ill-health
| Issue | Problematic | Preferred |
|---|---|---|
|
Certain language sensationalises mental ill-health and reinforces stigma |
Terms such as 'mental patient', 'nutter', 'lunatic', 'psycho', 'schizo', 'deranged', 'mad' |
A person is 'living with' or 'has a diagnosis of' a mental illness |
|
Terminology that suggests a lack of quality of life for people with mental ill-health |
Referring to someone with a mental illness as a 'victim', 'suffering from' or 'afflicted with' a mental illness |
A person is 'being treated for' or 'someone with' a mental illness |
|
Labelling a person by their mental illness |
A person is a 'schizophrenic', 'an anorexic' |
A person 'has a diagnosis of' or 'is being treated for' schizophrenia. |
|
Descriptions of behaviour that imply existence of mental ill-health or are inaccurate |
Using words such as 'crazed', 'deranged', 'mad', 'psychotic' |
The person's behaviour was unusual or erratic |
|
Colloquialisms about treatment can undermine people's willingness to seek help |
Using words such as 'happy pills', 'shrinks', 'mental institution' |
Accurate terminology for treatments e.g. antidepressants, psychiatrists or psychologists, mental health hospital |
|
Terminology used out of context adds to misunderstanding and trivialises mental ill-health |
Terms like 'psychotic dog', using 'schizophrenic' to denote duality such as 'schizophrenic economy' |
Reword any sentence that uses psychiatric or medical terminology incorrectly or out of context |