MHM 2022 - Mental health language

Words mean things. And when it comes to mental health, words can even hurt. It’s critical that we use person-first language and avoid outdated and potential harmful words and phrases.

For example, we would say “a person with a mental health concern” rather than things like “mentally ill” or “schizophrenic” or “crazy.” Additionally, we don’t want to use things like “bipolar” or “OCD” as casual stereotypes of specific behavior. 1) A person with those diagnoses is not defined by their condition and 2) those behaviors do not mean someone has that diagnosis, they may just have normal mood change or attention to detail.

Another phrase to avoid is “committed suicide.” This is extremely outdated and conveys the attitude that their death is somehow a crime. The better phrase to use is “died by suicide” which does not ascribe malice to what happened.

Be mindful of the words you use when talking about mental health. Treat people with dignity and respect. Challenge your own biases and help reduce stigma.