Language Matters
A recent article by Steven Petro in the Washington Post highlights the importance of being careful with the words we use when referring to mental health conditions. The article draws our attention to the much accepted and largely harmful effects of using pejorative words like “nuts” and “abnormal” as part of regular conversation. The piece caught my attention because the author’s point is illustrative the larger issue of how we chose words and our understanding of the effects these choices have on others.
The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction created a user friend guide to helping individuals identify, and find alternatives to using stigmatizing language when referring to issues of substance abuse. The guide is clear in defining stigmatizing language and language that influences how people see themselves and how they are treated by society. While the focus of the publication is substance abuse, the negative effects of stigmatizing language have broad application. If a person in need of support fears they will be labeled and judged, they are less likely to seek support.
We know from our own personal experiences, it is not always easy to ask for help. We may not want to appear to be needy. We may want to project independence. We may be experiencing pain and believe that we should be able to overcome it on our own. We may feel embarrassed and unsure about how to explain what is happening and what we need. Despite all of these feelings, we also know that we are more likely to improve our situation, and our emotional state, when we have access to the right supports and resources.
If we are dealing with mental health and substance abuse challenges, we might look for support from friends, family, affinity groups, or health professionals. If we are dealing with challenges like discrimination based on race, gender, ethnicity or age, we might look for support from peers, supervisors, mentors, advocacy organizations, or legal advisors. However, it is also important to address the chronic stress and health impacts of discrimination.
Emerging language guidelines can also that help reduce gender, race, age and ethnicity discrimination. Gender-fair language employs the use of unmarked gender forms. For example, we can use police officer instead of policeman. The Institute for Democratic Review suggests, when talking about race or privilege, recognizing the emotions and assumptions that certain words carry.
Language is a powerful tool that defines human interactions and, over time, shapes culture. It is something that affects all of us but is also something that we can influence. Even if we are not experiencing challenges related to mental health, substance abuse, race or gender, our choice of words affects how society defines, understands, and responds to these issues.
The Portraits shared on this website highlight the success of individuals from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities and socio-economic statuses in overcoming adversity. As a collective, they show that adversity does not discriminate. Part of our human experience involves facing challenges and experiencing difficult moments. It is for this reason that we can identify so easily with some of the protagonists in each Portrait. Some of the actions, thoughts and feelings described may be surprisingly similar to your own. If the human experience of facing adversity is so common, it should be easy for us to make more thoughtful choices regarding the words we chose when discussing social issues like mental health, race, gender.
Petro’s piece concludes with a short summary of a conversation he had with his niece about how mental health issues are treated by the youth of today. His niece’s comments suggest that today’s young adults may change the language used to discuss mental health. Hopefully, these changes take place and expand to include other issue areas.
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