Derogatory language

Derogatory language about mental health problems makes it much more difficult for people in distress to talk about it. If we use common derogatory terms like ‘nutter’ or ‘weirdo’ it makes it much harder for some one to ask for help.

Early help is one of the key factors in preventing mental illness; and is one of the aims of mental health first aid.

Since many of the staff in our department have done the mental health first aid course. The issue of mental well-being has been discussed much more frequently and openly

Our staff are more vigilant of people who are showing signs of distress or are going through a period when there are more risk factors than usual. For example exam time and moving house coincide with a relationship break-up. We put in the support in advance and I’m sure have steered our students away from more sever distress and even mental illness.

A quick guide to avoiding inappropriate language when speaking about mental illness or distress.

1. Use adjectives rather than nouns.
Eg adjectives like:- Sad, Lonely, Distressed etc.
rather than nouns like nutter, or loony.

2. Refer to a person first rather than label them
Eg Deb with a diagnosis of depression.
Not Deb the depressive.

Or Bill living with schizophrenia
Not Bill the schizophrenic.

Changing our language can change how we think and then how we communicate and then the support people get and then the end results we see. It’s worth the effort.