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Not Your Adjective.




To err is human, yes. However, Rachel Wolchin once said, “It’s not how we make mistakes, but how we correct them that defines us.” There is no denying that humans are complex and intricately crafted beings who experience a spectrum of emotions that sometimes cannot be fathomed entirely – therefore we often tend to wrongly describe these visceral feelings.

So much so that using mental disorders as adjectives or figures of speech has become a common practice these days, causing us to overlook the actual symptoms of the disorders. As of 2017, more than 14% of the total population in India suffer from various mental disorders. So, the chances of your loved one feeling undermined and invalidated when you colloquially use mental illnesses to describe something are actually pretty high.

When it comes to the domain of mental health, there is no doubt that as a society we have made a lot of advancement. We went from practicing not so ethical practices to trying to openly talk about the wrongs and creating a safe space for others to come forward and open up about themselves.

But when we nonchalantly use disorders as adjectives for someone’s personality, not only does it dilute the severity of the situation but also further contributes to the stigma, reinforcing that it is not as big of a deal. Therefore, making it difficult for people to reach out to others and seek help. The thing with mental disorders is that every individual experiences it differently, making it harder to comprehend and empathize with what the other person is going through.

So, no - they do not have OCD just because they prefer being organized, they are not schizophrenic because they thought they heard someone call out their name and they do not have depression because they are upset over their grades. Mental Illnesses are way more complex than this and although being aware of their existence is good, it is not enough.

 


Rida Merchant

MSc. Applied Psychology – Year 1

 

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