Call it What You Want, It is Still Mental Illness!

 

Do you ever shake your head in disbelief, while muttering the question, "What is wrong with this world?" We are you guys! Admittedly, most of us are unknowingly adding to the stigma saturating mental health. Sadly, the results are not swayed by noble intent; they just deal in facts. We all have that one relative who stays under the impression that the family is just one branch away from the Rockefellers. I know you know what I am talking about. I had two such aunts, they really enjoyed dressing up on church days to go play pretend. The problem was that the town was small, and everyone knew everyone. Still, they pretended, and the good folks of that town, probably doing the same thing, let them. It really got to be ridiculous the older I got. I finally reached my limit when my aunt got going at a huge superstore. She literally changed my Granny's name to "Mother!" Enough was enough! Granny was definitely not a "Mother" Granny. She was a Moonshiner for Pete's sake! Granny was a "Mama," Granny! Now, of course, the name did not change who she was or anything other than what we called her. It sure made me feel better to call her granny, while the aunts were calling her mother. 

That is what some people do in regards to mental illness. The stigma around it is so terrible that people don't want to offend the sufferer by saying the name of the illness they suffer from! Points for sensitivity, just the wrong person's sensitivities, friend. We church it up to make ourselves feel less awkward, be real. The issue I take with that is what we are actually saying to the person. We diminish them and affirm something that they are most likely telling themselves. They are feeling defective, weak, embarrassed, just plain different. Most likely, we intended the opposite. I would advise not to even bring the diagnosis up until you can let it fall from your mouth effortlessly, while looking at the sufferer. That is just me, though. Seriously, if you are one of the people who can hardly say the name, think about having that dang illness. It is quite confusing.