In most contexts, actions most definitely speak louder than words.
I’ll admit to not always being the most PC in my use of language. Like many Scots, I refer to lots of things as “mad” or “mental”, most of them no more literally insane or relating to the mind, than terrific things are literally terrifying or than certain persons (substitute in your least favourite person in a position of power) that I don’t like are literally parts of the anatomy.
I use the word “bird” to refer to women and I’ve said far more offensive things that I won’t repeat here because, looking back, it’s not really something I’d want to publicly admit to.
Some people would say that, whilst I can say what I like about mental health and about women because I am bipolar and female, other people who do not belong to these groups cannot. However, I am not incapable of misrepresenting or offending any individual just because we share some common traits.
Then again, I like to think I have a sense of humour and that often, even in the darkest moments, there is some humour about many situations and I reserve the right to laugh at myself, if not at others. It doesn’t do to be too po-faced. Indeed, seeing the funny side is very important.
Ipersonally, do not find the use of, for example, theword “mad” in itself offensive. That said, it is true that if a word, phrase or label is used with the sole intention of being hurtful or causing offence then it most probably will. And the misapplication of some terms, such as “schizo” being used to refer to someone who appears to have changeable moods or split personality, just adds to confusion about what is already a complicated condition to understand.
On the other hand, it doesn’t help the debate if everyone gets so tied up in knots about what language is permissible they would prefer not to discuss an issue and avoid meeting anyone outside their own comfort zone rather than risk causing inadvertent offence.
Other than confessing my own guilt in using ‘bad’ language or in laughing about some things that others might consider bad taste, I don’t really have any definitive answers. It’s a tricky subject.
It is important to think about how a diagnosis has evolved into a term of abuse or who you may be offending with a careless word. However, it won’t do much good if no-one dare use language which refers to mental illness or diseases of the mind in anything other than their proper context if it is still ok to make blanket judgements about what a person should or should not be permitted to do based purely on the fact that they have received treatment for a mental health condition regardless of the details of the illness or the outcome of the treatment.
The bottom line is, it’s not the appropriation or the misappropriation of language that does the real damage, it’s the way you actually treat people that makes the difference.
It means little when an employer holds frequent seminars on their equal opportunities policy, if their managers then turn round and tell employees that they cannot do some tasks or be trained for a certain skill for no other reason than because they are female, as I have been told on occasion.
In most contexts, actions most definitely speak louder than words.
Week commencing 20/11/06
Medication: None.
Exercise: 2 – not nearly enough.
Alcohol: 6
Anxiety: Low
Anxiety Level (0-10): 1
Number of Panic Attacks: 0
Severity of Panic Attack (0-5): NA
Depression: Fine just now but I will have to start getting more exercise or things will probably take a nose dive.
Depression Level (0-5): 0
Mania: Fine
Mania Level (0-5): 0
Summary
For my least favourite month of the year, so far so good. I definitely need to get more exercise but that is quite difficult at this time of year. I have just realised that I have hardly stammered for several months now.
