10/11/2020
Mental health is one of those subjects that continues to be stigmatized even in 2020.
Terms are thrown around lightly and sometimes jokingly which furthers this problem.
Examples:
Co-worker tidies desk after a project then laughingly says "I'm so OCD".
Young woman changes mind multiple times in a row then exclaims, "omg I'm so bipolar!".
A minor incident occurs and someone says, "I genuinely have, like PTSD from it".
Ironically, if any of those people were actually suffering from one of those diagnoses they'd probably never share that with most people (although some do as a self defense/nervous reaction). These are genuine disorders which can hold someone captive in its grips, definitely not to be taken lightly or used to describe a quirky little thing you do.
Having a mental health illness or disorder does not make you a lesser person. It doesn't make you weak. It's not a punchline or a funny little habit. With all of the advancements in modern medicine and imaging, this is still something that is kept quiet and considered embarrassing to speak about openly. We need to change that.
If you are concerned about your mental health please speak with a qualified professional. We can all make a difference by no longer using these phrases. It promotes misunderstanding and can further stigmatize those living with these very real diagnoses.
