Trigger warning: Depression, suicide
“I am feeling so depressed.” “This task is giving me anxiety.” “I have so much PTSD from today’s jam-packed traffic.” “She loves cleaning too much. She has OCD.” “Ugh, I’m going to kill myself.”
Over the years, terms like “psycho”, “schizo”, “loonie”, and “crazy” have become acceptable in everyday language. Your friend who religiously cleans their house and keep things organised has an inclination towards tidiness but it doesn’t mean they have OCD. Your boss who has a condescending tone might just be rude. It doesn’t mean they are a narcissist.
A 2013 report by Australia’s National Mental Health Commission revealed that the incorrect use of clinical diagnoses meant some people had become desensitised to the seriousness of mental illness.
“Co-mingling mental health terminology with our everyday speech can make us deaf to the real meaning and significance of mental health issues and could cause us to overlook or minimise the needs of someone experiencing a genuine mental health difficulty. While many individuals espouse open-mindedness, others hold on to judgmental and, in some cases, bigoted views towards mental illness,” the report said.
Mental health conditions are very common in all countries of the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) about one in eight people in the world live with a mental disorder. Anxiety disorders and depressive disorders are the most common in both male and female.
According to the 2022 World Mental Health Report by WHO, mental disorders are the leading cause of years lived with disability (YLDs), accounting for one in every six YLDs globally.
“Schizophrenia, which occurs in approximately 1 in 200 adults, is a primary concern: in its acute states it is the most impairing of all health conditions. People with schizophrenia or other severe mental health conditions die on average 10 to 20 years earlier than the general population, often of preventable physical diseases,” the global health agency stated.
“The burden of mental illness is certainly on the rise. According to WHO estimates, there are 2443 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) associated with mental health issues for every 100,000 people in India. In fact, between 2012 and 2030, mental health disorders are expected to cause USD 1.03 trillion in economic losses. I believe that there are still many gaps in the availability and quality of mental health treatments, as well as a shortage of mental health experts, making access to mental healthcare a major concern in India,” Dr. Puneet Dwevedi, Chief Mental Health and Behavioural Science at Artemis Hospital Gurugram told Financial Express.com.
Dr. Dwevedi also maintained that a very low level of mental health literacy combined with inaccurate or deceptive portrayals of mental illness further exacerbates the stigma associated with mental health illenesses in India.
‘Stop using mental health conditions as adjectives’
Many people unknowingly trivialise mental illnesses by using words like panic attack to express common everyday emotions. There are more than 150 disorders are listed in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or the DSM-5. Unfortunately certain disorders tend to bear the brunt of improper language use– obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
Saying you’re “depressed” when you’re sad, “ocd” when you’re organized, or “bipolar” when you’re moody downplays the seriousness of mental illness, creating confusion between normal emotional unrest and serious conditions that require professional help.
“Using mental health diseases as adjectives not only adds to the problem of stigma but also disregards the emotions of people suffering from the actual condition. This can make the suffers question their diagnosis and they might not wish to actively participate in the treatment process,” Dr. Dwevedi told Financial Express.com.
He also pointed out that social media allows for self-expression of people’s experiences with their mental illness which can have a positive impact and make mental illness more relatable. However, the availability of false depictions of mental illness is one of the trend’s main drawbacks, he said.
“Additionally a lot of inadequately trained individuals providing mental health advice can mislead people and can do more harm than good,” he added.
It is important to highlight that mental illness is a serious health issue that causes impaired functioning or distress in daily activities. Consequently, people with mental illnesses are at the risk of at a high risk of developing chronic physical health conditions.
“Few of the many adverse effects of this behaviour on those suffering from these conditions may include feeling misunderstood, reduced help seeking behaviour, being marginalized by family members or peers, increase in self-doubt and so on,” Dr. Dwevedi maintained.
‘These phrases are not accurate representations’
The casual statements towards various mental health conditions are extremely problematic as they lead to misconceptions about mental illness. It is noteworthy that trivialising the experiences of people with these illnesses and make it more difficult for people to identify when they need mental health counseling.
“People continue to believe the myths and stereotypes that have been prevailing for long some of the common being weakness in character, bad karma and many more. Language also plays a huge role in perpetuating the stigma as the how we refer people with mental illness communicates respect and dignity. People still disapprove of acknowledging that they may be struggling with a mental health condition stating ‘I am not mad and I don’t need to see a psychiatrist or psychologist’,” Mimansa Singh Tanwar, Clinical Psychologist, Fortis National Mental Health Program told Financial Express.com.
Tanwar also emphasised that such behaviour creates a barrier amongst people to acknowledge it as a disease that requires treatment. “It impacts their day-to-day life causing impairment in functioning and causes significant emotional distress,” she added.
She also highlighted that stigma has been one of the key reasons worldwide why people feel hesitant to seek care and treatment for mental health related illnesses.
“Even though we have come a long way, there is still lack of awareness related to the mental health and illnesses,” she said.
Using mental disorders as adjectives, synonyms, and metaphors in daily interaction may seem harmless, but we often forget that there are people who actually live with these serious conditions and the casual use of mental health terms to negatively describe people or occurrences promotes stigma against mental disorders.
‘Mental health conditions are severely underserved’
According to WHO, in addition to being pervasive and costly, mental health conditions are also severely underserved.
“Mental health systems all over the world are marked by major gaps and imbalances in information and research, governance, resources and services. Other health conditions are often prioritized over mental health, and within mental health budgets, community-based mental health care is consistently underfunded,” the global health stated.
Several factors stop people from seeking help for mental health conditions, including poor quality of services, low levels of health literacy in mental health, and stigma and discrimination, WHO stated.
In many places, formal mental health services do not exist. Even when they are available, they are often inaccessible or unaffordable. People will often choose to suffer mental distress without relief rather than risk the discrimination and ostracisation that comes with accessing mental health services.
Despite progress in some countries, people with mental health conditions often experience severe human rights violations, discrimination, and stigma.
How to address the issue of trivialising mental health issues effectively?
The language that we use makes a significant difference. We can avoid contributing to this behaviour if we think more carefully and consider our words before writing and/or speaking them, and avoid relying on mental illness terminology when we write and speak.
According to Dr. Dwevedi, the best way is to use various strategies that help increase awareness.
“Studies have shown getting to know or interacting with someone who has a mental illness is one of the most effective strategies to lessen stigma hence, encouraging individuals to share their stories about their struggles with mental health can be beneficial. Other strategies can include having qualified or influential people advocate for mental health, Using facts to call out misperceptions on social media,” he said.
According to Tanwar, everyone has a role to play. “Schools, colleges, organizations, corporates, RWA’s all sectors should take active steps in building sensitization and awareness around mental health. Awareness bring acceptance, early identification and timely intervention for mental health related issues,” she maintained.
People with mental illness fear being judged or discriminated by others as a result they may even have experiences that comprises their basic human right, she emphasised.
“It is critical that we maintain sensitivity, respect and dignity towards them and continue to build robust systems of support as mental health is a universal right,” she added.
DISCLAIMER: If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health or in distress contact the Vandrevala Foundation’s helpline (+91-9999666555) which is available in 11 languages including English and can be accessed via telephone or WhatsApp 24×7. You can also contact Fortis Hospital’s National Helpline number 91-8376804102 which is available 24×7. You can also contact the Government Mental Health Rehabilitation Helpline ‘KIRAN’ at 18005990019 which is available 24×7.