(no subject)
i think that if we, as progressives, are going to shy away from slang that is discriminatory this should include that of the mental illness persuasion.
by this, i mean it is no more funny to call some neurosis or mood swing "skitzophrenic" or "bipolar" than it is funny to call something "gay" or to say "woman" in a derogatory sense.
i am not offended by any of this, i just want to bring awareness to something i find important. there is too much stigma surrounding mental illness and i want to do what i can to change that.
for me, being diagnosed has been helpful because the medication has been helpful, but in many other ways it is harmful. it is hard not to think of myself as broken or not whole, when really i am complete, beautiful, productive and valuable but simply have different chemicals in my brain that need special caution and attention.
and it is not just me, more and more people are being treated for this sort of thing (whether or not the drs are in the right). shit's getting tough and that brings out whatever we might be predisposed to struggle with and makes it harder.
by this, i mean it is no more funny to call some neurosis or mood swing "skitzophrenic" or "bipolar" than it is funny to call something "gay" or to say "woman" in a derogatory sense.
i am not offended by any of this, i just want to bring awareness to something i find important. there is too much stigma surrounding mental illness and i want to do what i can to change that.
for me, being diagnosed has been helpful because the medication has been helpful, but in many other ways it is harmful. it is hard not to think of myself as broken or not whole, when really i am complete, beautiful, productive and valuable but simply have different chemicals in my brain that need special caution and attention.
and it is not just me, more and more people are being treated for this sort of thing (whether or not the drs are in the right). shit's getting tough and that brings out whatever we might be predisposed to struggle with and makes it harder.