As usual, I’ve been hearing mental illnesses used as common adjectives–not out of spite, but out of ignorance. I’ve decided to list information on these illnesses, along with words that could be used instead of that illness in order to avoid trivialization or misunderstanding.
1. Depressed
What they think it is: having a bad day, stressed out, or bummed, i.e. “I couldn’t find my keys this morning and I ran out of coffee, so now I’m depressed.”
More accurate words to use:
- down
- unhappy
- blue
- sad
- dispirited
- disheartened
- upset
- miserable
- gloomy
- glum
- dejected
- down in the dumps
- heavyhearted
- discouraged
- despondent
- lethargic
- dampened
- having a hard day/week
What depression really is: http://www.psychiatry.org/depression
2. Bipolar
What they think it is: rapidly changing moods or characteristics, irrational or difficult, i.e. “This autumn weather sure is bipolar!” or “I’m always so bipolar on my period.”
More accurate words to use:
- volatile
- unstable
- unpredictable
- moody
- sensitive
- precarious
- unsettled
- vacillating
- temperamental
- irrational
- difficult
- wavering
- fluctuating
- erratic
- uncertain
What bipolar disorder really is: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml/
3. Panic attack
What they think it is: minor freak-out, i.e. “Whoa I thought the essay was due today, I just had a panic attack there!”
More accurate words to use:
- flipped out
- freaked out
- had a fright
- had a scare
- unhinged
- got flustered
- bewildered
- dismayed
- confused
- discombobulated (extra points if you use this one)
- frustrated
- surprised
- disconcerted
- rattled
- shaken up
- got thrown off
What panic attacks (and panic disorder) really are: http://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/panic-attacks-and-panic-disorders.htm
4. PTSD
What they think it is: having had a bad experience, i.e. “That was a tough class, I kind of have PTSD about it.” (I don’t hear this one as often but I wanted to address it anyway.)
More accurate words to use:
- had a bad experience
- had a bad encounter
- bad incident
- experienced conflict
- experienced dissatisfaction
- experienced frustration
- bad run-in
- had a hassle
What PTSD really is: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml
5. Social anxiety
What they think it is: normal shyness, social awkwardness, i.e. “I have social anxiety around my crush.”
More accurate words to use:
- shy
- uncomfortable
- jittery
- awkward
- fidgety
- uneasy
- uptight
- self-conscious
- strained
- nervous
- embarrassed
What social anxiety (disorder) really is: http://psychcentral.com/disorders/social-anxiety-disorder-social-phobia-symptoms/
6. Anorexia
What people think it is: being skinny, i.e. “All those cheerleaders look so anorexic!”
More accurate words to use (although hopefully you won’t insult people with these, but if you’re going to insult someone at least avoid using an actual illness):
- thin
- lean
- narrow
- slim
- small
- slender
- scrawny
- twiggy
- stick-like
- skinny
- bony
- lanky
- skeletal
- gaunt
- emaciated
- undernourished
- shrunken
- shriveled
- deflated
What anorexia really is: http://psychcentral.com/disorders/anorexia-anorexia-nervosa-symptoms/
7. OCD
What people think it is: great need for order and/or cleanliness, controlling, fussy, i.e. “I’m really OCD about cleaning my pencil pouch.”
More accurate words to use:
- orderly
- precise
- thorough
- tidy
- uniform
- methodical
- uncluttered
- organized
- neat freak
- absolute
- fastidious
- nit picky
- fussy
- hypercritical
- exacting
- demanding
- particular
- a stickler
- finicky
- persnickety (please use this one, oh my gosh)
- careful
What OCD really is: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/index.shtml
Those are the most common ones I’ve heard, but there may be more. If you’d like me to create more lists for something not mentioned here, please let me know! Remember, there are lots of words out there, plenty more than I’ve included, so you shouldn’t have to use real, clinical diagnoses as adjectives. If you or someone you know has used these disorders as adjectives, please don’t be too hard on yourself/them. Most people do this because they just don’t know, and once they do know, they are perfectly okay with using different words.
This post has more information on many more mental illnesses not listed here.
xx Abigail
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I wrote this post: https://luvtheheaven.wordpress.com/2015/08/10/the-implications-of-the-words-we-say-learning-linguistic-mindfulness/ once. 😉 I am glad to see people writing on these topics. It really helps me learn and grow as a person, I think.
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