Respectful Language
An important step in developing a recovery-focused
approach to bipolar disorder is to discover how the use of language affects
individuals with bipolar disorder. Prior to diagnosis, our relationships, our
accomplishments, our interests, and our personal characteristics identified
most of us.
We were parents and children, musicians and artists,
students and professionals, athletes and movie-goers. We had a good sense of
humor, a caring personality, a devotion to friends and family, a love for
nature or an ability to use words well.
However, all too often, upon being diagnosed with
bipolar disorder, we become "bipolar". How often we hear and use the
phrases, "I'm bipolar", "My child is bipolar", or "My
uncle is a bipolar".
It is interesting that when a person is diagnosed as
having cancer, we would never think to describe that person as
"cancerous". We would not use the language, "John is
cancerous," or "Melanie is "a cancer".
The contrast between mental disorders and most other
health disorders is striking. In the arena of mental health, our social customs
and language allow us to actually ascribe the illness to the identity of the
person who experiences it. People
are known as ÒbipolarsÓ and ÒschizophrenicsÓ. Daily we hear statements in
conversations and in the media that use language that identifies individuals as
ÒbeingÓ the psychiatric condition that they experience.
Fortunately many mental health organizations on local
and national levels have promoted the use of person-first language.
Person-first language is respectful to those who courageously meet the
challenges of mental disorders on a daily basis. Simply put, person-first
language recognizes and affirms the personhood of those who experience the
challenge of mental illnesses. Such language is in contrast to identifying a
person by a diagnosis.
Now you may be asking why our use of language is
important. Am I just splitting hairs here and trying to be politically correct?
Each of us tires at times of the current trend to putting ÒspinÓ on information
by making up new word usage that glosses over the harshness of meaning and
intent.
Here, however, the intentional change in language has
a larger purpose. It cuts to the core of one of the major challenges of living
with bipolar disorder—that of recapturing and maintaining oneÕs self
esteem in the context of experiencing an illness that can so easily destroy our
sense of identity and self worth.
In addition, our use of language not only affects the
way we view ourselves, but the was others see us. It is not complimentary to us
when society identifies us by our diagnosis instead of by our personal value.
When we identify ourselves as being the disorder that has come into our lives,
we reinforce negative societal stereotypes of individuals with mental
illnesses.
Society speaks of Òthe mentally illÓ but we need to
teach our society that we are first people with talents, abilities, dreams and
personalities. We happen to have bipolar disorder. We can make room in our
lives to manage bipolar disorder. We can also begin to change our culture so
that we are no longer excluded from society.
One step of this process is to begin using respectful
language that recognizes the person first, not the disorder with which the
person is challenged. A next step is to teach others to use respectful
language.
So how do we begin? First, work on your own use of
language. If you are in the habit of identifying yourself as Òbeing bipolarÓ or
as Òa bipolarÓ, make a list of positive attributes that describe you as a
person. If you have difficulty doing this, ask someone to help you, perhaps
your therapist or a trusted family member or friend. (If you are a family
member who is used to referring to your child or parent or relative as Òa
bipolarÓ, make a list of that personÕs attributes.)
Next, use these attributes in sentences that you
repeat to yourself. Here are some examples:
á
I
am a devoted parent (who happens to have bipolar disorder).
á
I
have a very good sense of humor. (I also have bipolar disorder.)
á
My
interests are sports, music and science. (I have bipolar disorder.)
Do you see how you are defining yourself by your
qualities and interests rather than as being the disorder you experience? The
words in parenthesis donÕt really need to be included.
A next step to take is to introduce yourself well. It
is amazing how many of us will offer first the information that, ÒIÕm bipolar,Ó
to describe ourselves. Especially for those of us who have become disabled,
introductions can be difficult because initial introductions and conversations
so often revolve around what we do for a living.
Try phrases like these:
á
ÒAmong
my accomplishments are that I was the director of a human resources department.
Currently I am a volunteer at the art museum.Ó
á
My
training and experience are in engineering. Currently I am active in my
community as a mental health advocate.Ó
Finally, try using person-first language for three
months when referring to yourself and to the challenges of bipolar disorder. In
doing so you will affirm that managing bipolar disorder is a significant
challenge in your life rather than making that challenge your defining
characteristic.