Common sayings vs what you actually mean (and why they’re ableist), stigmatized mental disorder edition!
“I’m a little OCD” vs “I’m a bit of a perfectionist” obsessive compulsive disorder doesn’t mean “need to keep things organized” it’s a complex disorder that needs more recognition and respect. Saying things like “everyone is a little OCD” when you mean “everyone likes to keep things organized” is hurtful.
“He’s such a narcissist” vs “He’s so self centered” narcissistic personality disorder is a VERY REAL disorder that people DO have. Watering it down as “bad person disorder” is ableist and harmful and you need to stop.
“She’s such a psycho” vs “She’s so cruel and violent” I shouldn’t have to explain why this is ableist, but I’m going to anyway. Psychosis is another disorder that’s very real and effects more people than you think. Main symptoms of psychosis are delusions and/or hallucinations, and people with psychosis are more likely to be on the RECEIVING end of violence than to be violent themselves.
“He’s acting schizophrenic” vs “He’s acting erratically” once again this shouldn’t need an explanation, but it gets one anyway. Schizophrenia does NOT mean “crazy”. It’s a disorder that results most frequently in audio/visual hallucinations and delusions. Stop equating an already stigmatized disorder to “crazy person disease”.
“I get so bipolar sometimes” vs “I get so moody sometimes” bipolar disorder does NOT mean “mood swings”. While symptoms of bipolar disorder include manic/depressive episodes, it’s much more than “I felt hyper but now I’m sad”. Watering down the definition like this does nothing but prevent people with bipolar disorders from getting help.
“It’s like he’s got a split personality” vs “He’s acting completely different” not only is this using an outdated and ableist term (“split personality”) it’s incorrect. DID, OSDD, and DDNOS are typically much more subtle than media portrays it, and it’s not a “personality change”.
[Everyone is encouraged to reblog, stigmatized disorders or not. However don’t fuck around on this post or derail it. Please.]
