MemberI noticed on another thread so many words used when talking about someone with a mental illness:
Now I myself have a mental illness (manic depression/bipolar) and so I am sensitive to these words. But does anyone else with mental illness or not) hate these words that people use to describe the mentally ill?
MemberYes, I’m not a big fan. But what drives me more crazy is when people use the word ‘retard’ to describe someone who isn’t mentally retarded. I HATE it. So disrespectful.
Member@Jacqui90: I myself can be all of the things you listed, and I use them to describe the erratic behavior of myself and friends at their less than flattering moments, but I do avoid pointing them at people I KNOW to be suffering from a mental illness….although in all fairness, its not something I am always aware of.
Member@Jacqui90: ‘Hysterical’ is the only one that gets me. It eluded to the fact that a women’s innards caused her to be crazy – and hence all women were crazy.
That’s not the long story of course – but it is the basics of why I don’t like that one…
But all in all I don’t let it offend me. People will use words regardless of how you feel about them. Banning words from being socially accepted does nto make people more conscious about how they are speaking of other people and their afflictions.
MemberNo words bother me. People who are easily offended bother me.
MemberHow do you know people are using those words to describe people with a legitimate mental illness? I use those words all the time and I’m never referring to someone with a mental illness (that I’m aware of).
Member@Birdee106: I agree
@suburbian: yeah, the history of where it comes from is disturbing ‘hysteria’
Member@BruinBeeMPH: because in the OP the bee mentioned the person had a mental illness, and in the comments people were using those words. And once FI’s aunts called one of their nieces ‘crazy’, behind her back, and she suffers from depression. That’s how I know
MemberI have experience with mental illness and none of those words bother me. 8 years ago, I was in the loony bin ( aka nuthouse.) It’s easier for me to say that than to say ” I was in the mental hospital. ” Seems backwards, but then I guess I am a little crazy. 
I guess I just feel that I am me; I am unique, and I wouldn’t be who I am today without certain experiences or characteristics. I am in a very good place now, but I will always carry certain things with me.
MemberMost everyone in my family deals with depression and anxiety and none of those words bother me.
To me, they simply describe erratic and “out there” behavior that doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with mental illness.
Member@MsW-to-MrsM: I do sometimes call myself crazy but it bothers me when people use the words to describe others.
Member@Mrs.KMM: +1. Calling someone a “crazy lunatic” is just a way of describing a certain kind of behavior that is way, way WAY outside the bounds of what is acceptable. The words usually describe a person’s actions, not necessarily the actual person.
Also, the idea that you can’t call someone crazy because they are suffering from depression is, well, ludicrous. Almost EVERYONE suffers from depression at some point in their lives. So we’d have to ban that word. Being depressed and acting crazy are very different things, and aren’t at all mutually exclusive.
On the other hand, if someone is actually schizophrenic or something and you know about it, yeah, it’s rude to call that person a lunatic. But that’s rarely the case when these words get tossed around.
Member@Jacqui90: It’s just never bothered me, whether I am calling myself crazy or someone else is saying it.
MemberThese words don’t offend me even though I have been diagnosed with depression. Here’s why: no one would think of the words “crazy” or “lunatic” as fitting a person with depression, anxiety, or most other common mental illnesses. The words used to describe people with these conditions are entirely different, but are typically limited to things like “depressed” or “anxious”. Hopefully you see what I mean here. Every single andjective with a negative connotation could be interpreted as intolerant and offensive towards some demographic if you try and stretch it enough, but that just seems like a poor use of energy.
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