Watch your words

How many times have you heard someone say, "I'm so depressed" when something very minute has happened... "oh I have to work this weekend... im so depressed"
Well this is insensitive to the experience of those with clinic (and subclinical) depression (of all kinds). What erks me much more, however, is the misuse of the words 'schizophrenic', 'schizo', and 'schizophrenia'
[Ill come back to the problematic aspects of each of these words in a future post]

At least when the word 'depressed' is used in the context of disapointment, and sadness it is being used 'correctly' to reference these feelings, however insensitive the use may be. With 'schizophrenic', however, it is rarely used correctly.
It is used to denote actions that seem to be alternate or contradict: ex "she asked me to go to the store but then yelled at me not to spend money, holy schizo" People seem to think that multiple personalities and schizophrenia are the same thing.
First of all, its not Multiple Personalities it is called Dissociative Identity Disorder, and there is continued contraversy over whether or not it truly exists. Second, DID and Schizophrenia are very different disorders.

I say, if you are going to use a disorder to describe your feelings or stituations etc, and you want to do this even though it is insensitive to the expereinces of people with those disorders, at least use the correct reference! There is already enough misconceptions regarding mental illness with out you adding to it!

posted 11:58