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Those we indiscriminately label.....


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We had a thread on here some time ago, criticising the prevalence and habit of members labelling others as psycho, narcissistic, sociopathic... without there being any medical, sound, diagnosed basis for such labelling.

 

Absent miscreants were labelled in such a way in order to determine their temperaments and characteristics by using known conditions indiscriminately.

 

Some people labelled as 'psycho' may well actually be suffering from mental conditions.

 

This week is Schizophrenia Awareness Week, in the UK.

Follow the link and hear actual sufferers describe their experiences.

 

If we're going to call people psycho, let's remember that fundamentally, above all, they're human beings, too.

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I try to be very aware of using "crazy" "nuts" "wacko" and similar offensive words. I have experience with mental illness in a loved one and it was heartbreaking.

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The fact that none of us are mental health professionals or counselors/therapists etc means that we are not making any kind of legitimate diagnoses are just using every day language to describe what we think.

 

 

 

 

If someone is acting psycho, I'm going to say they are acting psycho. It's just one nonprofessional person's opinion, it is not to be construed as a medical fact.

 

 

If I say someone is a wackjob, that is obviously just an uneducated opinion and everyone has a general idea of what I mean and what I think about it.

 

 

Terms and labels are often just a common figure of speech to convey a message in a quick and concise format.

 

 

It is quicker and easier and more expressive to say, "he is a wackjob.' rather than to say, "his actions during the course of this situation has demonstrated properties that go outside the expected behaviors of the majority of defined population that have also been involved in similar experiences."

 

 

Yes it's labeling. We need labels to communicate efficiently. Without labels how do we know a can of food is cream corn vs lima beans or diced carrots?

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T

 

If I say someone is a wackjob, that is obviously just an uneducated opinion and everyone has a general idea of what I mean and what I think about it.

 

 

Terms and labels are often just a common figure of speech to convey a message in a quick and concise format.

 

 

It is quicker and easier

 

 

Yes it's labeling. We need labels to communicate efficiently. Without labels how do we know a can of food is cream corn vs lima beans or diced carrots?

 

I understand that translation. I respectfully disagree.

 

In part the use of labels to describe a HUMAN condition is debasing the person in their entirety. Are you your Arm? Or just the leg? Taking a condition and saying "its just easier and quicker", tells me we lost regard and debased the person to a can of tuna on a shelf. I am not going to argue Political Correctness. ....I will (after having a spouse that worked in this field), say that labeling the person when its a mental illness has no place in society..it perpetuates the stigma ....without understanding with due regard the person who lives with it.

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The fact that none of us are mental health professionals or counselors/therapists etc means that we are not making any kind of legitimate diagnoses are just using every day language to describe what we think.

 

It's not 'everyday' language. It's incorrect, inaccurate and grossly disrespectful.

 

You know what they say: One in 4 people are suffering from an existing, diagnosed mental disorder. If you're with 3 friends, and they're fine - it's you.

 

If someone is acting psycho, I'm going to say they are acting psycho. It's just one nonprofessional person's opinion, it is not to be construed as a medical fact.

That's rarely true. If someone is acting psycho, generally speaking, people just call them psycho.

 

If I say someone is a wackjob, that is obviously just an uneducated opinion and everyone has a general idea of what I mean and what I think about it.

Why not just say you find their actions utterly and inexplicably bizarre.

Why is that such an effort? Verbal laziness used to insult? Really....?

 

Terms and labels are often just a common figure of speech to convey a message in a quick and concise format.

Yes. Rather than saying "I am leaving the house to go to the local store and will be back as soon as is feasible", It is obviously more quick and concise to say "Going to the shop, back soon". That's vastly different to saying you find someone's actions bizarre, and rather resort to saying 'he's psycho'.

 

It is quicker and easier and more expressive to say, "he is a wackjob.' rather than to say, "his actions during the course of this situation has demonstrated properties that go outside the expected behaviors of the majority of defined population that have also been involved in similar experiences."

No, all you need say, is:

""his actions go outside the expected behaviors of the majority."

 

Are you insufficiently articulate to be able to convey your intention without resorting to insults and colloquialisms, then?

 

in brief - Does your vocabulary let you down?

 

Yes it's labeling. We need labels to communicate efficiently.....

 

Example: Would you prefer someone called you a guy with some pretty basic, if slightly uneducated and somewhat insular personal opinions, or would you rather they called you an ignorant dick?

 

It's just that the latter is quicker and easier and more expressive to say....

Edited by TaraMaiden2
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Stage5Clinger

If we're going to call people psycho, let's remember that fundamentally, above all, they're human beings, too.

 

I agree we have to be respectful of mental illness. It doesn't get enough respect.

Edited by a LoveShack.org Moderator
language ~6
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