I often overhear people saying “I was so depressed yesterday after watching that movie” or “my insomnia is so bad I’ve been up until midnight the last three nights”.
These need to stop.
I started thinking about this after reading a blog post earlier today. Go check it out, it’s an awesome blog.
Depression is not a short term sadness after viewing something sad. That is just being sad. Everyone gets sad every once in a while. Sadness is something in everyone. Depression, however, is something that lasts a long time, an ongoing fight that is often daily.
Insomnia is going days without sleeping or getting a mere few hours if that. Not getting 7 hours of sleep still cause you pulled a late night. The incapability of falling asleep is something that plagues many, and can be really hard to live with. Even though people with it tend to adjust on their limited hours of sleep lifestyle.
Anxiety is not being anxious before taking a test. (Although it can be) Anxiety is when the thought of getting out of bed and interacting with another person terrifies you to the point of immobility. Where answering a phone is the most painful thing that could happen to you.
Bipolar is not just having a wide variety of emotions. Bipolar is having a switch happen inside you that is outside your control. They aren’t just simple mood swings.
Anorexia isn’t just a word to describe someone who is skinny. Or saying “I wish I was anorexic” because it is not an adjective to describe just appearance. It is the mental condition where you are so critical on yourself that you can’t even fathom eating.
All of these conditions are very real to so many people. And every time they’re thrown around as simple adjectives it makes those who fight feel like they’re being stepped on. It aids in the conversation that mental illnesses are just in your head. It makes the stigma more present. In turn, this causes people to withdraw inside themselves as help becomes harder to ask for.
Often, the people using these adjectives don’t even realize the weight of the words they’re using. Some things are so integrated into culture that you’re raised thinking and speaking a certain way. Using these words as if they are simple adjectives, like how they were explained in the blog post that this was inspired by, is subconscious communication for so many. It’s a habit, and it feels natural. The same way other slurs are used for homophobia or racism. All of these terms shouldn’t be used, yet people still find the words passing between their lips everyday. So educating those who just don’t see things in a certain light is so important. Make sure you think twice before you use these words.
Remember if you fight you are not alone.
And you are loved.
PF
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Dear Hope 
PREACH I’m so glad you posted this
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Sometimes people can be insensitive without thinking of their actions and words. Thanks for reminding us to be aware of our language usage and to be a tad more sensitive to others. You are doing a great job in spreading awareness to this topic. Often times people don’t realize what others are dealing with because they do not truly understand the cause and effect of the individual situation and what they are going through. Keep up the good work!
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I agree, as bad as it is for people to say these things I feel the majority are just not educated enough to be able to realize the weight of their words. Thanks for reading!
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This also reminds me of the liberal daily use of words like “gay” and “retarded” as derogatory adjectives. Half of you wants to be mad at these people (applying to those whom you described above with mental illnesses, as well), but half of you wants simply to educate. Posts like this are the best way to spread that. Awesome read 🙂
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It’s important to remember to educate those who are willing to listen, anger can often be a force that drives people even farther away in a way of thinking. Thanks for reading and for your kind words! I love your blog.
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This post should be spread like wildfire. I get so discouraged by people’s use of “bipolar” that I feel like my disorder gets swept under the rug and ignored even by my closest friends.
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Thank you, I feel the same way. Please feel free to share it around as much as you like. As long as these kind of adjectives are used without merit mental illnesses will continue to be belittled. I hope more people can read this and learn from it! Cause I do honestly think that most people just aren’t educated enough on it.
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Reblogged this on throughthetunnel42.
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I think this is an important post. So many people look at those who suffer from anxiety, etc. and think they are “mentally slow” etc. It’s not fair for others to judge what they do not understand. I know that suffering from anxiety and seeing how some react without first knowing what I’m going through, has made me see just how wrong judging and labeling is.
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It can be really hard to understand for someone who hasn’t been through the same things. But by spreading awareness and educating more, maybe people can learn to not use these words as hyperboles for their emotions they feel normally. Thanks for commenting.
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