[sdguy123]

I'm always interested in the language people use to describe their struggles with mental health. I consider myself a mental health consumer and avoid using the phrase "mentally ill" if possible. On bad days though, sometimes I do feel "mentally ill." How do you describe your experience? Do you like or dislike the phrase "mentally ill?"

[BipolaRNurse]

I hate it, personally. But like you, I have times (and this is one of them) when I feel that the description of "mentally ill" fits me perfectly.

[littlemiss44]

I.refer myself as.I.have a mental illness. Therefore I'm.saying I.have it rather than.I am it. I am not my mental illness. I.am me. :-)

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[Curiosity77]

I don't describe myself that way. I identify as a person with a mental illness, but that doesn't mean I am ill all the time. I think I've had times of being mentally ill, particularly when I've been in hospital. l I think the term mentally ill has negative connotations because it seems all encompassing. So I would describe myself more as a person with bipolar disorder, not as a mentally ill person.

I don't consider myself mentally ill, I'm just fruitier than a box of Fruity Pebbles. Just call me Fred.

[nummy]

Originally Posted by sdguy123

I'm always interested in the language people use to describe their struggles with mental health. I consider myself a mental health consumer and avoid using the phrase "mentally ill" if possible. On bad days though, sometimes I do feel "mentally ill." How do you describe your experience? Do you like or dislike the phrase "mentally ill?"

I hate the phrase myself. I'm not always ill. I am vulnerable to changes in my brain chemistry, that's how I think of myself.

[Resident Bipolar]

I hate the idea of being called "mentally ill", especially when the medical authorities and the police continually refer to me in this way.

I am not mentally ill. It doesn't necessarily define who I am. I have a mental illness but that's not all I am. Along with Bipolar, I have Aspergers, which for taxing and finanicial departments puts me in the group of "disabled". However, I don't like being referred to as disabled; I have a disability but that doesn't define who I am.

[~Christina]

I have Bipolar .. Same as I have Fibro.... "illness" isnt a word i use for either. I personally think the illness doesnt fit anywhere in my life .. To me its insulting .

I am a person not an illness.

[pawn78]

"Illness" sounds like some developing disease, like cancer or the flue.
Bipolar is a genetic diposition and inborn chemical imbalance of the brain, so it's more like a "psychological disorder".

Being "mentally ill" is more like when I'm in severe depression, or severe mania. But most of the time, I am not ill, I'm healthy.

I just refer to myself as: "CRAZY"!!! I've worked for it! I've suffered for it! And I deserve it!

No, I have bipolar disorder, but I don't usually announce that to the world because my medical condition isn't particularly anyone's business any more than their's is to me.

If I do discuss it with people who I feel need to know that information, I call it what it is. People with difficult physical illnesses don't say "I'm physically ill." They put an actual name on what the condition is generally: cancer, lupus, diabetes, Parkinson's, etc. People then have a fair idea of what they are talking about. But to just say "I'm mentally ill is not really informative, educational, or even descriptive. It pulls up that stigma that people have against what they don't understand.

I have found people much more receptive to a specific name for my condition than to some nebulous "mental illness". In fact, I find they actually ask very intelligent, supportive questions and really want to be better informed if just given the opportunity to have a name for what they are trying to understand. Mysterious "mental illness" carries its stigma very much due to it being kept general instead of it becoming personal and specific to people who really know those who deal with this.

[wildflowerchild25]

I hate the term illness. Sometimes I will refer to myself as unwell when in a severe episode, like right now...but in general I do not call myself ill. Especially because I do not spend the majority of my time ill. I often refer to bipolar as a condition. I'm more comfortable with that. It's just part of my life, right now a huge sucky part, that I have to deal with, but to think of it as an illness to me is depressing and kind of casts a tone of hopelessness. I don't need any more hopelessness right now.

[r010159]

I have no problem with thinking I am mentally ill. But for others, calling it a condition is a good idea.

[Trippin2.0]

I have ssues with labelling myself mentally ill.

Firstly: When I assumed that label I felt more ill than ever. Its as if thinking of myself in that context magnified my symptoms. It also contributed to me pathologizing my every thought, feeling and action.
In short, it equalled constant misery.

Secondly: I don't see myself as being a sick person, I didn't contract bipolar from anywhere, it doesn't show up in any scans or blood tests, and more importantly, doctors have never formulated a drug to treat it.
They treat our symptoms using drugs made for depression, epilepsy and psychosis. The only med bipolar specific is a metal I didn't respond well to AT ALL, I'm sure I would have had better luck sucking my cellphone battery.

Sooo after my discovery that viewing myself as ill was not good for me, I assumed my pre-dx perception, the one I came up with while still a teen.

My brain is wired differently, and so I have learned from a young age to find ways to compensate for that.

Having a dx helps to incorporate the tools I need to deal, but I refuse to describe myself as ill.

Also, mentally ill sounds so completely defeating, soooo insulting. Like I can't even be trusted to think for myself. My brain is ill *insert vomit emoji*

Buut on the rare occasion if for whatever reason I do use the term, (like in therapy) for instance when referencing the experts, I always make a big show of using my fingers to indicate apostrophes... "Mentally Ill"....

Ugh, the term leaves a foul taste in my mouth.

[scavenger7]

I prefer being called crazy than mentally ill. Crazy - I know but it is true. A new term I have heard is mentally interesting. I think I could get use to that.

[little_bear]

I hate the label "mentally ill". It implies that people who feel bad are stupid. That is what it sounds like. I know that's not what it means, but a lot of ignorant people think that. Also, the media uses the term in a negative context all the time.

[Serra27]

I like to say I have mental health issues. I do feel mentally ill and maybe I am, but I feel more that I have chemical imbalances and have some mental health issues. Maybe that's the same difference lol

I believe it's difficult for anyone to admit or say out loud, even to ourselves, that they have a mental illness. But what exactly describes mental illness? Psychology even today is still trying to figure out exactly how the brain works and still studying most mental illnesses in how to recognize, diagnose, and treat.

[Atypical_Disaster]

The only med bipolar specific is a metal I didn't respond well to AT ALL, I'm sure I would have had better luck sucking my cellphone battery.

Trippin2.0... you just made my day, that is too funny!

I tend to say I'm "mentally interesting" as opposed to mentally ill.

[Trippin2.0]

Originally Posted by Atypical_Disaster

Trippin2.0... you just made my day, that is too funny!

I tend to say I'm "mentally interesting" as opposed to mentally ill.

Always happy to be of any kind of help!

I like "mentally interesting", but saying I'm differently wired is so deeply ingrained, I've used it since the age of 15....

I also like to say my brain sometimes short circuits

[Atypical_Disaster]

I also like to say my brain sometimes short circuits

I'm so using that phrase in the future, perfect! Hahahaha!

[BipolaRNurse]

I sometimes say my brain $#!+$ the bed.

[Curiosity77]

I like weird people better than normal people. Way more unique and interesting.

[pawn78]

Originally Posted by Curiosity77

I like weird people better than normal people. Way more unique and interesting.

I actually like being bipolar, because I am weird, unique and fascinating.

[outlaw sammy]

Originally Posted by sdguy123

I'm always interested in the language people use to describe their struggles with mental health. I consider myself a mental health consumer and avoid using the phrase "mentally ill" if possible. On bad days though, sometimes I do feel "mentally ill." How do you describe your experience? Do you like or dislike the phrase "mentally ill?"

WE ARE MENTALLY ILL - why is there any doubt?

Would a name change - change the bitter truth of it?

[A Red Panda]

I don't call myself mentally ill. No one I know with conditions like diabetes or whatnot calls themself ill. They have a condition, but don't seem to call themselves ill. I don't consider myself to be ill. I'm disordered, yes... but not ill. I don't have a disease, or an infection... I have a disorder whereupon my brain doesn't work quite the way it should.

If I have to, I'll use "mental health issues", or I might say "I have a mental health disorder". Usually I just say "I have bipolar 2," because other people would say "I have diabetes/Crohn's/etc". I'll just call it what it is.

Then again, I'm also more apt to describe myself as saying that my brain is wired differently than it should be. Some of the wires just don't go where they should be!