Labelling

The most frustrating experience in my opinion and I'm sure many will agree, is being labeled as a mental illness. It feels as though in that moment and from then on you lose credibility and your voice is not taken as seriously as it was before the label was thrust upon you. Of course I speak from my own experiences.

My voice is that of an RN, wife, step mother, and woman in society. Yes I do suffer from Bipolar Type 2, perhaps some borderline personality disorder (BPD) traits, and anxiety disorders, but I am not Bipolar, I am not BPD, and I am not Anxiety. These labels only help determine my treatment and explain some personality traits and struggles that I deal with on a daily basis.

To label someone according to their disease begins to create an identity planted in that disorder. Let us use Depression as an example, by stating "I am Clinically Depressed" anchors that depression into the route of who you are, instead we should be saying "I have Clinical Depression" highlighting that this illness is something I have as apposed to defining who I am.

One of my least favorite labels is "Addict" it has such a terrible connotation to it and your voice becomes forever shadowed by that term. Substance dependence or abuse are much kinder and softer terms that should be adopted by all. I do not agree in Narcotics Anonyms and Alcoholics Anonyms because you are expected to stand up and say "I am an Addict" instead of "I suffer from addiction." Due to the nature of those groups it is something you can never be free from because once an addict always an addict. I can only imagine how devastating that can be to our self esteem.

I believe that these labels do not own us or define us they are simply there to explain something that we suffer from and to help offer an explanation for certain behaviors and symptoms that present. Let us be kinder to ourselves and those around us by using terminology that does not define who we are.