Mental Health

[Quail]

Because of various things that have gone on in my life lately, it's kind of come to my attention that a lot of people are woefully ignorant about mental illness, even people in positions where they really should have some understanding, such as social workers and nurses. I've heard stories (although this hasn't happened to me personally) of nurses stitching up self-inflicted wounds without anaesthetic, and I've found that a lot of health professionals either don't take me seriously or make insulting, counterproductive comments.

I was just wondering whether this kind of thing is common, or whether I (and the people whose anecdotal evidence I'm drawing on) have just been unlucky?

[Queercommie Girl]

Perhaps one thing people can do is to stop using mental health-related words as insults for other people, which is in fact discriminatory towards people with mental health issues.

You never hear people say "fuck you, you AIDS sufferer" after all.

[counterblast]

Perhaps one thing people can do is to stop using mental health-related words as insults for other people, which is in fact discriminatory towards people with mental health issues.

You never hear people say "fuck you, you AIDS sufferer" after all.

You do on RevLeft.

[Jazzratt]

You do on RevLeft. Bollocks you do. Links to posts?

[Ele'ill]

It isn't just about health professionals and other 'professionals'. The general public needs to cultivate a system of understanding in conjunction with an action plan for people in crisis. Mainly so the mother fuckers in blue don't arrive and murder the person. (Portland, Oregon anyone?)

It is generally implied within our families and 'neighborhoods' that if someone is struggling they need to buck up and take 'responsibility' and embrace rugged american individualism.

Sometimes people can't help themselves and until someone steps in- those struggling people will make bad decisions that are not of their own fault.


And if they live in Portland the police will come out and shoot them to death.

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

You do on RevLeft.

I understand. While I haven't heard those exact words on revleft, I have heard the sentiment.

As for mental health I've never heard anyone say "fuck you cutter" to me and I am very much an obvious cutter.

[Jazzratt]

As for mental health I've never heard anyone say "fuck you cutter" to me and I am very much an obvious cutter. You're lucky. I do not and don't intend to cut but I've heard plenty of jokes and insults that allude to the habit and some pretty fucking ignorant attitudes toward the whole thing. The same goes for other self-destructive behaviours (eating disorders are particularly bad for this).

[leftace53]

Theres this whole stigma against those of us who have some mental health issues. It took my parents 4 years to accept that I was depressed, but even after that I was told that I was the problem. My aversion to social norms and disdain for the state of society today was what they thought my issues were, and they did (and still do) basically tell me to "change my attitude". Regardless, I was brought to a psychologist after a while, and she told me the same things. She basically told me that my issues weren't really issues at all, and I should busy myself in other things and just forget about things that bother me. Needless to say, I didn't go back to her.

Through my minimal experiences in functioning within this society is that everybody wants to be perfect in some way or other. People are made fun of for being even a little bit different. Parents don't want their kids to have a mental health issue, so they decide to ignore it, like if they don't talk about or acknowledge it, it doesn't exist. The psychology part of the medical field sometimes just gives you drugs to mask real issues you may have in order to address a symptom. In my experience, they don't care about "fixing" or "helping" you, only to make sure you can function within social norms without causing too much trouble for others.

[dashoflime]

Because of various things that have gone on in my life lately, it's kind of come to my attention that a lot of people are woefully ignorant about mental illness, even people in positions where they really should have some understanding, such as social workers and nurses. I've heard stories (although this hasn't happened to me personally) of nurses stitching up self-inflicted wounds without anaesthetic, and I've found that a lot of health professionals either don't take me seriously or make insulting, counterproductive comments.

I was just wondering whether this kind of thing is common, or whether I (and the people whose anecdotal evidence I'm drawing on) have just been unlucky?

You are definitely not alone in experiencing this. I recently shared a flat with someone receiving care from the local mental health team, which involved people coming round the house at various intervals to check up on her.

Although, in general the NHS care she received was very good, I have personally witnessed members of the mental health team acting disrespectfully on these visits.

This included unsolicited advice along the lines of "why don't you get back with your boyfriend and forget all about having an abortion?", threatening body language such as two men standing over her while she took her medicine, and not so subtle threats of sectioning (this was in response to a request to see her own care plan.)

Unfortunately professional people do not always act in a professional manner and, especially where there is a sharp power difference between professional and client, a them and us culture can develop in which discriminatory behaviour and stereotyping is tolerated or encouraged. :(

[dashoflime]

On a slightly unrelated note: these events also introduced me to the existence of something called Dialectical Behavioural Therapy which I initially assumed was some kind of marxist therapy which would allow an individual to examine the psychic damage inflicted by class society.

Needless to say it isnt :blushing:

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

You're lucky. I do not and don't intend to cut but I've heard plenty of jokes and insults that allude to the habit and some pretty fucking ignorant attitudes toward the whole thing. The same goes for other self-destructive behaviours (eating disorders are particularly bad for this).


I guess I've gotten messed with about my tendency to starve my self but in my case, when you have a Mexican grandmother, not eating is something you're taught to be ashamed of. At family events I have to toke my way into the munchies constantly just to barely keep up with her.

For the most part, I think they just have more to throw at me.

[Adi Shankara]

I guess I've gotten messed with about my tendency to starve my self but in my case, when you have a Mexican grandmother, not eating is something you're taught to be ashamed of. At family events I have to toke my way into the munchies constantly just to barely keep up with her.

For the most part, I think they just have more to throw at me.

I dated a Mexican girl for quite some time, and I had many mexican friends growing up, and they always cooked for me whenever I came over. they got me addicted to their food, and now I fucking crave Pozole the way most addicts crave heroin.

[TheGodlessUtopian]

You never hear people say "fuck you, you AIDS sufferer" after all.

I guess you've never seen or heard about the religiously deluded hypocrites who wave around those "AIDS is the cure" signs.Sickening.

[Widerstand]

Well there is an increase of cutting jokes floating around, thanks to the universally hated Emo-culture, and the way they are stereotyped. And yes, curse words on mental disabilities are getting out of hand. Big way.

Best thing I heard yet was that depressed people "probably just don't produce enough endorphine" and that they therefore "should just take drugs to function like other people". X_X I'm not unfamiliar with the "you just have to learn to get along with the establishment" argument, either. Usually this comes from people who are totally oblivious to their own problems and either distract themselves, or just straight out deny them from themselves. Which can only backfire at some point. I feel sorta sorry for them.

What also strikes me about mental health care, is that I guess a lot of people working there do so out of job-opportunism, or maybe the supposed prestige of being a doctor/psychotherapist, rather than an active desire to work with troubled persons. Which would explain their derogatory attitudes.

[Quail]

I did mean to reply to this ages ago, but I forgot.

I think that there is a lot of stigma around mental health issues, which can stop people from getting help, or talking to anyone about it. Having negative reactions from people (such as doctors, family, etc) can make you less willing to let anyone know.

There are also loads of words that are pretty common, like "psycho" and "schiz" that are often used as insults. I've also noticed people saying things like "you anorexic *****" if someone doesn't eat much.

Regarding self-injury, I think that most people just don't understand it, although there is a definite "emo" stereotype, so people who cut themselves are just "emo" and attention-seeking or whatever, and are not taken as seriously. Personally, I've had the opposite experience to Esperanza Xochitl and people stare so much and make rude comments that I permanently cover up my skin.