Words Matter: Why It’s Not Okay to Say “I’m So OCD”

The words we use matter, especially when it comes to mental health. To end the stigma around mental health, we can start with our vocabulary.

Much more than with physical health, mental health issues have been made worse by the stigma surrounding them. According to the American Psychiatric Association, stigma can contribute to worsening symptoms for existing mental health conditions and prevent people from seeking help. Negative associations, inaccurate assumptions, and punitive attitudes toward mental health cause people experiencing challenges to be treated differently. They can make people experiencing mental health conditions feel isolated or feel as though they are to blame for their illness. They can also make them the target of discrimination in education, housing, or the workplace.

Stigma, according to Merriam-Webster, is “a set of negative and unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something.” It can also mean “a stain, a mark of shame or discredit.”

But where is the shame in having cancer? Is a person to blame for having a genetic disorder? The same is true of mental health conditions. The brain is part of the body, and mental health is physical health.

With that in mind, experts recommend the following language when discussing mental health.

Person-first language

In general, focus on the person in front of you. Avoid defining people by their diagnosis.

Instead of saying	Try	Why?
Mentally ill	Person experiencing a mental health condition Person experiencing mental health struggles, challenges	Choose language centered on the person rather than the illness or their mental health condition.
Depressive / depressed	Person living with depression Person experiencing depression Person who has lived experience with depression	A person is not defined by the health challenges they face.
Manic-depressive	Person living with bipolar disorder	A person may have diabetes; they are not diabetes. A person is not “a manic depressive.”
Schizophrenic	Person living with schizophrenia <Name> has schizophrenia.	A person is a person, not an illness. We are all much more than the health conditions we experience. Use language mirroring other health conditions: <Name> has cancer.
Drug / alcohol abuse	Substance use challenge or disorder	According to the American Psychiatric Association, addiction or “substance use disorder (SUD) is a complex condition, a brain disease manifested by compulsive substance use despite harmful consequence.”
Addict / junkie / druggie	Person living with a substance use challenge or disorder Person living with a substance use challenge or disorder	People change. Health conditions are not static, and a person’s condition is not fixed. Just as people recover from a broken leg or surgery, people can recover from substance use disorders.
Alcoholic / drunk	Person living with an alcohol use challenge or disorder Person recovering from an alcohol use disorder	Using person-first language shows that alcohol dependency is an illness. People have problems. The illness is the problem. The person is not inherently the problem.

Avoiding stereotypes

Using mental health terms out of context is disrespectful and damaging. Throwing terms around nonchalantly reduces the seriousness of the very real conditions people face.

Instead of saying	Try	Why?
“I’m so OCD.”	“I’m so particular.” “I’m so meticulous.” “I’m such a perfectionist.”	Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disorder where people get caught up in a cycle of obsessions (intrusive, unwanted thoughts or urges) and compulsions (behaviors people engage in to try to alleviate the obsessions and the distress they cause). Obsessions and compulsions are time-consuming and impact daily functioning.
“I’m so addicted”	“I’m very invested” “I’m very interested”	Substance use disorder is a real medical illness.
“She’s a psycho bride.”	“She’s entitled and demanding.”	“Psycho” is related to “psychosis,” a mental disorder where a person experiences a disconnection from reality. Often misused to describe outrageous behavior, the term is also a derogatory slur for psychopath. According to the Encyclopedia of Mental Health, “psychopathy is a severe personality disorder characterized by interpersonal deceptiveness and callous, remorseless use of others, as well as behavioral recklessness, impulsivity, and overt antisocial behavior (e.g. aggression, violence).
“That’s crazy” / “insane” / “nuts”	“That’s ridiculous” / “unbelievable” / ”out-there”	Using words out of context reinforces stigma around mental illness.

Talking about suicide

Talking about suicide does not cause suicide, experts say. But how we discuss the issue matters a great deal.

Instead of saying	Try	Why?
Committed suicide	Died by suicide Died of suicide Lost their life to suicide	In English, we use the word “commit” to describe crimes – or adultery. The term dates back to a time when suicide was considered illegal and immoral. Using neutral terms like died by suicide removes the element of shame or blame.
Failed suicide	Attempted suicide	It’s inappropriate to refer to suicide, a tragic outcome, in terms of failure or success.
<Name> is suicidal	<Name> is facing suicide / thinking of suicide / is experiencing suicidal thoughts	We don’t define people by their experiences. We are more than our thoughts, however difficult or troubling.

Many unhelpful phrases are ubiquitous in popular culture and have been ingrained in our vocabulary. If you catch yourself using a harmful phrase, it’s good to correct it out loud, experts say. We’re all human, and it becomes a learning moment for all those around. Collectively, we can change the conversation around mental illness so people are more likely to seek help when they need it.

Sources:

PureWow – “It’s time to stop saying ‘I’m So OCD’ – Here’s What to Say Instead”

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/time-stop-saying-im-ocd-140000690.html

Mental Health First Aid

https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2022/04/use-person-first-language-to-reduce-stigma/

WellBeings

https://wellbeings.org/language-basics/

NAMI – What Is Stigma?

https://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Pledge-to-Be-StigmaFree

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) – Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital

https://www.camh.ca/-/media/files/words-matter-suicide-language-guide.pdf

American Psychiatric Association – Stigma, Prejudice and Discrimination Against People with Mental Illness