I get really tired of the stickiness of psychiatric labels. In spite of the fact that they are used inappropriately all the time, once people are labeled it’s very hard to lose the label and the bigotry and prejudice that accompanies the label.
This is true in medical files, but it’s also true in life. It’s true on this blog.
I’ve never owned the label bipolar on this blog. In fact I explicitly disown it in the early life of this blog. See: Undiagnosing Myself
Still, to this day, I’m referred to as mentally ill and bipolar all over the internet in routine fashion. I generally try to ignore it, but I really can’t. It sucks. I had a crisis as a young woman. That crisis led me to being inappropriately heavily drugged for many years. I am no longer on psychiatric drugs.
That crisis and the experiences that followed due to the psychiatric machine, still mars the way people perceive me today in spite of the fact my mind is crystal clear.
I think this is true for everyone with psychiatric labels whether people embrace the label or not. Assumptions start being attached to us, for the rest of our lives. Whether people agree with their labels or not the bigotry and prejudice is ugly and it too often disallows truly seeing people for who they are.
I wrote most of this little post about a year ago. I just found it in my drafts file. It remains true so I’m posting it.
Bigotry and prejudice of all kinds are a sad reality that keep us from experiencing people as they truly are.
Once you label me you negate me. – Kierkegaard
More articles on the prejudice against those who are labeled.
-
Evidence showing the “disease model” makes stigma/prejudice against those labeled worse
-
Isolation and stigma in the art of Craig Hawkins
-
being the empowered patient
-
Health care professionals discriminate — mental health professionals also practice in bigoted fashion towards those they serve. I was one for a long time. I know this is true from both sides of the proverbial couch.
You must be logged in to post a comment.