mental illness shaming [View all]

[peasant one]

Can we have a productive dialog about refraining from calling individuals you disagree with mentally ill. I find this particularly disturbing since it tends to stigmatize people with psychiatric conditions. The latest estimates I've seen indicate that as many as one in five people have psychiatric conditions. Many of these people have spouses, children and careers and are active, productive participants in the world. The people I know who have psychiatric conditions are some of the most sensitive, creative and loving people around. Maybe someone on DU can think of other terms or other ways to express our common frustration with those we disagree.