“Nasa isip mo lang yan.”
(It’s all in your mind.)
This is a typical remark given to people experiencing stress, worry, or fear. Often times, the impression one gets is that the person saying that is discounting their negative feelings to nothing more than a passing thought. People often discount mental illnesses to be a figment of one’s imagination or simply one’s overreaction.
Something as simple as “you’re just being crazy” or “it’s just in your head” can really make a person feel alone in their struggle. Furthermore, normalized Filipino terms like sira-ulo (insane) and baliw (crazy) are often used by some as a blanket term to describe those experiencing mental
health conditions.
These phrases and labels often imply that the problem is because of them, or something the person with the mental illness did or did not do, when the reality is that these individuals cannot control their condition. All of these issues are rooted in one problem—unawareness. To those that do not have mental health conditions or do not understand these conditions, it might not mean much for them to hear or use these words. Yet for those living with mental illnesses, it is an entirely different story.
Many believe a speech in front of class to be simple, but it can be an excruciatingly daunting task for those with Social Anxiety Disorder; what most people deem as a normal everyday commute could send someone suffering from Paranoid Personality Disorder over the edge; or simply trying to find the energy and reason to get out of bed may sound like a lazy morning, yet it could be the harsh reality faced by those with Major Depressive Disorder.
These are silent battles fought by these individuals each day. Those who mock those with mental illnesses don’t understand what it is like to be in their shoes. I remember meeting someone who had a personality that many would deem rude. In the beginning, that person rubbed me the wrong way. However, it was only when I found out that they had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) that I understood the reason for their behavior. It took time to understand and empathize; however, both are necessary in order to facilitate a kinder and more understanding
environment.
It is especially disheartening when many make use of mental illnesses as insults. Medical terms such as abnormal, autistic, and intellectually challenged have gained stigmatized connotations as they are commonly used as slurs by people to demean others. Used in this way, these words lose their essence, their definition is distorted as they are understood differently because of the associated connotations. The complete degradation of these words heavily impacts the people afflicted with mental illnesses and other conditions because some people are influenced into thinking that it is appropriate to use terms like these as slurs.
Imagine if someone suffering from these conditions overheard another using it in such a way. Is that not a demoralizing thing to hear? Another person deeming what another could be struggling with all their life as a joke or even an insult is simply appalling.
People should be aware of the implications of oversimplifying mental illnesses and other conditions. Recounting back to the tale of my friend experiencing ADHD, if I had been less empathetic and sensitive with my words. Say I ended up telling him to stop being annoying. What then? They cannot just magically change the way they are. It does not work
like that.
Trying to learn about these conditions is a good way to better understand those who are dealing with them. They are as serious as any physical illness and should be treated as such. Choosing one’s words carefully should also be of great importance. The pen is mightier than the sword after all, and in this case, the words one parts with could potentially do more harm than they initially seem to be capable of.
There is simply no excuse for such callous behavior.
