LETTER : A name for the mentally ill
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.W ALAN Heaton-Ward asks why it is apparently politically correct to describe someone as "mentally ill" but not as "mentally handicapped" (Letters, 12 March).
The term "mental distress" is preferred in some circles, but for reasons that are more to do with factual than political correctness.
Since there is no proven biological cause for any form of mental distress (with a few exceptions such as senile dementia), the term "mental illness" denotes a theory rather than an established fact, and is seen by many as stigmatising and misleading.
On a more general point, what might be describe as "mentalism" is one of the most widespread and unrecognised forms of discrimination, and is greatly increased by the careless use of language.
Even quality newspapers frequently run headlines such as "Schizophrenic rapes three" although a headline "Black man rapes three" would rightly be condemned as racist.
Lucy Johnstone
Senior lecturer in Clinical Psychology
University of the West of England, Bristol
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments