There is no reason to assume anyone that has been identified as having any mental health disability is 'clearly mentally unstable' simply because they do something we do not like.
And there is no reason to perpetuate false myths about people with mental health disabilities by claiming that anyone who exhibits less than perfect behavior, such as spouting off when angry, indicates that person is 'unstable'. To be bandying about the word 'unstable', with clear references, be they implicit or explicit, that the reference is suggesting that the person in question has a tendency to imbalance is perpetuating some deeply entrenched myths about what it means to be a person with a mental health disability. If Birgitt had not mentioned that the participants at her event all had bipolar or schizophrenia, but had, instead, simply told a story about someone who misbehaved and exhibited a bad temper, then I am fairly certain that Paul would not have employed the phrase 'clearly mentally unstable', that you would not now be lumping all people who have ever lost their temper into the category of 'mentally unstable', etc. The stigma that inhibits people with mental health disabilities from living full lives is subtly pervasive in all our thoughts. You, Rosana, are absolutely free to hold any beliefs you hold, both as an individual and as an advocate. I happen to believe that your use of the word unstable to reference behavior you do not like is just the kind of stigma that perpetuates many of the problems people with mental health disabilities have. If even an advocate for persons with mental health disabilities cannot identify stigma when she sees it. . . I have been an advocate for the mentally ill in numerous roles myself, Rosana. As an attorney, I represented many people with mental health disabilities. I have worked as an advocate for a few advocacy organizations. And, as I have disclosed, I am someone with a mental health disability. I mention my expertise,Rosana, only because you have mentioned yours. Sincerely, Tree Fitzpatrick, MS, JD * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected]: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
