Person First Language

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One of the more recent developments in behavioral health is the use of Person First Language. This practice refers to (as the name implies) treating the person as a person first, rather than a disease. For example, we are to say "a person with schizophrenia" rather than "a schizophrenic." This is awesome because it recognizes that there is so much more to a person than his or her psychiatric condition.

It can take some adjustment. The way we referred to our clients in the past was as "bipolar" or "a borderline" or "a schizophrenic" or something like that. It's like the clients were walking bags of pathology. Clients have picked this up like a bad habit, referring to themselves as their condition. With Person First Language, we can help push the idea that you are not your illness.

So remember, you are not your illness. You are so much more than that. Maybe you like to cook, maybe you like certain kinds of movies, like to hike, enjoy some kind of music. Maybe you also have a heart condition or a psychiatric issue. Those last two are things about you, and don't make you a walking bag of heart disease or bipolar disorder.

People sometimes slip. This is natural, especially with the old habits of language all across our society. We are so used to saying things certain ways and it takes practice to change words and thoughts. But sometimes people get stressed out or angry, and the older terms are used for clients. One supervisor may abruptly make it clear that "I don't deal with male borderlines" with a dismissive tone. "She's bipolar." "He's schizo." Maybe staff members feel bad about this later. Maybe some don't. Some really do work to do better. Some, maybe not so much. When it's a supervisor doing this, we're in a bind as we may face consequences for speaking up.

If you hear this happening, maybe you should speak up. Ask the staff member to use Person First Language, or call whatever phone line the agency has set up for you to speak your concerns. Maybe, think of how you would like to be treated, as a client, as a human being. Or maybe, think of how you would like your family members to be treated if they were in this system.

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