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"Call Me Crazy, But..."

“Call me crazy, but I think….”
“That woman is nuts! Crazy!”
“She's delusional.”

We’ve all heard the word “crazy” being thrown around to describe aberrant, strange, or dangerous behavior. We’ve also heard “crazy” used to describe something wonderfully fun and outlandish.

Either way, it's harmful. It adds to the stigma and discrimination faced by people who experience mental health conditions. Discrimination sometimes looks like the following:

  • Being forced into psychiatric hospitals or forced to take medication
  • Involuntarily being subjected to electro-shock “therapy” (shock treatment)
  • Having our children taken away and our rights terminated
  • Being forced to live in group homes segregated from individuals who don't experience a mental health condition, sacrificing many connections to society

This type of treatment can’t be done to individuals who experience, for example, diabetes or arthritis.

Using the word “crazy” reinforces the false belief that people who experience mental health challenges are deranged, out of their minds, aggressive, dangerous, scary, and unbalanced. People may be dismissed, or not taken seriously, because it may be assumed they are over-reacting or overly emotional.

This stigma and discrimination are based on both false information and lack of information.

In reality, people who experience chronic mental health conditions die earlier than others. “Crazy” people are more likely to be victims of a crime than its perpetrators. The truth is that the word “crazy” isn’t something to be used frivolously. “Crazy” isn’t necessarily wonderfully fun or dangerous.

“Crazy” isn’t unusual. One out of five individuals in the United States experiences or will experience a mental health condition.

But we get it, how often do you run into such a fun word with a “z” in it?  You mean no harm. But the thing is, words can and do hurt. Words have meaning and profound social effects. So, let’s be thoughtful. Let’s be respectful.

Have you ever said, “They are driving me crazy”? Are they really driving you “crazy?” Perhaps you are actually very angry, frustrated, or feeling out of sorts.

Here are some alternatives to using the word “crazy:”

  • “That drives me up the wall.”
  • “That drives me to distraction.”
  • “You’re being funny.”
  • “I'm confused.”
  • “That’s preposterous.”
  • “I’m not comfortable with that behavior.”
  • “I wouldn’t do that.”
  • “That’s horrible.”

While sitting in a coffee shop and editing this post, a woman in an adjacent booth uses the word “crazy” to describe the friend she is having coffee with, all while laughing. Please, “crazy” isn’t really laughable. Just as diabetic comas or nausea from chemotherapy aren’t funny, neither is “crazy.” Really.

Today's blog post was co-written by Mary Angus and Lisa Alexander.  Mary and Lisa both have life experience of a mental illness. Mary serves as the Chairperson of the Disability Rights Nebraska Board of Directors.  Lisa serves as the Secretary of the Board.  


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