By Ashley Peterson
People tend to fear the unknown. While there is prejudice associated with most #mentalhealthconditions, #psychosis is arguably the symptom the average person finds the most frightening.
#Psychosis refers to a cluster of symptoms involving hallucinations, delusions and/or profound disorganization. It can occur in primary psychotic disorders, like schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, and also in other conditions like #bipolardisorder or major depressive disorder.
To the uneducated person, though, there’s likely to be a lumping together of “#psychosis = crazy = schizophrenic = frightening = dangerous.” They reality of #psychosis is simply not a part of the social dialogue. Since it is not understood, stereotypes are clung to more tightly when evaluating or contextualizing someone who appears to have #psychosis.
As someone who has experienced both hallucinations and delusions, and as a #mentalhealth #nurse, I want to set the record straight on why the most common stereotypes about #psychosis are inaccurate and potentially harmful to the people experiencing them.
#JamesDonaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
You Should Fear The Broken System, Not The People It Has Failed
There is a stereotype of the disheveled, smelly person living on the street. This is the person whom the rest of society views as somehow less human and a lost cause. It likely stems at least in part from an underlying fear that the onlooker could someday end up in that position. However, when people with #psychosis do end up resembling this stereotype, it’s because the system has failed them on multiple levels, repeatedly. It is not the unkempt homeless person that you should fear, but rather the #mentalhealthsystem that’s so broken it can’t catch people when they fall.
People Aren’t Talking To Themselves, They’re Responding To Their Reality
One classic stereotype of #psychosis is someone talking to themselves. This is a bit of a misnomer in that people aren’t actually talking to themselves, they’re responding to their hallucinations. This can be observed sometimes, particularly when people are highly unwell, but as a broad generalization, it’s just not accurate.
The Tinfoil Hat Is Only In Movies
Another stereotype is the tinfoil hat. While it’s true that severe #paranoia may lead some people to take steps to protect themselves from perceived outside energies, radiation or mind-reading attempts, this is not a run-of-the-mill occurrence for most people experiencing #psychosis. When this kind of #paranoia manifests, it’s more likely to trigger perceived protective measures around the home. In 15 years of nursing, I’ve never seen an actual tinfoil hat, but I have witnessed some elaborate strategies in people’s homes, including covering windows with paper and taping over electrical outlets.
Having #Psychosis Does Not Make You Violent
Perhaps the most harmful stereotype is the assumption that someone with #psychosis is inherently violent or dangerous. There’s yet another #massshooting? Suddenly everyone’s blaming people with #mentalillness and saying, “the shooter must have been crazy.” Because after all, how could someone do something like that and not be “psychotic”?
However, the fact is that the majority of people with serious #mentalillness are not violent and are far more likely to be the victims of violence than perpetrators. However, for the small portion who may use violence, it is other risk factors that are more likely to be related, such as gender and prior violence, not the experience of #psychosis itself.
People With #Psychosis Are Not “Psycho” Or “Psychopaths”
There is a lot of confusion between #psychosis and psychopathy. Many people jump to the conclusion that “psychotic = psycho = psychopath.” This, simply put, is wrong. To clarify, “psychotic” is an adjective for someone experiencing #psychosis, while “psychopathy” is the lack of or inability to experience empathy, which is an entirely separate issue. “Psycho” is a slang term that derives from the Latin word psyche, meaning mind or soul, but gets tossed around loosely to label anyone who’s seen as “crazy,” despite being both insensitive and offensive to those with #psychosis.
This is precisely why language around #psychosis is so important. We cannot use words like “psycho” or even “psychotic” to define people experiencing #psychosis because it leads society to associate #psychosis with these harmful stereotypes. However, words are a minor issue compared to the fear surrounding #psychosis. Fear flourishes in silence, which means we need to talk about what #psychosis really looks like.
Maybe it’s not psychosis itself that’s perceived as scary, but rather the tightly held fear of the unknown. The best way to dispel that fear is by raising our voices.
Note: This article was originally published at http://mentalhealthathome.org.
Ashley Peterson is a #mentalhealth blogger and #mentalhealth #nurse living with #depression. She is the author of three books, latest is managing the #depression puzzle. You can follow her writing at mentalhealthathome.org.
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
JamesD@StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
