Mind your language!
| Published date | 13 February 2017 |
| Pages | 47-52 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-09-2016-0026 |
| Date | 13 February 2017 |
| Author | Sharon Ann Gilfoyle |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion |
Mind your language!
Sharon Ann Gilfoyle
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to explore what is meant by the term recovery language and the use
of mental health language in today’s society.
Design/methodology/approach –This paper is an exploration of the use of recovery language and the
application in modern day mental health services.
Findings –The language that is used to describe mental health is often based on a traditional medical model
primarily focussing on diagnosis, symptoms and problems. Thisis a stark difference to the modern day use of
recovery orientated language.
Practical implications –This paper can be used as a discussion topic in teams to explore themes around
recovery language.
Originality/value –This paper explores issues of language in mental health that are central to recovery and
the development of recovery-focussed services.
Keywords NHS, Mental health, Language, Recovery
Paper type Viewpoint
The language we use is incredibly powerful and if we use it to our advantage, it can be used to
challenge the stigma of mental health.
Ask yourself a few questions …. Is the language you use recovery focussed? Do you speak
about the people you work with in a positive, hopeful and strengths focussed manner? How do
your colleagues speak about the people they work alongside, is your work environment a
recovery orientated place to work?
Take just one hour, whether this is watching TV, listening to the radio, spending time on social
media, reading a magazine, taking part in a meeting, etc. Try to take note of how many phrases,
sayings and comments are made in relation to mental health. Are they positive and strengths
focussed or are they disparaging and discriminatory in nature?
Over one week in 2015 I flicked over the TV and radio channels and I heard the following phrases.
“Mad as a hatter, mad as a box of frogs, nutter, bonkers, barmy, going round the bend, loopy,
basket case, away with the fairies, crazy, out of his tree, off the deep end, driving me mad, gone
in the head, basket case, doolally tap, I bet she’s running down the road like a mad lady on
steroids”. These terms were primarily being used in a disparaging manner to describe a person
displaying signs that they were out of touch with reality. However, they are often related to
someone just behaving in a way that is a little eccentric. For example the “running down the road
like a mad lady on steroid was a phrase used on my local radio station when a woman won a
large amount of money in a quiz.
Where did these phrases originate from and why do we feel it is acceptable to use these terms
today? Nowadays, it is inconceivable to think that we would use such similarly disparaging
language when talking about people from minority communities, or when referring to people’s
sexuality, but it seems as through these outdated mental health phrases are still readily used in
today’s society without justification or challenge.
One example of a phrase that is still readily used today is “doolally tap”or more recently
shortened to “doolally”. According to Wikipedia, the phrase “doolally”was early twentieth century
Indian army slang meaning “camp fever”. The story goes that British soldiers were trying to
Sharon Ann Gilfoyle is a Head
of Recovery and Resilience at
the Recovery Team Cambridge
and Peterborough NHS
Foundation Trust,
Peterborough, UK.
DOI 10.1108/MHSI-09-2016-0026 VOL. 21 NO. 1 2017, pp. 47-52, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308
j
MENTALHEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
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PAG E 47
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