Thursday, August 23, 2007
Labels in Psychology, Friend or Foe?
Hi Fiona in responce to your blog I had some opinions on this issue I wanted to express. I also attended the guest lecture presented by Pilgrim and I do agree with your side of the argument and the negative connotations that labelling someone with a mental illness can have. However I have to say that sometimes it can have very positive effects to belong to a group or to simply be able to put a name to it. A relative of mine suffered (undiagnosed) with bipolar for nearly ten years and had reached a stage where he felt he no longer knew who he was. It was amazing to see the relief he gained simply by knowing what he had. By gaining the title of bipolar he was able to research and find so many other people were just like him with very similar symptoms. Having said that I have also experienced the negative problems that can come about from being labelled. I'm sure at some point in our lives we have all heard people being described as a 'psycho' or a 'schizo' in reference to their mental illness. A friend of mine who was open about his diagnosis faced isolation from many people he had considered friends. I guess that comes down to stereotypes, ignorance and the stigma attached to the labels of mental illness. Unfortunately I think this topic has no easy clear-cut answer. However I think David Pilgrims views were very interesting and made me question the oh so holy DSM. I think as time goes on this debate of labelling will develop more and more.
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Hi Rachel,
I think you have brought up a very insightful point when you mentioned that not all labelling is negative. When you shared your experience of having a relative with Bipolar Disorder, I could really relate. A relative of mine suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and she has spent over half of her life living with it. Prior to seeking help, she did not know what it was called and thought that she was all alone. When she was eventually diagnosed with OCD and could put a name to the disorder, the relief she experienced was huge and she has since made significant progress in her treatment. So in this sense, finding a label was a positive thing. I agree though that there are many cases in society where labelling is used in a negative and prejudiced manner, including mental illness. It is definately a worthwhile topic to be exploring.
hi rachel & jessica & fi,
thanks for your viewpoints. apparently there were a variety of reactions also from the masters students - ranging from being angry at the ideas to seeing them as a revelation!
i've linked to this post from here.
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