I really appreciate this discussion and learning more. I admit, that before I was an ACEs member I would totally tune out when I see the phrase "mental health" and assume it was written by someone in the helping profession or that it would be advice or traditional social worker approaches and signaled, to me, a "talking at" tone. Or a super broad overview, so general as not to be all that meaningful or helpful.
I am becoming a better listener now and I am not proud of my own tune out response but I am sharing it because I want to say that I responded with a gut "amen" to Corinna's headline.
AND while I responded with a gut, "Yes. Yes. Yes" I too have sometimes used the phase for simplicity to refer, quickly, to a bunch of stuff related to mental health that I don't have time or word count to get into.
For me, personally, as a reader, it's not that I have a problem with the words "mental health" it's just that to me, it is a phrase often used to wrap all kinds of issues up together.
For example, imagine using "physical health" as a buzzword for every cold, flu, surgery, medical issue or complaint? To me, it's not that the words are offensive, it's just that they aren't specific or personal or about a particular thing.
If I'm in crisis or struggling with symptoms, I don't think, "My mental health is acting up." I think, "I've got anxiety" or "I'm feeling overwhelmed" or "This is hard."
I think, for me, sometimes people talk about mental health in a way that is distancing, clinical and remote and that itself is alienating and makes me feel other. Like me and my people with all the "mental health" stuff are some other group that fall under this category or catch phrase.
I think, it's similar to how we talk or don't talk about race. We are so afraid of saying the wrong thing, so afraid of offending and/or so unaware of race issues as experienced by others, that we avoid discussion and if we mention stuff at all, we just say "race relations" or "race issues" but we don't get specific.
It's that certain words signal awkwardness or discomfort or distance and aren't invitational or real. And I'm sure, as it relates to the words mental health, it doesn't help that some of us get irked, offended and frustrated. But we've often been hurt by people using the words without sensitivity and in ways that aren't trauma informed.
I appreciate this discussion as someone with post-traumatic stress and as a writer and as a reader.
I admit that I don't always read all the links given in the comments, so if there is good stuff it might be worth repeating, IN the comments, for those who are reading the stream here and maybe don't have time to read the entire article.
For me, I like to just get specific, when possible, and talk about feelings, sensations or experiences or the specific issue. I try not to use mental health broadly unless I'm also using physical health broadly. I also think one of the things I LOVE most about ACEs is that they show us that wellness, physical health and well-being INCLUDE our responses to stress, our early experiences as well as our coping and so often, there's no need to make a differentiation between physical or mental health. It's all just health stuff.
That said, I struggle with finding the words as well at times.
Cis