Things I’ve stopped saying since becoming a supporter
Without meaning to I always used to put my foot in it by saying phrases or words that people who are struggling found upsetting. They are things that you hear growing up and you think are fine to say, but as I started supporting more people in my life with mental health issues, I’ve been asked to avoid using these sayings:
“Mental / Crazy / Insane”
2. “I’m so OCD”
3. “She’s a psycho”
4. “Made me want to kill myself”
5. “They’re bipolar”
6. “They went schitzo on me”
Your first reaction might be to get defensive if someone pulls you up for saying these things but it’s actually better if you pause and ask yourself why might this be upsetting them. I slip up from time to time, but showing the people around me that I was intentionally being more conscious with my language definitely showed them that I was taken what they were going through seriously and built better trust.
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