Words like delusional or insane have become flippant idioms used to describe people who don't support the Oregon Ducks or who frequently skydive in the gorge. But what happens when labels like these reveal actual clinical diagnosis or a symptom of a painful disorder? Using the words accurately seems to be a thing of the past. Ironically, these words were actually invented in past decades when describing anyone abnormal or in an insane asylum. However, many of these words are taken out of context today and misused in damaging ways.
Around the turn of the 20th Century, psychological terminology entered the scene as fresh descriptions for conceptual ideas, disturbed people, or the daunting unknown nature of humans. Over a hundred years have passed and many of these words are still used…often incorrectly. Through changes in theories and advances in science, these words have either been assigned new meanings or have been placed on the shelf next to their creators. Words like demented, hysterical, obsessive-compulsive, or psychotic carry with them much deeper meanings than the commonly applied really weird and crazy. While these should be used in reference to psychology theorists or clinical diagnosis, many of these words are used by individuals who need an “appropriate” phrase for an unexpected ending to a sports game. Intense experiences actually associated with many of these words are such things as hearing voices, losing significant memory, experiencing debilitating anxieties, or hallucinating. Merriam-Webster dictionaries would delightfully reveal definitional truths that set records straight. Knowing that psychological words are filled with more meaning than just the stereotype, accuracy may be had by using ridiculous to describe a bad sport referee rather than psycho even if it seems just not quite enough.
Complimentary professional reading:
Comments