Loony, Weirdo, Nutjob, Psycho

[MadAboutQuavers]

There have been a couple of threads lately where these terms are used quite readily to label people who display mentally ill or psychotic behaviour.

It makes me and

Why is it ok to do this? It's not seen as ok to label people in wheelchairs or with walking difficulties "cripple" any more, but I remember a time when it was accepted.

Why is it ok to dismiss mental illness with similarly bigotted labels?

Or AIBU?

No YANBU at all. I completely agree.

Well, someone used 'sorry, retarded typo' to describe an error in a post.
We've had this conversation so many times.
Perhaps what we need is an emoticon of a smiley with a club.
Then we can just quote the offensive line and bash it. without further explanations.

YANBU. Mental health issues need to come more widely understood and accepted.

It happens everyday, black people get called the 'n' word, indian people get called the 'p' word. People that sleep around are called slappers/slags/hoars. Theres a name or label for everyone.

In my case (which you are talking about) he is a bloody weirdo. Me or you dont know his state I just have what happens nearly everyday to go by. Now if he has a mental illness he does a good job at switching it off when people are around! He could be Ill but due to the outburst at my DH when he tried to apologise someone else will have to deal with it as we are not getting involved to constantly have abuse thrown at us.

Also if you notice in my post I go back to many years ago which show that he is a nasty piece of work. I did think until last night it was possibly mental illness but now I really really dont.

I apologised for the use of the word loony but as I also said I was sat shaking after his latest outburst. He was alot worse behind this computer screen I can asure you!

When kids and teens call my son loony and weirdo, he hits them. They don't tend to do it twice.
When adults do it he walks away, muttering about stupidity and chavs.

Nobody with half a brain thinks the "n" word or the "p" word is acceptable

And calling someone a bloody weirdo is just as stupid and bigotted' IMO

It does fuck all to makes us more educated about mental illness, it just panders to the thick masses who like to call names and read tabloid headlines

I think you ANBU in a case such as you see someone walking down the street that obviously has a problem and someone shouts loony or someone in a wheelchair and someone calls them a cripple.

If you think that me calling my dog a loony or myself a cripple when I have a bad back is labelling everyone with mental or physical problems then yes I think YABU

Alot of people do use those words though!

So where do you draw the line?

Are you going to allow us to say "I'm mad about XYZ"?

Or is that bigotted as well?

Eh?

What do you think, MadaboutQuavers?

catinthehat - since you ask so politely, I'll explain the difference....

What I object to is, as I said in the OP, the label - the "noun" to describe someone, if you like

Saying someone's behaviour is mad, saying someone had an accident and they are now crippled, saying that someone is doing weird things, is just an adjective, IMO

Saying someone IS a weirdo, loony, nutjob, psycho is just as horrible as saying someone is a spac, retard, cripple - and, Iluketosleep' an "n" or a "p". It should be viewed in the same way, if they are exhibiting mentally ill behaviour

Can you not see the difference, or the point i'm making?

And iliketosleep, people may still use those words (no-one I know thankfully), but it doesn't make it right or acceptable. Does it?

It seems that to some people, the mentally ill are still fair game for ridicule, because their behaviour can be very strange

YANBU - Does nothing to help de-stigmatise mental health problems which so many people are affected by.

Yes I can see your point.

I don't necessarily agree with it

But had to check if you were on a pisstake because of your username

Weirdo and pyscho - yes bit offensive and insensitive for anyone.

Loon/nutjob/bonkers/cuckoo (when referring to someone totally unreasonable or uptight, not someone with obvious mental health issues) - fine in my book.

And how do you refer to wildly unreasonable people OP? I mean among your friends or with your dp?

Nobody with half a brain thinks the "n" word or the "p" word is acceptable

And calling someone a bloody weirdo is just as stupid and bigotted' IMO

It does fuck all to makes us more educated about mental illness, it just panders to the thick masses who like to call names and read tabloid headlines.

Agreed.

Some people are weird

I suffer with mental illness to the extent that I have been in hospital.

I don't find it offensive when people use words like loon or weirdo

I also think you're BU because you have yourself used the word "mad" in a light hearted fashion as part of your user name!

You seem to move the goalposts.

No it isn't acceptable I never said it was its horrible, but its a label isn't it! Not one I made up but its out there, so is cripple, loon, nutjob, weirdo etc

I think the reason you have taken so much offence is that you had mentioned that you have had to deal with mental illness before so when you hear or see the word it automatically takes you to your own experience, which is fair enough. Calling everyone who uses above words biggots makes you no better than them (me)though IMHO My neighbours weird so I am a biggot for saying it!

being mad about something has different conotations. But when used as an insult or a comment on someones behaviour it can be upsetting.

People with Mental Health issues are some of the most marginalised in society.

I've been sectionned twice and find the stigma surrounding mental health unreal. especially given the huge numbers of people that at some point have a mental health problem.

It's a bit like casual racism, ,many don't see the harm it does but it does do harm and great stigma.

Words are very powerful.

To say "it's just a label" or "people use those words all the time" doesn't make it any more acceptable.

People who use "labels" like that are bigots IMO - just as people who use racist labels are.

Ok ok, I really CBA anymore! I'm a biggot because my neighbour is a fool.

Off to fry some bigger fish

Ok so I'll ask all of you who think it's offensive... if someone is being wildly unreasonable or imposing hugely unrealistic demands etc etc, none of you have ever said they're 'bonkers/looney/insane' or 'that's crazy, that's mad' etc?

They're "bonkers/loony/insane" refers to the person - that's "crazy/mad" refers to the situation.

I think there's a crucial difference here.