To be sick to death of people using the word 'Schizophrenic' wrongly?

[AndyWarholsOrange]

If it was in 'The Sun', I'd just think it was par for the course but 3 times in the last 2 weeks, I've read/heard the term Schizophrenic used as meaning having a split personality or being torn/undecided about something eg 'I feel a bit schizophrenic about it' in The Times, The Guardian and on Radio 4.
Schizophrenia is a horrible debilitating mental illness Not having a Jekll/Hyde personality or being in two minds about something. I'm sure everyone here knows this, I just can't believe that people who should know better are still using it in this way.

I can understand why it is annoying

it is bringing up very strong emotions, could this be more about you not being heard/understood

it is a very complex condition that is greatly misunderstood

depression I feel is different, how people deal with depression varies so greatly (not that it does not with schizophrenia) at times some people may come across as being a little down when actually what is going on for them is far more than that, some people seem to be functioning well when they constantly have suicidal thoughts, others can not even get out of bed one is not worse than the other both are awful to live with

I never ignore when someone says they are depressed who I am to judge if they are or not

I've thought a bit more about my own experience. I think that what I learnt in that time of extreme unhappiness was that one can easily hate people for the casual thoughtlessness that comes with good fortune. I hated those people because they were heedless, trivial, and didn't understand the things they so easily said.
BUT hatred is very isolating: it can mean you refuse to recognise kindness where it is offered, and you mis-see opportunities for communication as rebuffs and slights.
Also, I think it is just wrong to hate those dwelling in the happy valleys of fortune - non-one dwells there forever, and we should appreciate good times when we have them, and not begrudge the blithe happiness of others.
I think it's a good thing, generally, to educate others (for example, to tell people what BPD and schizophrenia are,) IF your intentions are just that: education.
But anger, hatred, resentment- the bitter wish to pour acid on the blithe ness of others and an ignorance born of not having known (this particular) misfortune ... yet? - that's not so good.

Anyway, that is all to do with what I experienced. It may well have absolutely nothing to do with what you are experiencing.

I was just shocked by how extreme my reaction was, how isolating it was, and how relieved I was when it passed.

I also accept that there wasn't very much I could do to stop myself feeling that way: I really did not feel in control at all.

Good luck with whatever you are going through.

YANBU but my reaction would be tempered by whether the journalist was using the phrase themselves, or reporting the use of the phrase in someone else's speech, IYSWIM. If reporting someone else's speech, I would be annoyed at that person and not at the newspaper.

YANBU

I remember a family member using the word schizo to describe someone who was nice one minute than an arsehole the next. It was used very often that way back then it seems.

A friend of mine has schizophrenia and it was my husband's first diagnosis; which later changed to bipolar although at times I wonder if the original diagnosis was actually the correct one. My friend will never be able to live independently.

I also have OCD and get sick of people using the term to describe someone who likes a tidy home or are a bit obsessive about something.

I'm a mental health nurse and agree with all of the above. I'd challenge anyone bandying these terms about to spend a day inside the mind of someone who lives with a mental health condition.

What's bugging me on mn at the minute though is this obsession with diagnosing people as 'narcs' and the whole 'i've decided my mil has narc PD' crap. Dangerous, irresponsible and slightly ironic in that those decreeing these diagnoses seem to have elevated themselves into some position of psychiatric authority and will broker no argument. Some people are just plain old horrible. No official label required!

YANBU -I am absolutely furious when I hear the term used incorrectly. Not only does it trivialise an extremely distressing and serious illness it also re-enforces a completely superficial idea within the media/general public of what schizophrenia is about. The other aspect which enrages me is the mis-conception that people with serious mental illness are always dangerous to others when all the research completely refutes this statement

YABU
Agree with what Cantbeleivethisishappening said.
And 'sick to death' can be just as annoying to some people.

I've never heard it used in this way before. Not nice I agree. Same as being a bit OCD, bipolar, borderline, bulimic, psychotic etc isn't okay.

The only ones I'd say are okay is a bit depressed or a bit stressed because they're feelings as well as illnesses. Whether or not the illnesses should have been named after the emotions is another matter but, seeing as they have, then people will obviously use the words to describe how they're feeling.

It's just hyperbole. Exaggeration is part of the English language.

You're not sick/bored to death.
You are not starving because you didn't eat lunch yet.
You aren't slaving away at the office.

Every illness is stereotyped with a lack luster surface definition, and until you've lived it or met someone with it, you'll never understand it.

Cancer patients just lose their hair, smoke weed, and die peacefully in their sleep.
ADHD people are distracted by shiny necklaces like a kitten.
Autistic children can't talk, but they have some amazing skill that even an adult can't match.
Lung cancer patients smoked themselves to an early grave.
Heart problems are all caused by eating junk food and never exercising.

It's a human coping mechanism because if we had to seriously sit down and think about all the seriously debilitating effects of many different diseases, suffering going on, and we wouldn't find the point of going on.

As long as you're sensitive to someone who says they are suffering from an illness, I think there are just bigger things worth getting worked up about.