“She’s a schizophrenic” vs. “She has schizophrenia”
To many people, these two statements will sound the same. And that’s okay.
However, I ask that you hear me out regarding the differences that these two statements are making. I understand that everyone has their opinion and can say it however they please, but I ask that you respect that there are some statements that can be said to better reflect an individual and not their diagnosis.
“She’s a schizophrenic.”
This implies that the individual is their disorder. But can someone truly be their disorder. We are so much more than that. We are flesh and bones, we are feelings, we are thoughts. If you have a mental illness, you are not your diagnosis.
“She has schizophrenia.”
My preferred way in which to describe someone with a mental illness … “I have depression.” “She has schizophrenia.” “He suffers from anxiety.” These statements imply that the individuals are not their disorder. Rather that it is something that they have, a mutation, an anomaly, an abnormality, that they are working to live with, working to get through. In this way, it allows an individual to be seen for the person that they are. For their personality, their emotions, their thoughts, and not just their disorder.
On a personal note, I have a family member who has schizophrenia. As long as I have known them, they have lived with schizophrenia. But I also know them for having a kind heart, for giving good hugs and smiling every time they see me, and for loving me as their family. There are an infinite number of instances where I did not even think that they had schizophrenia, because it was not something physically that was exhibited. I saw the color of their eyes, the way they clasped their hands when listening to someone speak, the care they took to match their shoes to their outfit.
I work with a number of students who have various disorders. More prevalent than others is autism spectrum disorder. I often hear these students referred to as “being autistic” as if that is the only characteristic that can describe who they are. While some people may not agree with me, I prefer to say that these students have autism rather than saying these students are autistic. This small difference allows for the student to be thought of as who they are as a person, their name, their personality, the qualities and characteristics that help to define and describe them as an individual, and not just their diagnosis.
Aristotle is credited for saying “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” When we take into consideration all aspects of an individual and put them together, we are seeing who the person is as a result of all the parts that make up that person. Not just a single characteristic and not the individual characteristics as they are combined. But rather the complete individual without any labels.
This may be a trivial change to make to your vocabulary, but I encourage you to consider how you would feel if you were described by one single characteristic that you have, rather than by the whole person that you are. Think about that.
