Why Language Matters!

Module 1.2 Language Matters

Language is powerful.

What do we mean by Language?

The words we choose to use, shapes the world that we live in and the reality that we experience.

Language is how we communicate to others and the world, how we perceive things, the ideas and beliefs that we have, and the emotions that we feel. The language we use can impact our lives and the lives of others, it can shape the way we think and feel about everything, from how we see ourselves to how we see others.

Thinking about the way we think and how we communicate with others isn't something most of us actively and consciously do. We tend to just think our thoughts as we usually do, and we tend to just talk to others without consciously thinking about the way we talk to them.

The language you use to communicate and to even think thoughts is influenced by everything that happens to us from the moment we are born. Your family or the people you grow up with, the people you live with now, the people you interact with at school and at work, the books and content we read, the people you talk to everyday, your culture and background, your teachers, your classmates, your coworkers, your friends, doctors, authority figures, religious leaders, newscasters, politicians, your adversaries, and even actors and musicians in the films, series, and music you watch and listen to. These all shape how we think, how we see the world, and what language we use to communicate with.

Many studies have been conducted on the impact of language, the ways in which we communicate, and the words we use; and this research shows that fundamentally language is profoundly the most powerful tool we have as people, as individuals, and as groups. Language impacts everything including how we see ourselves and others, but it impacts our other senses and how we perceive things.

Think about your life for a moment, if you were unable to use language to communicate and convey your thoughts and your feelings to others. How would you be able to cope? How would you be able to get your needs met?

Why should we pay attention to our language and choose our words more carefully?

Think of a time, an experience, in which someone said something to you and made you feel a certain way. What did they say? How did it make you feel? What words did they use that impacted you the most? Can you think of a different way or different words they could have used, to convey the same thing?

In the peer support recovery model, which we will be learning more about in the next module, language is a powerful tool that we can use to change the way we think and the way we feel about things. The language we use when talking about mental health and mental health challenges can shift from a positive attitude to a negative one, depending on the words we use to describe them. We can use our language as peer support providers to shift the way others think and feel about their mental health, their mental health challenges, and the way they feel. We can do this by choosing words that shift the perspective of mental health being negative, burdensome, and shameful which is stigmatizing to a more positive attitude centered around dignity, hope, respect, and recovery. We will talk more about stigma and eliminating it in the next module.

Knowing how powerful and important language is, can we change the way we think, the way we feel, and the way we communicate? Yes! We can, by changing and adapting the language we use in our lives. We can make conscious choices to choose the words we use more carefully.

Think of some words that you use when talking about mental health. How do those words make you feel? How do you think those words make other people feel when you use them?

"In my mental health recovery, I learned the most helpful tool to finding success in my recovery, finding peace with myself and others, was by choosing to use different language, different words, which helped me shift how I thought about myself, how I felt about situations, and how I felt about other people. I no longer felt trapped by darkness and despair, and I started feeling more positive about myself despite still living in the world we live in, and still having to experience awful and fucked up situations. By changing my language, I learned to communicate more effectively and can better advocate for myself and for my needs." -Liam W.

Let's Watch "You're Crazy" a TedxTalk Video

Key Video Takeaways:

• Mental Illness (Living with Mental health Challenges) is not necessarily linked to biological cause.

• Living with mental health challenges and seeking support and care does not reflect weakness, but rather strength and courage.

• Living with mental health challenges does not mean you are necessarily violent.

• Living with mental health challenges does not necessarily mean you are incompetent. However, you should still be accountable for your behavior and your actions.

• Living with mental health challenges does not mean you are focused or intent on causing disruption or chaos.

• Living with mental health challenges does not mean you are dysfunctional or useless and unable to contribute to society.

• Mental Health Stigma, is still a prevalent and common occurrence in our society and around the world.