Does Person-First Language Reduce Mental Illness Stigma?

In this week’s Psych Central Show, Gabe Howard and Vincent M. Wales discuss the use of person-first language in mental health advocacy. Person-First refers to a form of etiquette that calls for language to be structured “person” first, “disability” second. For example: “people with diabetes” versus “diabetic.” It changes language to replace “to be” (mentally ill) with “to have” (mental illness).

Our hosts discuss the relative merits and disadvantages of this supposedly empowering strategy. They question whether this is needed, whether it’s helping, or whether it is just one more way to stigmatize people who have been diagnosed with mental illness.

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