Mental Health Illness

I’m a big fan of the TV show 24 Hours in Police Custody. I think it’s a fascinating look into our country’s criminal justice system. It’s very compelling TV, and I enjoy it. And I’ve noticed twice, in the last two times that I was watching it, that I’ve heard someone say the phrase, a mental health illness. 

It baffles me that even in something as professional, in terms of language, as the police - that they can fumble over something like that. When the episode started the police officers were talking about someone who had suffered a fatal gunshot wound and they were going to start CPR. And someone said, we can’t, because the injuries aren’t compatible with life.

I was struck by how professional and sensitive that phrase is. It’s very appropriate for the situation, and for the level of care that they need to show, towards family members but also to anyone watching. So clearly, some degree of care does go into the language that’s used.

But when you say mental health illness, to me, it just sounds bizarre. It sounds like when people say a female engineer or a female scientist, and then you flip it, and you say a male scientist, and you realise how silly it sounds.

You know, when you flip that and you say a physical health illness, I think, what are you even saying? Just say illness.

I do understand that you need to differentiate between physical and mental illnesses. And when you say illness, we do have that unconscious bias that makes us think it’s a physical illness. So where does that leave us? Mental illness - problem solved.

But saying mental health illness, what annoys me about it is, to me, people say things like that because they are uncomfortable with the subject matter. They’re uncomfortable being direct and assertive about it.

And even in the police - especially in the police - shouldn’t they be able to cut to the chase? They should be able to say, have you got a mental illness? 

I think being indirect distances you from the subject matter. And it makes the discomfort clear and apparent. And I think when we try and tiptoe around things, even if it’s well intentioned, that comes across as fear.

And that is unpleasant for the person with the mental health illness.