Labeling is the process of categorization which is used to identify mental disorders.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders (DSM), describes the categories and criteria to determine a specific syndrome or a disorder. The label is helpful for the Mental Health Professionals to address something and have conversations with experts in the field. That’s about it. However when it comes to labeling individuals, research shows that labeling had been leading to a lot of social stigmas and the individual labeled will develop low self-esteem.
In an ableist and neurotypical society that we live, we already marginalize someone who has physical or mental health conditions. We categorize people as smart, sweet, difficult, angry etc. When people are further given labels like ‘abnormal’ it can further add up to the distress of the individual.
Here are few impacts of labeling on the individual’s mental health condition
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Labels can give a notion that something is out of control and can press buttons and emotional turmoil in individuals.
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Labeling can also mean you are defining someone publicly in a limited way and thus invalidating everything else that makes them up.
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People may adopt social withdrawal as a coping mechanism. This is to protect themselves from rejection and protect their self-esteem.
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Individuals may maintain secrecy about their mental health condition or simply try to fit into the situations that they cannot. This is again detrimental to one’s psychological health.
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People may develop depression or low self-esteem because of the discrimination as a result of label.
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Sometimes an individual may also use the label to stick to the unhealthy patterns by saying it’s not me ,it’s (The Label)
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Individuals may find it difficult to find work opportunities because of the stigma around mental health and labels. Organizations wanting to hire a robust and fully functional individual might think of label as a barrier to their organization’s growth.
What, if not labeling?
When mental health is seen as a continuum the need for labeling will be reduced. Research has also shown that mental health interventions should not be totally reliant on the labels but on the symptomatic behavior and targeting towards meeting innate needs of the individuals. The mental health continuum model suggests that we are all on a continuum which has five zones. They are :
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In crisis (very anxious, exhausted, poor sleep, weight loss)
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Struggling (anxious, depressed, tired, poor appetite)
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Surviving (worried , nervous, irritable , distracted)
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Thriving (positive, calm, performing, eating well and sleeping well)
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Excelling (cheerful joyful, energetic, high performing)
When we realize that individuals can quickly change their position on the continuum we understand that we don’t stay in a zone constantly. This approach is more desirable and also focuses on individuals identifying and moving to the appropriate continuum by using skills and coping strategies.
Importance of Professional Counseling: A friend or family member may listen to you, but they aren’t professionally, technically qualified or experienced to offer you professional advice. If you wish you can contact us at MindTribe to receive help from our team of expert psychologists.
About MindTribe.in.
MindTribe Founder Dr. Prerna Kohli, India’s eminent psychologist, established the company to leverage the strength of the online to make counseling affordable and accessible to everyone. MindTribe provides counseling, workshops, support groups, forums, and eLearning.
About the Author.
Sridevi Kakuturi is a psychologist at MindTribe.in. You can learn more about her by clicking here
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of MindTribe.in, the Founders, or management team.
Acknowledgement: All images used are open source and from Unsplash.