Let’s Change The Term “Mental Health”

Thank you for a wise addition ("imprinting" is a valuable contribution to this thread).

And thank you for helping me feel supported at a very vulnerable time. Best wishes.

I dislike "behavioral health" because I think it, too, puts the onus on the person whose behaviors are problematic -- yet those behaviors didn't arise in a vacuum!

I briefly saw a psychiatrist for both meds and talk therapy who believed that we don't exactly have free will, because so much of who we are is determined by family-of-origin stuff that occurs during our 1st three years; it was a relief to hear someone experienced (decades as a practitioner) and well-educated say this.
....... And: About 20 years ago, I worked as a secretary in a methadone clinic for three years; one of my duties was to type up the intake notes for new patients. It amazed me that virtually all of them stated that their home life had been normal or OK -- despite the fact that each of them came from a psychologically dysfunctional family, and that in almost every one of those families, substance use and physical violence had been present.

To be clear, I don't think that our early experiences are a prison we can't escape; I *do* think that we (society) are only starting to combine our 150-yr-old understanding of those forces + acknowledging but not blaming the wounded parents who caused damage + a gradual understanding of therapies that can help with trauma (such as EMDR) + implementing strategies to help those with trauma not only find relief from pain but also have a more-enriching life.

Apologies if I've erred by focusing on my particular bugbears.

I’m a retired LMSW and LMLA. I used to tell my dearest friend, “being crazy is not the issue, it’s learning how to make it work for you”.
I was joking with him, but there is a grain of truth there.
I am hardly a person one would consider landing within the normal spectrum. Label this any way one chooses, it is completely possible to make what others consider ‘deviation from the norm’ an opportunity to excel where many fail.

Yes makes a big difference. I was responding to what is wrong with Mental Health and the connotation with that term. Which in my opinion is addressing your mental health just as much and important as your physical health.

Again I think all doctors should look at a patient and when they see them address them not only about their physical health but mental health. As I mentioned in previous post when I used to go to VA for visits the first part was all about my mental health. I used to think wow this is a lot of time focusing on that but then made me feel good was addressing me as a whole person and my overall HEALTH not just physical symptoms.

I’ve seen the term ‘behavioural health’ used to apply stigma, unfortunately, with significant negative consequences to people labelled.
There must be a conscious facilitation of power and autonomy given back to the people who need support services/health care by the practitioners/deliverers or care services, otherwise it is a slippery slope that can and sometimes does lead to language and terminology categorising people negatively and silencing their voice in the therapeutic process by said labels attaching stigma that then becomes very hard to escape.
Hopefully that makes sense..I’m participating in this discussion at 1:30am with some level of fatigue, while “enjoying” wakefulness from drenching night sweats, and doing a bit of typing to take my mind off of it 🙂

I totally agree with you on this @jk77, as well as what I replied with above on the imprinting and damage laid upon vulnerable, young, innocent minds and psyches...a phrase I think of, and only occasionally share, as I have few people in my life who I can discuss this with, is:
"no one asked me if I wanted to play this game!" ...
...referring to how when one has no where else to turn, there is no other option in youth, this oppression is unconscionable.

BUT, on the term "behavioral health": it does sit a little more gently than "mental health", but I then immediately thereafter think of "(mis-)behaving", or even just "behavior" as words used to describe / judge / label children or teens who don't seem to know any better.

Definitely NOT the connotation I'd want applied to this aspect of being.

And, I certainly respect those for whom it doesn't matter, or is just wording. But, for me, and society-at-large, words are so important as a starting point - obviously, subtlely or subconsciously - especially in this situation which is so intangible to begin with - that I feel strongly about working this through.

Many wrongs must be righted by at least using a word or phrase that doesn't further encumber this challenge to living our best lives.