There is wide variety in how people and organizations describe individuals who have serious mental illness (SMI). Some of these include:
Choosing the “right” words is complex. There is no consensus on the right words to use. There may be objections and alternatives to each. The key concept to keep in mind is to recognize and refer to individuals who have SMI – first and foremost – as people. This demonstrates respect for each person’s basic humanity. Compassionate, stigma-free, person-centered words play a role in helping each person on their road to recovery. National mental health organizations such as the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) and Mental Health America (MHA) also support this same approach.