Behavioral Health Articles
Person First Language Focuses on the Individual, Not the Disability
by Melissa Bramley
As mental health therapists, we are taught to use “People First Language” or “First Person Language.” In 2007, the governor of NY signed the “Person First Bill” to make it mandatory for new and revised state laws, documents, etc, to contain “people first” language.
According to the Grassroots Committee of Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE), people first language is “a respectful way of speech...puts the person before the disability...and uses words all people understand.” Canada’s Essex County Accessibility Advisory Committee states that "Person First language focuses on the person rather than the disability. Everyone living with a disability wants to be seen as a person first. Nobody living with a disability wants to be identified by it. It’s a matter of dignity and respect. Using old and inaccurate descriptors perpetuates negative stereotypes...” The article goes on to state that ' "a disability is what a person has, not what a person is.' "
Therefore, instead of saying, “Lucy is a schizophrenic,” we should say, “Lucy is a person with schizophrenia.” Or instead of “Charlie is a diabetic” we use, “Charlie is a person with diabetes.” By utilizing these words, we are distinguishing that Lucy and Charlie are human beings first who are experiencing an illness second. We are separating the illness from the person. In other words, the disability does not define who they are. It is only a part of them. By acknowledging that Lucy and Charlie are people first, we are using language that is more respectful and dignified.
We should all attempt to embrace this concept in our way of thinking and not just our use of the appropriate terminology. The great Greek philosopher, Aristotle, said “The whole is more than the sum of its parts.” As we go through life, each of us will probably experience some situations that bring us laughter, joy, sadness, or heartache. We may toil with work or family issues. Our bodies might not work the way we would like them to or the way they used to. Each day, we may meet others and interact with them. We might be lucky enough to hear a bird sing, smell a beautifully fragrant flower, or see the sun rise and set. Our minds might dance with thoughts of fireflies on summer nights. We might earn the respect of others and have enduring friendships.
Each and every singular event that transpires over the course of our lifetimes becomes a part of who we are and who we choose to become. All of those pieces or parts of our lives can be opportunities for personal growth.
I like to compare our bodies and minds to the structure of a house. Our foundation might be our childhood experiences. Some are solid but some might need to be repaired. Our exteriors get weathered and may need to be painted. Inside of our house, there might be plenty of rooms. If yours is too small, you may need to build an addition. Each room could be a life experience. Sometimes we may choose to close the door to a room because it is too messy. Other times, we might be ready to open up a door because we have forgotten what is on the other side. The attic might be dusty but filled with treasures from the past. One of the rooms might contain some mental health or medical information. There might be a diagnosis in one corner. But that corner of that room does not mean the whole house is now a hospital. It is still your house. The beauty of your house is in every detail and in every corner. The beauty of YOU is the same.
Instilling tolerance and understanding is more important today than ever. May we all take time to understand our own needs and respect the needs of others. Let me take care of my house, so that I might be a better neighbor. If we all work together, we might have a pretty great neighborhood.
Melissa A. Bramley, LCSW-R, ACSW is a licensed clinical social worker in private practice in the McNeil Building at Counseling Services of Cortland; (607) 662-0209 or www.counselingservicesofcortland.com.