Cait Buckalew, Campus Carrier Asst. Photojournalism Editor

How many times in your life have you heard someone say “I’m so OCD!” or “I’m going to have a panic attack!” when they really mean that they like things to be orderly or that they are stressed out? Maybe for you and your friend these statements are harmless, but to someone who actually experiences panic attacks or who is living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), these types of exaggerations are extremely harmful.

For someone who struggles with their mental health, these statements can invalidate life experiences. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 1 out of every 5 PEOPLE will deal with a mental health issue in any given year, and 1 in 20 live with serious mental health conditions like bipolar disorder, OCD or panic disorder. Also, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), there are about 2.2 million people with OCD in America.

At Berry, the average core class has anywhere from 18 to 30 students in it. That means there’s most likely a person in your class who cringes internally every time they hear someone compare a preference for neatness or a stress to their mental illness.

Having OCD does not mean that someone just wants things in their place. OCD is a serious mental health condition involving both obsessions and compulsions. According to the International OCD Foundation, obsessions are thoughts, images or impulses that an individual experiences repeatedly and are outside their control. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or thoughts that an individual uses to try to make their obsessions go away.

Mental illnesses like OCD can cause panic attacks, which are connected to panic disorders. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) says common panic disorder symptoms are panic attacks, intense fear of when another panic attack will occur and the physical symptoms during an attack, which can include a racing heart, trouble breathing, dizziness, stomach problems and more.

Saying that you are OCD or joking about having a panic attack can make it very difficult for people who suffer from these types of issues to explain their situation and be taken seriously. It adds to the stigma surrounding mental illness, which can lead to individuals who may be dealing with serious mental illnesses not seeking the treatment they need. In 1999, the U.S. Surgeon General reported that stigma was potentially the largest barrier to better mental health treatment.

The stigma surrounding mental illness isolates those suffering from them. Often people’s families, friends and if their symptoms are noticeable, even strangers, will distance themselves from people who struggle with their mental health because they think they are dangerous or that they are faking it. The majority of serious mental health conditions ARE caused by chemical imbalances within the brain and ARE treatable through therapy or medication.

Discouraging comments about mental illnesses and our society’s insistence that you can’t live a normal life and have a mental illness at the same time are extremely detrimental to the people who need help the most. Stigma discourages people from seeking the treatment they need and isolates people who are suffering. The longer a mental illness goes unchecked, the worse the outcome will be for the person who is experiencing it. We need to educate ourselves on what mental illness is and be more understanding of those who are suffering.

We need to stop invalidating the experiences of people who are dealing with mental illnesses and end the stigma surrounding them. One simple way we can do this is to be more cognizant of our words and how they might affect those around us. Doing something as simple as cutting a phrase out of your vocabulary can make a world of difference to someone who is really struggling.