Label Whoring 101

I used to have serious issues with the stigmas behind and relate to both labels, black and bipolar. I’m not into psycho linguistics or pretend to know anything much about the field (though I could refer you to the brilliance of fellow-Trojan and Cal Ph.D. Dr. Nathaniel Dumas) but I do understand how subconscious, underlying definitions and associations between words and their meanings may affect us, cognitively and behaviorally as well as collectively and individually.

In high school, we read a piece called, "A Short Play on Black and White Words" by Robert B. Moore, that gets to the heart of the matter in a very creative, very understandable, and very illuminating way. After each use of the word, “black” its or commonly  understood meaning (better known as a connotation) is in parentheses. Here it is pasted below for your ease of reference:
                                          
Some may blackly (angrily) accuse me of trying to blacken (defame) the English language, to give it a black eye (a mark of shame) by writing such black words (hostile). They may denigrate (to cast aspersions; to darken) me by accusing me of being blackhearted (malevolent), of having a black outlook (pessimistic, dismal) on life, of being a blackguard (scoundrel) - which would certainly be a black mark (detrimental fact) against me. Some may black-brow (scowl at) me and hope that a black cat crosses in front of me because of this black deed. I may become a black sheep (one who causes shame or embarrassment because of deviation from the accepted standards), who will be blackballed (ostracized) by being placed on a blacklist (list of undesirables) in an attempt to blackmail (to force or coerce into a particular action) me to retract my words. But attempts to blackjack (to compel by threat) me will have a Chinaman's chance of success, for I am not a yellow-bellied Indian-giver of words, who will whitewash (cover up or gloss over vices or crimes) a black lie (harmful, inexcusable). I challenge the purity and innocence (white) of the English language. I don't see things in black and white (entirely bad or entirely good) terms, for I am a white man (marked by upright firmness) if there ever was one. However, it would be a black day when I would not "call a spade a spade", even though some will suggest a white man calling the English language racist is like the pot calling the kettle black. While many may be niggardly (grudging, scanty) in their support, others will be honest and decent-and to them I say, that's very white of you (honest, decent).

The preceding is of course a white lie (not intended to cause harm), meant only to illustrate some examples of racist terminology in the English language."

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Needless to say the value neutrality of the word black in all of its different forms is questionable at best. At worst, however, the word black, is without question, linked to any number negative thoughts, feelings, and action, so off the bat there is a bias, whether recognized by the person using the word, and the person it is being used to describe. The speaker may unknowingly internalize an air of superiority or arrogance as they point to, highlight, or identify someone or something linked so clearly to negativity. On the other hand, if you are continuously being addressed as such, it may be easy to adopt or internalize certain ways of viewing yourself that aren’t in the best interest of your psychological health. There are any are number of measures to resist this internalization, but it is important to first and foremost realize how easily and unknowingly this two way street can turn into a dangerous head on crash between oppressor and oppressed (For those more scientifically inclined and for perspective’s sake, black, as I understand is in fact the combination of all colors, and white the absence of them.)

Again for the sake of others identifying with and understanding these labels, I have come to a point where I am no longer bitter being seen in such a stigmatized light. Instead of resisting and becoming upset, I have come to understand and embrace these labels, however problematic and at times hopelessly reductive they may seem, so that others who may find themselves similarly diagnosed (or if they are affected by those who are) can themselves have some peace of mind.

Let’s take it back to the basics for a moment. Bipolar, short for bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic-depression, carries with it a number of stereotypes, but for the most part the “disorder” ( I will explain the quotes very shortly) and those affected by it are in my brief experience with it, more shrouded in mystery that even the most oppressed and obscured racial minorities.

In terms of understanding the condition, its former name is a good starting point. The motives behind changes in terminology can be fascinating especially if etymology/lexical evolution (e.g., word history) happens to be your thing, but regardless of the name, the condition it describes remains the same.

It is understood medically as a mood disorder, and however it may be termed, there are extremes in mood ranging from the depths of sadness (similar to those who are diagnosed as having one-sided depression) to an euphoric, extreme high, known as mania. When a person is experiencing mania they are said to be having a manic episode. Whichever term is being used you can picture those pegged with the condition as having moods that operate along a spectrum from low (depressed) to high (manic).

Aristotle, the famous Greek philosopher said that, “It is the mark of an educated mind to entertain an idea without accepting it.” Insofar as we all seek to be educated, it can help to look at things from both sides. Instead of pointing the finger, and labeling someone whose mind may work differently as suffering from a “disorder,” “crazy (again for a wonderful defense against this troubling term, please see the recent youtube post featuring Dave Chappelle),” or an “illness,” all of which carry with them their own layered complexities (for an academic perspective on  the matter, Michel Foucault’s classic text Madness and Civilization is recommended as a wonderful starting point), just entertain the thought, just briefly, that equal or greater fault may lie with the one pointing the finger (again as yet another old adage goes, “As soon as you point a finger at somebody, you have four pointing back at yourself).

Instead of saying someone has a mood disorder, could it be that they may have an expansive and intensive emotional range, which may, under certain circumstances, manifest itself via unpredictable behavior and speech, which may be unintelligible to the listener depending on their ability to understand it. Or as 50 cent said at the end of one of his videos, “I talk fast, so listen faster, so I ain’t gotta slow down for you to catch up.” In terms of this debate, would it be odd for someone who has been labeled as mentally ill, recommend a medication to their doctor so that they might be able to understand them? To date I have a had four distinct manic waves, fall of 2005, summer of 2007, fall of 2009, and spring 2010. Each wave consisted of episodes that would peak and subside resulting in hospitalizations, the last of which in 2010 saw me admit myself to the hospital (details of which to come later, but my former therapist the self-admission reflected the evolving knowledge and meta-awareness of my condition). The first episode however, way back when, will always be memorable to me for the reaction of my dear friend who rode it the whole thing out with me. Instead of pointing the finger, becoming troubled, concerned, or alerting others we got into some adventure, some of which is foggy at this point (but could always be cleared by asking him about it) about which he would tell me later: “There’s wasn’t anything wrong with you were saying to me or doing. You just needed a loved one to be there and listen.” In addition to speaking to his keen perceptive faculties, it speaks more so to him being an incredible friend. All of that is to say, if time was taken to listen instead of label, the weight of some of these stereotypes and stigmas would decrease dramatically.

You can just as easily broaden the discussion for other disorders as well. For those labeled as having ADD (attention deficit disorder) or ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), which is especially recognized in classroom settings where attention spans are expected and tested, they are often given a medication like ritalin or adderal to help them focus. 

Again for the sake of entertaining a thought, let’s hyppthetically just say little Terry, just diagnosed with AD(H)D,  sitting in the back of class, who may be considered a prodigy by several other measures, has a mind that works in such a brilliant fashion and at such a processing speed, that it is far more conducive for his learning, to be engaged conversation than by reading. As a result of poor judgment and diagnosis, Terry, and all of his under-stimulated innate intelligence, begins to withdraw, question his ability, which affects his self-esteem for which he is put on a depression medication that in combination with the initial dosage of Ritalin/Adderall (They are in fact amphetamines - In layman’s term’s, as I understand them, this means they share a similar molecular structure to cocaine), is taking its toll and affecting his sleep. Consequently, by the time he comes to class in the morning, he is exhausted from staying up for hours longer than he should have, and can hardly pay attention, thus worsening the issue he was originally labeled as having. The labels, and the meanings they carry, can very easily feed on themselves, and make matters far worse than they would have been otherwise

As someone who has been labeled as having bipolar disorder, my thinking and its clarity has often been questioned. Needless to say, the “history of mental illness” phrase can cast a long shadow. “Are you feeling, ok?” “Why are you talking so fast?” or from a clinical perspective, when committed there is a line of questions that doctors and nurses alike are required to ask of patients daily: “Are you hearing voices?” “Do you have thoughts of hurting yourself of anyone else?” There is one more that escapes me as of the moment, but let’s backtrack to the questions from acquaintances first.

First of all, it can be, depending on who is asking and their tone when doing so, offensively and arrogantly intrusive, to question another person’s manner of thinking. In response to this predictable line of inquiry, I have, when entertaining them in the past, “responded, by saying, “yes, are you feeling.thinking ok?” This Socratic mirroring, proves especially useful in exposing flaws in their logic. Though I choose not even to entertain these debates with certain types anymore because of their antagonistic approach, (which may be rooted in their own insecurity, misery, or jealously), genuine attempts to understand, though rare, are always acknowledged and appreciated.

My cousin, with whom I’ve just recently had the pleasure of getting to know, asked me a question earlier which made me so happy. Instead of questioning from an external perspective, she wanted to know, and actually had the heart to ask, “how does it feel when you are beginning to have a manic episode?” With glee I went out to first of all explain how delighted I was that she had the emotional insight and empathy to begin with that question, then followed by actually answering it.

Long story short, after having episodes resulting in several hospitalizations from 2005 to 2010, I during that period, learned to manage my mood and understand my emotions. This investment in my stability entailed group and intensive individual therapy (at my peak my therapist was seeing me twice a week in Berkeley) on and off for seven years, structured outpatient programs at McLean Hospital, a renowned psychiatric institution in Belmont, Massachusetts, not far from where I grew up, endless combination of cocktails of different medications used to treat bipolar disorder specifically (they two classes are traditionally categorized as mood-stabilizers and anti-psychotics), chemical/alcohol dependence (nicotine- I was a pack-per-day smoker for five + years, casual alcohol marijuana use for a good part of those years). I can happily and honestly say at this point I know what works for me (a detailing of my wellness regimen to come).

And lastly before I leave this one alone, for the sake of comparison, perhaps because they are going on right now, let’s use the Olympics for comparison. Olympic-caliber athletes have bodies that most likely through good genes and great training that respond in record-setting ways under extreme pressure. Would a trainer or coach, ever question the functioning of world-class sprinter Usain Bolt’s muscle fibers because he appeared to run even faster than usual?

Imagine the absurdity of this question:

Coach: Hey Usain, you just broke the world-record by running a 9.5 flat in the 100 meters. Are your fast-twitch muscle fibers acting up or something?”

Usain Bolt: “Sorry, coach, I’ll run try not to run so fast next time…”

The inverse could just as easily be analyzed with those who partake in the special Olympics. Though his delivery was particularly crude, comedian Ralphie May, noted that in his experience it was rare to see someone who has been labeled as mentally retarded, be anything less than happy. If this is in fact true, perhaps we could all learn something from our friends at the Special Olympics on how to achieve and sustain life happiness instead of pitying them as can be easily done.

Finally (seriously this time), though dogs are called man’s best friend and seem to generally be held in high esteem, there is almost always an explicit owner-owned/master-pet relationship that makes you think, “well that’s certainly no way to treat a best friend!” asking who is dependent upon whom in the relationship, when, and in what circumstance, can be helpful. Fido, may just be a mangy mut Monday through Saturday, but when little Susie goes missing on Sunday, see how quick his intelligence and sense of smell, (estimated to be  thousands of times stronger than our own in certain breeds) is applauded. Or in similarly extreme circumstance, that bomb sniffing dog on the battlefield, yes, the one with Kevlar coated teeth that single-handedly subdued the enemy while the troops where sound asleep, is showered with praise abroad, but at home, while being walked down the street on a leash can be perceived a certain way that is inconsistent with what he brings to the proverbial table.

PS - This helps recall a favorite song lyric: "You label me, I label you."  as belted out by James Hetfield of Metallica in the song "Unforgiven."