I just found this blog tonight and really enjoyed reading this article. Great work!

I think this situation highlights several needs in this field. First, professionals in the field need to do a better job of disseminating accurate information about clinical psychology. As you said, more often then not, when individuals misuse words like “psychotic,” they do so out of ignorance, not malice. Education can go a long way towards resolving that problem. Second, and parallel to the first point, an effort must be made to emphasize that certain commonly held beliefs about psychology have been debunked through systematic research.

Anyway, I really do appreciate your efforts here. Celebrities play a big role in the general public’s understanding of many subjects and psychology is no different. Discussing this can only bring good results.

If you are interested, my wife and I are making similar efforts towards disseminating accurate information on clinical psychology on our website, Psychotherapy Brown Bag (www.psychotherapybrownbag.com).

@ Mike - You are a wise man, my new friend. Your two points are spot on. And you know, the first one (about the malice) is something I had to learn the hard way when I first started advocating for mental health awareness, education, anti-stigma, etc. several years ago. Back then, I thought everyone who said “crazy,” or “nuts” or something similar was cruel and worthy of my wrath, lol. Now, I know how to take a step back, really evaluate the situation, and pick battles accordingly - and in a much nicer way

I’m glad you liked the article, and you and your wife have an awesome website! I’ve shared it in my links

Thanks for the link, Alicia! Care to take a stab at Senator Grassley’s comment on AIG executives and suicide? Seems like another example of somebody so caught up in making a point that he completely overlooked the meaning of his actual words.

I don’t know of any data indicating that a slip up like that has any impact on actual suicide rates, but where it can have an impact is in continued misunderstanding of a concept like suicide, which is the subject of a lot of systematic and enlightening research. Another day in the fight to infuse accuracy into a sea of bizarre commentary by public figures!

Yeah, Kristen has quite a mouth on her. And I agree with your point that it is mature and considerate of her to step back and re-think. I hate to be condescending (and when I was 18, I HATED it when people said this), but she’s only 18–I think she’s learning the hard way how to think FIRST, then speak.

And unfortunately, the hard way is the only way to really learn, most of the time.

Good post, hon.

@ Kat - Yeah, I hated it when people said that, too (when I was 18), but it’s the truth (burns my throat a little to say that). Even at 18, she showed she has more couth about her than Senator Grassley, though - well, either that, or a smart publicity person, haha.

I just made the same point on the other post. But even if Kristen’s got a good agent hissing in her ear, “Don’t say psychotic!”–you have to be smart enough to listen to good advice. Senator Harakiri apparently doesn’t even surround himself with people willing to say, “Don’t talk about suicide like that!” Or he’s not smart enough to listen to them if he does.