‘Stock market psychosis’, “Wall Street goes mad”, “The market goes into depression”. How many times have we read in the press expressions comparing the economy to mental health disorders? Organisations such as Obertament believe that economic jargon stigmatises and needs to be remedied.

‘I have seen them in all colours. Even a professor of economics, in an opinion article, said ‘schizoid economics’, because, in his opinion, ‘the economy entered into a dissociation between two simultaneous and contradictory trends’’. He denounces it openly to Dani in  Obertament‘s blog, where the organisation teaches about inclusive language with hundreds of first-person witnesses. The complaint is repeated over and over again.

It was precisely the habitual use of the words ‘psychosis’ and ‘schizophrenia’ as pejorative metaphors that set off all the alarm bells. Since then, Obertament has produced up to five reports with the help of Grup Barnils, with their corresponding campaigns and training sessions throughout the country to raise awareness of the stigma attached to mental health in the media and, specifically, in international, opinion, political and economic news. ‘The schizoid personality has nothing to do with economics – don’t mix apples and pears,’ says Dani.

Because, undoubtedly, the first offence is to use metaphors that consolidate the stigma without taking into account what it means to have a mental health disorder. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in four people have it or will have it during their lifetime, and it can appear at any time, from childhood to old age. According to the latest Obertament report, for example, the WHO estimates that nearly 300 million people in the world have had depression, 4.4% of the global population.

And yet, these people often feel discriminated against in their family and work environment. In fact, according to a study published by the Autonomous University of Barcelona and Spora Sinergies, 80.1% of people with a mental health problem in Catalonia have suffered discrimination and stigma, and 54.9% have been discriminated against very often.

Disorders have nothing to do with violence

Therefore, when the media or economic and political professionals link mental health with conflicts, crises or difficult contexts, they further reinforce this discrimination. The second offence, in fact, is to link mental health disorders with violence. In this sense, the Audiovisual Council of Catalonia (CAC) warns in a guide that ‘the risk of aggression is exaggerated, fear and mistrust are encouraged and the gap of ignorance about mental health issues is widened’.

When we do so, we unwittingly reproduce a discourse that describes the economy as an aggressive environment, where competition without morals rules and suspicions pull the strings of the market. Is that really the image we have of how the economy works? The ACC also recalls that using terms such as ‘schizophrenic’, ‘bipolar’, ‘psychosis’, ‘depressive’ to describe chaotic, irrational, extravagant situations or to disqualify the opponent; using negative activation; or opting for alarming and morbid statements, ‘perpetuates false beliefs and stereotypes’.

Stereotypes that are almost insults

And, of course, the third offence is stereotyping, as Obertament denounces. We often use expressions that, because they are so normalised, we do not realise how derogatory they are. For example, current economic issues that are irreversible are frequently linked to mental health, which is wrongly associated with an incurable illness that prevents people from leading a normal life.

In this way, a mental disorder is regularly confused with a mental disability or dementia. The organisations also warn that, believing that we are being empathetic, we fall into ‘a paternalistic and compassionate tone’. This idea, moreover, is reinforced by illustrations that arouse rejection, sadness, or a dark and desperate inner abyss. Nothing could be further from the truth. In the end, as Obertament denounces, we end up turning mental health into ‘a catch-all’.

That is why, on the contrary, the organisations recommend using expressions such as ‘A person who has or has had…’, using adjectives and resources that do not refer to mental health, contextualising mental health disorders, listening to and respecting people with this diagnosis more, highlighting stories of overcoming mental health problems and avoiding sensationalism.

In the end, all this advice means that the focus is not on the person, but on the society that causes common disorders such as anxiety or depression. If we come to collectively change the economy and build a fairer, more honest and more ethical banking system, instead of reproducing prejudices, we might just turn it all around like a sock. Let’s start with the language.

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