Letter To Ransford Gyampo: It Is Very Derogatory To Refer To Mental Illness As “Madness”

“Meanings are not determined by situations, but we determine ourselves by the meanings we give to situations” ---Alfred Adler

“The only normal people are the ones you don't know very well.” ---Alfred Adler

In his chronological rendition of the water shortages at Saltpond in the Central Region of Ghana on TV3 current affairs program, “The Key Points,” the iconic University of Ghana professor with impressive erudition in political science used the expression "a mad man" that was a far cry from sensitivity. As a researcher in the field of psychology, I deem it epistemologically naïve, professionally offensive, and philosophically a flaw to describe individuals living with serious mental illness as "mad people." I have no intention of being a terrible chatterbox, albeit the writer worried from a professional perspective. There is no human being on earth without a psychological disorder (mental disorder). What is serious mental illness [SMI]?

According to the United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMSHA, “SMI is defined by someone over 18 having (within the past year) a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that substantially interferes with a person’s life and ability to function.” SMIs include conditions like schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], Generalized Anxiety Disorder [GAD], Substance use disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, and personality disorders such as histrionic personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, and many more.

SMI also includes eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa; not eating enough food, and exercising too much for the fear of becoming overweight. Bulimia nervosa: people with bulimia nervosa eat large amounts of food in one sitting; This often happens in secret, and they often feel very guilty and shameful. Then they try to get rid of the food and extra calories in an unhealthy way, such as vomiting or misusing laxatives. This is called purging. Binge eating disorder: Binge-eating disorder is a serious condition. It always involves feeling like you're not able to stop eating. It also often involves eating much larger than usual amounts of food. Almost everyone overeats on occasion, such as having seconds or thirds of a holiday meal. But regularly feeling that eating is out of control and eating an unusually large amount of food may be symptoms of binge-eating disorder. People who have binge-eating disorder often feel embarrassed or ashamed about eating binges. People with the disorder often go through periods of trying to restrict or severely cut back on their eating as a result. But this instead may increase urges to eat and lead to a cycle of ongoing binge eating.

In Ghana, with the prevailing economic hardship, business crises like Kantamanto and Adum markets burnt, cheating husbands, and cheating wives are all mental health risk factors. Prof. Gyampo, all these categories of people cannot be classified as "mad people" People who die by suicide have underlying mental health conditions such as major depression with its concomitant feeling of hopelessness. This partly explains why expressions like "committed suicide" are equally derogatory; underrating the underlying mental health conditions that led to suicide. An appropriate expression should be “die by suicide.”

On August 24, 1954, President Getulio Vargas of Brazil died by suicide at the age of 72. What made a whole president kill himself? Probably, social pressure from his people; he did not have the courage to withstand the pressure. It led to either "low or labile affect" (fluctuated deep sadness). So, you see venerable Prof. Gyampo, it appears pejorative to refer to mental health conditions as madness. Anyway, congratulations on your new role. Tell Mr. President I was among those who fought for him ooo! “We can conceive of a future without high-rises. But a humanity without music and love is not just inconceivable; it is impossible.” -- George Leonard.

By Nana Yaw Osei, Ph. D. Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.