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We use the words and language of the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System.
The following introduction and glossary table is from the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System's Final :
"Language is powerful, and words have differing meanings for different people.
There is no single set of definitions used to describe how people experience their mental health, and this diversity is reflected in the many terms used to capture people's experiences throughout the evidence put before the Commission.
Words and language can have a lasting impact on a person's life. They can empower and embolden. They can be used to convey hope and empathy. But they can also be divisive when used to dispossess and divide, and to stigmatise and label.
The Commission also acknowledges that language can be deeply contested and nuanced. Although at all times trying to use inclusive language, the Commission is conscious that not everyone will agree with the terminology used. Following is a list of terms the Commission has chosen to use throughout this report, largely on the basis of ensuring alignment with its Letters Patent.
The Commission departs from these terms (in the table below) only when referring to specific data sources, describing research works or quoting an individual or organisation. The original language is retained wherever possible to accurately reflect the views and evidence presented to the Commission. For example, the Commission quotes individuals and organisations that sometimes refer to ‘mental disorder', rather than the Commission's preferred terms ‘mental illness' or ‘poor mental health'. Terms such as ‘disorder' can be pathologising and stigmatising, so the Commission retains them only if used by others to convey specific meaning."
Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Carer | Means a person, including a person under the age of 18 years, who provides care to another person with whom they are in a relationship of care. |
| Consumer | People who identify as having a living or lived experience of mental illness, irrespective of whether they have a formal diagnosis, who have accessed mental health services and/or received treatment. |
| Family | May refer to family of origin and/or family of choice. |
| Good mental health | A state of wellbeing in which a person realises their own abilities can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to their community. |
| Lived experience | People with lived experience identify either as someone who is living with (or has lived with) mental illness or someone who is caring for or otherwise supporting (or has cared for or otherwise supported) a person who is living with (or has lived with) mental illness. People with lived experience are sometimes referred to as ‘consumers' or ‘carers'. The Commission acknowledges that the experiences of consumers and carers are different. |
| Mental illness | A medical condition that is characterised by a significant disturbance of thought, mood, perception or memory. The Commission uses the above definition of mental illness consistent with the Mental Health Act 2014 (Vic) and recognises the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council Declaration released on 1 November 2019. The declaration notes that people with lived experience can have varying ways of understanding the experiences that are often called ‘mental illness'. It acknowledges that mental illness can be described using terms such as ‘neurodiversity', ‘emotional distress', ‘trauma' and ‘mental health challenges'. |
| Poor mental health | A combined term for referring to mental illness and psychological distress. |
| Psychological distress | One measure of poor mental health, which can be described as feelings of tiredness, anxiety, nervousness, hopelessness, depression and sadness. This is consistent with the definition accepted by the National Mental Health Commission. |
| Social and emotional wellbeing | Being resilient, being and feeling culturally safe and connected, having and realising aspirations, and being satisfied with life. This is consistent with BalitMurrup, Victoria's Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing framework. |
Other terminology used in our work
Reviewed 01 February 2024