This Video Explains Four Psychological Terms You May Be Misusing

This Video Explains Four Psychological Terms You May Be Misusing

We sometimes get in the habit of using psychological terms to describe different people, but there’s a good chance you’re using these words incorrectly. This video explains what the terms psycho, OCD, schizophrenic and bipolar really mean, and why you may not want to use them to describe someone.

These four terms are tossed around casually these days, and SciShow host Hank Green clarifies that these terms are for real psychological disorders that people suffer greatly from. Your ex is most likely not an actual psychopath, your roommate doesn’t have OCD just because they like things clean and organised, schizophrenics do not have multiple personalities, and bipolar is a serious mood disorder marked by emotional extremes, not just someone being upset.

So why might you want to avoid using these words? Besides the fact that they’re inaccurate in most cases, abusing these terms as casual metaphors minimizes these serious conditions and the people that actually have them. So you may want to take that into consideration the next time you want to complain about someone.

4 Psychological Terms That You’re Using Incorrectly [YouTube]


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