On July 26th, Stephen Colbert commented on El Idiota’s tweet that transgender people will no longer be allowed in the U.S. military. He said, “Today I really think he’s off his meds because today he went from crazy to cruel.”
To anyone reading this: please stop making “off their meds” jokes because they’re insulting to those of us who take daily medication to manage a mood disorder. Such comments suggest that not taking our medication makes us jerks, assholes, idiots, dangerous or offensive to others. In case you don’t know it: mood disorders are not characterized by stupidity, cruelty, offensiveness or meanness and the people we’re most dangerous to are ourselves. It was the height of insult for Stephen to suggest that El Idiota’s behavior is characteristic of someone with a mood disorder. I like Stephen and watch his show a lot, but that “joke” made me angry.
More people than you think take daily medication for mood disorders and chances are, you’re hurting someone when you say those things. So please don’t do it, and please have the courage to stop others when they do it.
It is frustrating when people make comments such as this, making fun of mental health issues. I was under the impression that attitudes had changed, it also irritates me when someone says he/she is a bit OCD if they are obsessively tidy. I have OCD myself and the lack of knowledge with these stupid statements is so annoying.