Behavioral Disorders — A Better Term Than “Mental Disorders”?


By Dr. Gregory Lyons, PsyD, LCPC.
11/5/2025.

Language shapes how we see ourselves and how we seek help. In mental health, the words that individuals use can carry an unintended emotional weight. Research shows that psychiatric labels can increase shame, self-stigma, and reluctance to seek help, as individuals begin to view the diagnosis as a personal flaw rather than a treatable experience (Corrigan, 2002; Link & Phelan, 2001). Many people can describe their feelings as being  “broken,” “unstable,” or “less than” when they are told that they may have a mental disorder. This issue may have a heavier impact on adolescents, who can be more vulnerable to identity-based interpretations of labels (Moses, 2009).

Suppose the language itself creates fear or avoidance. If this can be identified as the case, exploring more compassionate alternatives can encourage individuals to accept their symptoms and possibly strengthen their commitment to care, increasing access to care.

Some therapeutic professionals feel that instead of using the term mental disorder, the term behavioral disorder could be used. The intent is not to replace clinical terminology but to redefine the term to offer the client a more hopeful and empowering lens, facilitating a better understanding of their psychological challenges.

It can be suggested that the idealization of identifying harmful behavioral practices as physical damage or a defective mind can be more daunting for an individual to acclimate to. The term “behavioral” may give the perception that possible growth, practice, and support from a therapeutic professional could possibly make a difference to their well-being. This approach could align with the movement toward “behavioral health” language that many professional organizations, including the American Psychological Association, have begun adopting to reduce stigma in public-facing conversations (APA, 2023).

Why Words Matter in Mental Health.

When someone receives a diagnosis, their natural response may be to shift their identity-based perception to:

The belief in the strategy suggested in the article is that the phrase “mental disorder” could unintentionally imply defectiveness at the level of the mind or self, which could possibly trigger a fear of a social or self-represented stigma, which research has found possible positive data that suggests it can act as a barrier to treatment (Schomerus et al., 2012).

This form of label may discourage individuals from walking through a therapist’s door, inhibit the building of social relationships, and possibly cause a bias towards pharmaceutical treatment for their symptoms.

Consider the emotional difference between these two statements:

“I have a mental disorder.”

“I’m working through behavioral patterns that I’m learning to change.”

Both may describe the same clinical reality, but they can both land very differently for different individuals willing to work on their symptoms.

The first statement can sound like a permanent and identity-based issue. It may cause an individual to feel like a fixed label, which can lead them to believe that something is wrong with who they are. The second statement could act as a positive, hopeful, and self-compassionate statement. This could encourage individuals to commit to and address the symptoms of their diagnosis and to nurture a more personal investigation of how to navigate these issues. It may act as a statement suggesting to the client that, even though there may be a change in lifestyle or a process towards care, change is possible.

This language shift may be especially supportive in environments where stigma or fear of judgment keeps people from seeking help. Teens and young adults, in particular, often absorb diagnostic labels as reflections of their identity (Moses, 2009), making a gentler entry point valuable. Adults who carry shame around mental health may also feel more comfortable engaging in therapy when language feels less pathologizing.

When these terms are switched and used with clinical sensitivity, this approach may encourage curiosity, hope, and self-compassion, which could help individuals step toward support rather than away from it.


References.

American Psychological Association. (2023). Guidance on behavioral health terminology for stigma reduction. APA Press.

Corrigan, P. W. (2002). How stigma interferes with mental health care. American Psychologist, 59(7), 614–625. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.59.7.614

Link, B. G., & Phelan, J. C. (2001). Conceptualizing stigma. Annual Review of Sociology, 27, 363–385.

Moses, T. (2009). Stigma and self-concept among adolescents receiving mental health treatment. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 79(2), 261–274.

Schomerus, G., et al. (2012). The stigma of psychiatric illness: Clinical and social consequences. Psychiatry, 11(1), 48–54.