It’s Time to Redefine Mental Health — Starting with the Language We Use

By Mo Heidaran, PhD | Founder, CHCF Brain Foundation | July 29, 2025

For too long, society has approached mental health through the wrong lens, one shaped by fear, stigma, and outdated assumptions. The very words we use mental illness, psychiatric disorder carry centuries of baggage, often implying moral weakness, personal failure, or unpredictable danger. These terms may have served a historical role, but they now stand in the way of progress. It’s time to rewrite the narrative.

At the CHCF Brain Foundation, we are reframing how we talk about and study brain health. We are abandoning stigmatizing language and replacing it with a more accurate and compassionate framework rooted in modern biology: neurodiversity. This shift is not just semantic it is scientific and ethical. Advances in genetics, neuroscience, and system biology show us that human behavior and brain function are extraordinarily complex and individually varied. Every person is born with a unique genetic blueprint that influences how they think, feel, and interact with the world.

What was once considered “abnormal” may, in fact, be a reflection of natural variation in the human brain not a pathology to be feared or erased. We must stop pretending that cognitive and emotional differences are merely the result of trauma or poor choices. While environment certainly matters, there is mounting evidence that many socalled “mental illnesses” stem from deeply rooted biological factors some identifiable at birth or even in utero. The label of "illness" oversimplifies this reality and distracts us from real solutions.

Instead of asking “what’s wrong with you?” we should be asking “what makes your brain different, and how can we support you?” This change in perspective can fundamentally alter how we design health systems, classrooms, and public policies. It can help us focus on inclusion, early intervention, and dignity rather than punishment, marginalization, or institutionalization. The term neurodivergent has gained traction in recent years, typically referring to individuals with autism, ADHD, or dyslexia. But we believe the concept should be expanded. Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia these too may be part of the broader spectrum of neurodivergence, and they deserve to be treated with the same scientific curiosity and human empathy.

At CHCF, we are committed to:

• Ending the use of outdated labels in our institutional language;

• Advocating for scientific research into the genetic and molecular basis of brain health;

• Educating the public on the biology behind cognitive and emotional diversity;

• Working with policymakers and educators to create systems that reflect the science of neurodiversity;

• And fighting for the rights and dignity of all individuals—whether they are considered neurotypical or neurodivergent.

This is more than a rebrand. It’s a reorientation of values one that places science, compassion, and individuality at the heart of mental health. If we truly want to build a society that understands and supports brain health, we must let go of language and ideas that no longer serve us. Let’s stop pathologizing differences and start recognizing the rich biological tapestry that makes us human.