ABSTRACT
Slang expressions about mental disorders are widespread, and jokes about such disorders are commonplace. Slang and humour about madness endure, seemingly immune to any distaste expressed by people who dislike them. This chapter suggests that slang for mental disorders and related matters might reinforce group differences and creates group solidarity for those using the slang, and deals with taboo areas by alleviating ignorance, fear and embarrassment. Slang is used with reference to psychiatrists and psychotherapists. It is used to refer to mental disorder where there are historical derivations; uses relating to plants and animal analogies; examples conveying oddness or incapableness; loss, incompleteness or dysfunction; and incorrect ideas of causation or misidentification. Dysfunction is implied by the mechanical analogies of 'a screw loose' and 'unhinged'. Lack of knowledge and ignorance may be behind language that conveys the notion of oddness or incapableness, incompleteness or dysfunction, or is based on incorrect ideas of causation or misidentification.
