Query - Epilepsy, Seizures and Brainstorms

MrsManda

This has just come up in conversation and wondered what the general opinion on here was.
My friend is a student nurse and was told in her lectures today that the term 'brainstorm' should NEVER be used as it's offensive to people who have Epilepsy or seizures due to another reason. Therefore they should use 'Thought Shower'.
Personally I don't find brainstorm offensive but find the idea that it's offensive patronising.

clemmatis

It isn't offensive to most epileptics

http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/press/facts/brainstorming

clivejohnson

I have suffered with epilepsy for over 35 years, and I certainly do not have any problem wit this whatsoever! Why is it offensive?? Sheesh, the mind boggles!!!!!!

24skins

This has also come up at my Uni too (I study psychology p/t) although we haven't been asked not to use it. I'm not epileptic but my son has epileptic & non-epileptic seizures & the word 'brainstorm' has never occurred to me as offensive. Strange.

[Deleted User]

clemmatis wrote: »

It isn't offensive to most epileptics

http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/press/facts/brainstorming

well i find it offensive and i have epilepsy NOTE i am NOT an epileptic,my condition DOESNT define me !

people who have epilepsy are exactly that anything else is offensive and or condescending,and no professional would EVER use either term

[Deleted User]

clemmatis wrote: »

It isn't offensive to most epileptics

http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/press/facts/brainstorming

that article refers to a survey 7 years ago,maybe we should go even futher back in time and lock everyone with epilepsy in an institution
i really dont believe the sh!te i read on here sometimes !

[Deleted User]

24skins wrote: »

This has also come up at my Uni too (I study psychology p/t) although we haven't been asked not to use it. I'm not epileptic but my son has epileptic & non-epileptic seizures & the word 'brainstorm' has never occurred to me as offensive. Strange.

god save us from psychologist(and my dd studied it at uni too)

krisskross

woodbine wrote: »

well i find it offensive and i have epilepsy NOTE i am NOT an epileptic,my condition DOESNT define me !

people who have epilepsy are exactly that anything else is offensive and or condescending,and no professional would EVER use either term

I guess you never talk about diabetics either?

My husband often says he is a diabetic.

GlasweJen

I find it offensive (NES sufferer). I also find "epileptic" offensive in general.

ETA krisskross, I also find diabetic offensive, I suppose it's because I've always been told to use "people centred language" so John who had epilepsy, Peter who has diabetes, Jennifer who has schizophrenia etc.

elsien

I used to run training sessions and got pulled up by an attendee one day when I referred to a brainstorming session.
This was not in the context of epilepsy, it was a term used to ask people to start chucking out ideas - I was later advised that I should refer to mindmapping instead. The only problem being that when you say mindmapping to a room full of trainees they have no idea what you are talking about.
So I asked a friend with epilepsy what he thought, and he said it was down to context. He didn't mind the phrase in the context I had used it, but would object more so to his seizures being referred to as brainstorms.

Richie-from-the-Boro

MrsManda wrote: »

This has just come up in conversation and wondered what the general opinion on here was.
My friend is a student nurse and was told in her lectures today that the term 'brainstorm' should NEVER be used as it's offensive to people who have Epilepsy or seizures due to another reason. Therefore they should use 'Thought Shower'.
Personally I don't find brainstorm offensive but find the idea that it's offensive patronising.

Its been doing the rounds for years, its just more political correctness from the word police.