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Marian Keyes: 'Don't blame yourself if you can't find the cause of your depression'

Best selling author, Marian Keyes, talked about relationships and mental health on the Late Late Show last night.

The Late Late Show / YouTube

AFTER RELEASING HER latest book, The Break, Marian Keyes appeared on The Late Late Show with Ryan Tubridy to discuss everything from relationships, depression, to her father’s Alzheimer’s.

She shared some feelings about mental health and how common it is for people to become depressed for no reason whatsoever.

She told the story about how eight years ago, at a BBQ, she was suddenly overcome with unbearable anxiety out of nowhere.

“I would like to say to people: don’t blame yourself if you can’t find the cause,” she said.

Ryan commented that Marian always comes across as someone of a very happy disposition, despite the huge difficulties she had in her twenties with drinking.

Keyes had even previously said that growing up her core emotions were “fear and shame”. Ryan asked how these two huge and ‘”desperately sad” words could have ever applied to Marian.

I think I was a very sensitive person anyway and I think, being the age I am, when I was growing up in the 60s, there was an awful lot of shame. Shame is taught. Ireland was a theocracy then and we were born with original sin. I already felt very ashamed about that.
Other people who are more resilient than me would not have found Ireland to be like that, but I just found it a very frightening place, where the last thing that a woman should do is stick her head above the parapet.

Although alcoholism is a genetic condition, she found the constant fear of life and getting into trouble was a terrible combination with alcoholism.

Marian is now twenty-three years sober. Since then, she has achieved great success with her writing and met her partner.

However, she said she began to struggle with her mental health.

I think depression is an illness just as alcoholism is an illness. When people hear that you’ve had a bout of bad depression, they want to know ‘what happened?’ or ‘what brought it about?’ Sometimes for some people, something terrible does happen to trigger it.

Everyone’s experience is different, she explained.

For some people, nothing terrible happens. Nothing terrible happened to me to trigger it and it happened very dramatically and very suddenly. I’d like to say to people out there: don’t blame yourself if you can’t find the cause. It’s an illness.

Marian was totally confused and terrified by her first bout of random anxiety, describing the feeling as being total in fear of your life.

The author also spoke a bit about her new book, The Break, which Ryan Tubridy described as “predicated on the notion that even in the happiest of relationships, one still needs a break”.

PastedImage-63742 RTÉ RTÉ

It tells the story of a woman named Amy in her second marriage (whose husband left her in the previous marriage) as she struggles to accept that her new husband Hugh wants to take a six-month break to South-East Asia to sort out his midlife crisis. An onslaught of emotion ensues as Amy tries to cope with the anxiety that Hugh will leave her, just as her ex-husband did.

The novel was inspired by Keyes reading about “marriage sabbaticals” that are becoming more and more popular as life expectancy increases and married couples have to spend longer together than ever before.

PastedImage-32281 RTÉ RTÉ

Since Marian is always writing about relationships, Ryan asked her how often she’s approached and asked for advice.

She told Ryan:

I am, which I sort of feel is bizarre. I know nothing! I was queen of the disastrous relationships until I met himself. I have no wisdom.

Discussing the issues people commonly approach her with, Marian said it was usually stuff like this:

People say: ‘I love him. I do. I really love him. But the sound of him eating an apple – I want to bury an axe in his head. Is that normal?’ Or people say: ‘Yeah, I love him, we’re newly married but there’s this man at work and every time I meet him Í get butterflies.’

Her advice to anyone feeling this way is that although you’re in a relationship, or married or coupled up, you’re still alive.

I have a lovely friend who says to me – and she’s very happily coupled up – but she says she never feels right until she has a work crush. Just something to keep… ‘the juices flowing’. She has no intentions of acting on it, but it brightens up the day. It’s like having a Mars bar or something, but an emotional version. It gives you a lift.

If the video won’t play, you can watch it here.

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Written by Kelly Earley and posted on DailyEdge.ie

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15 Comments
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    Mute Carol Oates
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    Nov 6th 2017, 12:59 PM

    Unless it’s self published, and even if it is self published, it would have gone through several sets of hands before going on sale. No way everyone who saw it thought it was current usage. My guess is publicly stunt. Some people genuinely believe any attention is good attention.

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    Mute Tricia Golden
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:29 PM

    @Carol Oates: If she hadn’t recalled all 20,000 books for reprint I might agree with you but the cost involved would be pretty substantial for that type of publicity.

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    Mute Carol Oates
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:33 PM

    @Tricia Golden: Pulling back 20,000 to sell perhaps 40,000. You would be surprised how many would take that chance.

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    Mute Tricia Golden
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:42 PM

    @Carol Oates: Perhaps but someone that is claiming to have in-depth knowledge on a subject and making such an egregious error is hardly going to increase her standing. There are so many OTHER less reputation ruining errors that she could have done.

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    Mute Chad Rockett
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    Nov 6th 2017, 12:53 PM

    What a drongo!

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    Mute David Murphey
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:15 PM

    “…a term for the disorder that was dropped by the World Health Organisation in the 1950s.”

    Australia still trying to catch up with the 50′s? Sounds about right.

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    Mute cortisola
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    Nov 6th 2017, 5:43 PM

    @David Murphey: Surely they are – some time ago I met young Australians thinking Depeche Mode was band from Germany ;)

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    Mute Gerry Ivie
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:00 PM

    To be honest I thought Mongolism was an accepted and alternative term for Downs Syndrome. I stand corrected now though.

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    Mute WilhelminaMCallaghan
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:05 PM

    @Gerry Ivie: it was indeed . It went away as other terms were introduced but still in certain countries and publications is there . People has to stop being so touchy and offended about everything.

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    Mute Charliegrl80
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:24 PM

    @WilhelminaMCallaghan: As the mother of a sixteen year old boy born with Down Syndrome, both he and I would be very touchy indeed by any derogatory term for Down syndrome. My son is a PERSON FIRST and should not be defined by such a label as “mongolism”, these terms went into the history books in the 50′s. It’s hard enough trying to explain to your child that he was born with down syndrome when he want to know why he is treated different than other “normal” children

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    Mute Christy Pop
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:35 PM

    @Charliegrl80: well said i have a sister the same loves music and to dance ,most loving person u would ever meet , i allso think its a horrible name as you said they are people just like the rest of us ,

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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    Nov 6th 2017, 3:04 PM

    @Charliegrl80: Thanks Charliegrl!! People need to understand that the choice of language is important. Negative outdated terminology actually feeds into the negative stsreotypes associated with Down Syndrome . This just completely undermines all the work we are parents and advocates do in showing the world that our kids are just kids or teenagers doing all the typical stuff. My teenager is into Good Charlotte and Blink 182. So yeah it’s loud music t shirts of the band’s phones and everything his sibs did. I’m sure this person had good intentions in her book and folic acid dies have a part of play but she does have a responsibility to get things right and the first and most basic thing is to get the correct name of the syndrome .

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    Mute Gulliver Foyle
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    Nov 6th 2017, 3:26 PM

    @Charliegrl80: Out of interest, the term “mongoloid” was introduced as a less derogatory term by readers of John Langdon Down’s “Observations on an Ethnic Classification of Idiots”, which was his attempt to classify genetic abnormalities that affect growth without the benefit of genetics so he pideonholed these people into mongoloid, ethiopian, caucasian, malay, or basically any race that bore a similarity.

    It may be worthwhile for Australians (and, let’s face it, it’s still a term used in a derogatory manner here) to read up on http://www.neonatology.org/classics/down.html and understand that 19th century terms belong only in history books, not diet books.

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    Mute Charliegrl80
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    Nov 6th 2017, 4:34 PM

    @Gulliver Foyle:

    https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/down-syndrome#genes

    Below are the most common names used today to describe the syndrome.

    47,XX,+21
    47,XY,+21
    Down’s syndrome
    trisomy 21
    trisomy G

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    Mute Gulliver Foyle
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    Nov 6th 2017, 6:03 PM

    @Charliegrl80: that’s America – here it’s just down’s, or trisomy 21 if you are a doctor.

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    Mute Shea Fitzgerald
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    Nov 6th 2017, 7:34 PM

    @Gerry Ivie: Same here. I know it was very commonly used and it was never a derogatory term, just a reference. I’m sure the lady didn’t mean any offence by using the term. I’m really getting a pain in my face with the offended brigade and their attitude of “it’s not what is intended that matters, it’s how it is felt.” You can mis-interpret but you can’t mis-intend.

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    Mute Aidan Conway
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    Nov 6th 2017, 10:52 PM

    @WilhelminaMCallaghan: ignoramus is another one of those words people can get touchy about. But I’m sure you won’t!

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:26 PM

    Who decides what words are offensive these days? Random busybodies? She obviously didn’t mean to offend anyone so why are people getting offended? People seriously need to get a life and stop policing words that THEY DON’T LIKE.

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    Mute Tricia Golden
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:36 PM

    @Unpersoned: The people being described by them!

    Don’t call people by terms they find offensive! Honestly it’s not that difficult.

    If you’re more interested in your own right to insult people than the affect your insults have on others that’s your choice but don’t be surprised when people just think you’re an ass.

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:38 PM

    @Tricia Golden: Don’t call people by terms they find offensive… then proceeds to call me an ass. Well I find that offensive. Please apologise.

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    Mute Ken Loughman
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:41 PM

    Why do you think? She used an outdated and offensive term for someone with a disability. Do you condone disabled people being insulted?

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:43 PM

    @Ken Loughman: What do you think? Do you think I want people to insult my autistic daughter?

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    Mute Tricia Golden
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:44 PM

    @Unpersoned: Not if I was INTENDING to insult you.

    And isn’t that the point?

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:45 PM

    @Tricia Golden: Ah so you are saying intent matters? I completely agree. Did this lady intend to offend people? Doesn’t sound like it.

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    Mute Dell
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:49 PM

    @Unpersoned: to be fair if you look up the origin of this word its not great – Langdon Down attributed the condition to a “reversion” to the “mongoloid race.” He held that evolution had been reversed and there had been a sort of backslide from the superior Caucasian to the inferior Oriental race. – I think it was wise to stop using the term in relation to people with downs syndrome. Also as a parent of a child with special needs, I think the language we use is pretty important. Yes I realise people can be a bit too touchy about things but when it comes to those who are more vulnerable, it’s probably best to be that bit more careful. Having said that, she has apologised and is changing it so really, is this news?

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    Mute Tricia Golden
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:49 PM

    @Unpersoned: I’m saying that when someone tells you that using the term “mongoloid” is offensive to people with down syndrome you LISTEN AND CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOUR. You don’t whinge about intent, you say “Om sorry, I didn’t know, I’ll not do it again”.

    It’s the second part you have a problem with. You have zero interest in listening to people that try to inform you that they would like you not to use certain words when describing them. Like shortening Pakistani, or the N word, or a multitude of others that we’ve recognised people don’t like to be described as.

    YOU don’t get to decide, they do. All you have to do is respect their right to tell you that the term you so desperately want to use isn’t appropriate .

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:55 PM

    @Tricia Golden: We just have a different outlook Tricia. I think it is up to each individual to take offence. I don’t think you can ever be justified in saying “Word A is offensive to group B”. In any “group” there will be people who don’t agree that a word is offensive. I don’t like to collectivise people in that way and claim that every individual in a certain group, shares a certain opinion. This is demonstrably false.

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    Mute Tricia Golden
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:03 PM

    @Unpersoned: You’re entirely entitled to your opinion on the matter however, bear in mind that whilst the State should never have any way to “punish” someone for saying “offensive” things (excluding incitement to violence) other members of society WILL judge you as is their right.

    But that’s your decision.

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:10 PM

    @Tricia Golden: I don’t care if people judge me. I am none of their business. And I don’t use words like this, particularly because as my daughter is disabled. I am just saying, there is no need to have an inquisition every time someone says a word that the masses deem to be offensive. ESPECIALLY when the masses completely ignore the context in which the word was used and the intent of the user. This lady obviously did set out to offend disabled people but that doesn’t seem to matter. She must be castigated and re-educated. I hate this fuking authoritarian word policing. I think it’s sick.

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    Mute Ken Loughman
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:12 PM

    @Unpersoned: Then you should know why people will be offended when a derogatory term is used against people with disabilities. I speak as someone with cerebral palsy who had to deal with this as a kid.

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:15 PM

    @Ken Loughman: So you think this lady was slagging off people with disabilities?

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    Mute Dell
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:23 PM

    @Unpersoned: do you think she should have left the word in the book once she did find out it’s origins and that it is considered pretty offensive to most people?

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    Mute Ken Loughman
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:26 PM

    @Unpersoned: Not intentionally, perhaps but she should have done research beforehand. A simple Google search would have set her straight. She appears to be ignorant at best.

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:29 PM

    @Dell: Yes. I think she can use whatever words she wants. Do you think if she used a different word, say, disabled, everyone would think that’s fine? Well you’d be wrong because some people object to that word, see it as derogatory, and would demand she say differently-abled or handicapable. It’s all a matter of opinion. A commenter down below, who has a child with downs, does not object to the word. Whose opinion should be more valued this case? The answer is NOBODIES. Everyone’s opinion, on matters of opinion, is equally valid.

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:38 PM

    @Ken Loughman: That’s your opinion and you are absolutely entitled to it.

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    Mute Dell
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:39 PM

    @Unpersoned: well then, by leaving it and knowing that most people find it pretty offensive, especially those who have the syndrome, would she not then be deliberately deciding to disrespect them? Also do you not think it’s pretty important that someone who is supposedly helping someone with a disability at least know the proper name for the disability? The truth is someone pointed out to her that there was little chance of her selling her book with a term in it that most people find horribly offensive and it made better business sense to change it.

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:54 PM

    @Dell: You say people with down syndrome find it offensive, I want to know, how you know that. Please cite a source for this claim.

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    Mute Gareth Cooney
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:56 PM

    @Unpersoned: agree but the people of Mongolia are rightly pissed off.

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:59 PM

    @Dell: I presume you also think that “nigģer” is offensive to black people, do you think the word cracker is offensive to white people? If I called you a cracker would you be offended?

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    Mute Dell
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    Nov 6th 2017, 4:24 PM

    @Unpersoned: well I couldn’t blame you for calling me a cracker.. As in.. She’s a cracker of a girl. Do a quick Google search there and almost all references to the word say it is considered offensive. I understand that we can carry the I’m offended thing too far but seriously unpersoned, calling downs syndrome Mongolism though it stopped being used because of its origins and its obvious racist implications is showing a lack of basic respect and decency, ní matter how you try to twist it or turn it. Ask yourself would you actually use the term to the parents of a person with downs syndrome or the person themselves, if you wouldn’t, why?

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    Mute Dell
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    Nov 6th 2017, 4:31 PM

    @Unpersoned: by the way, you jump to a lot of conclusions about me and others and put a lot of words in peoples mouths and are quite quick to get outraged and are quite judgmental yourself while you sit in judgment of others outrage. In the discussion about quotas lastnight, I never said that it was my solution, or that I was happy with that solution but you decided I did.

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    Mute Ken Loughman
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    Nov 6th 2017, 4:38 PM

    @Unpersoned: As you are entitled to yours – even though it’s wrong.

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 4:53 PM

    @Dell: I’m sure you are a cracker but that’s not what I meant :-) Look it’s a simple as this, it is my opinion that words are, by themselves, meaningless. The meaning is derived from the context in which they are used and the intent of the user. You have just used the word Mongolism, it was not offensive in this context because you were using it illustratively, not as an insult. In the context which the author used it, it was not offensive because her intent was not to offend. Fair enough, it’s an archaic word, I totally get that.. but that doesn’t mean that every use of it is offensive. The meaning of words is entirely context dependant. That’s my opinion. We can agree to disagree of course. I’m just giving my two cents on the matter.

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 4:53 PM

    @Ken Loughman: Well that’s your opinion isn’t it. And round and round we go…..

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    Mute Ken Loughman
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    Nov 6th 2017, 5:10 PM

    @Unpersoned: It’s a fact, pal.

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 5:14 PM

    @Ken Loughman: I’m not having a go at you mate, don’t know why you’re being hostile. No need for it really. I’m trying to be polite, you could extend the same courtesy.

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    Mute Aidan Conway
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    Nov 6th 2017, 10:55 PM

    @Unpersoned: don’t be so stupid! Are you an ape! Or would apes be offended?

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    Mute Ken Loughman
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    Nov 6th 2017, 11:20 PM

    @Unpersoned: Sorry! It’s because of my past history of being bullied because of my disability. Whenever I read of insulting terms being used, intentionally or not, or if I believe that their use is not being taken seriously then this would be something that I would take very personally.

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    Mute Caroline Collins
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:31 PM

    The term nutritionist is unprotected, here, and in many countries. It means anyone can call themselves a nutritionist and an “expert” without training, skills or accurate knowledge. It explains why so many wannabe-stars & ex models turn to the nutritionist area as a money-maker and then proceed to take us all for a ride. This problem isn’t as far away as Australia, it’s in the woo-woo and pseudo-science peddled to us all that no one calls out as rubbish. Time we all got more sense than to trust quacks.

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    Mute Tricia Golden
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:38 PM

    @Caroline Collins: Yeah, first thing I noticed too. I looked her up, she has a Doctorate in Biochemistry though it’s not something she really mentions, just uses the term “Doctor” and let’s others make their own conclusions.

    So, if they’re not aware of the difference between Nutritionist and Dietitian they could assume they’re dealing with a medical professional.

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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    Nov 6th 2017, 3:11 PM

    @Tricia Golden: If she has a PHD in biochemistry then she has a right to use the title Dr though. Also she certainly would have Insight into the bio chemistry of Individuals with Down Syndrome. She’s actually right in her statement about folic acid. It certainly found to play a part in the latest research. She is certainly knowledgable but that just makes this error unforgivable. She forgot the basics ,she forgot she was talking about human beings.

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    Mute Aidan Conway
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    Nov 6th 2017, 10:59 PM

    @Catherine Sims: to call herself a doctor in relation to a book on nutrition is misleading. She is aware of that I’m sore.
    There is no evidence folic acid plays a part in downs syndrome. Dr simms

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    Mute Mr D
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    Nov 6th 2017, 12:55 PM

    Such a chazwazzer

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    Mute Simon Carroll
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    Nov 6th 2017, 12:58 PM

    @Mr D: It’s a pretty big beer, I guess.

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    Mute Let free speech live
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:04 PM

    Good auld Aussies. Never forget they used be collecting for the spastic foundation over there. I’m not some looney leftie but I found that shocking. It was 12 years ago so could have changed the name by now.

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    Mute DaisyChainsaw
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    Nov 6th 2017, 5:51 PM

    @Let free speech live: Ian Dury (who had polio as a child) wrote a song called Spasticus Autisticus. It was performed by a punk group with disabilities at the London 2012 Paralympics. Great choon!

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    Mute Let free speech live
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    Nov 6th 2017, 5:52 PM

    @DaisyChainsaw: Fair enough if people with disabilities are ok with it. I personally don’t like it but that’s just me.

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Nov 6th 2017, 9:31 PM

    @Let free speech live: I once read a book by a nurse who was saying that when wards were busy, among themselves they didn’t say Joe, Peter or Fred but “Check on the liver and the fracture and the pneumonia case first.” I think it’s more that people don’t appreciate being known as a walking medical condition. But to the person’s face they certainly did use their names or surnames – they never said “Oh, you must be the arm amputation, how are you today?.”

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    Mute Bi88les
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    Nov 6th 2017, 12:57 PM

    She has a passenger in her book too. I wonder if they have Down’s?

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    Mute Tess K
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:15 PM

    @Bi88les: because an inability to spell is associated with DS?!! This statement is similarly ignorant.

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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    Nov 6th 2017, 3:06 PM

    @Tess K: Well said !!! Ignorance is a bigger disability sometimes isn’t it !!!

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    Mute Ian Oh
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:31 PM

    This is just correctness gone bonkers. I have a Down’s syndrome child and I would not take offence at the term mongoloid or mongolism. It was a description created after it was noticed that the eyes of Down syndrome children resembled ethnic people of Mongolia. I’m more offended by “Down” syndrome. Why not “Up” syndrome?

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    Mute Laura Connolly
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:44 PM

    @Ian Oh: Because John Langdon DOWN was the first person to describe it as a disability.

    And yes it is offensive. You might not find it so but maybe your child would growing up.

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    Mute Caroline Otoole
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:47 PM

    @Ian Oh: wow, I never knew that was the reason why the term was coined. I thought it was after someone’s name.

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:01 PM

    @Ian Oh: You hear that Ian? Your opinion is irrelevant unless it is the “correct” opinion. You must be offended, just because someone else told you that you should be. Shame on you!!!

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    Mute Laura Connolly
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    Nov 6th 2017, 3:09 PM

    @Unpersoned: It’s not about whether it offends him though is it? He doesn’t have Down Syndrome. If people with down syndrome find it offensive that should be enough.

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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    Nov 6th 2017, 3:16 PM

    @Ian Oh: You have a down syndrome child ? Surely you have a child with Down Syndrome. Look at the origins if the word. It’s very offensive. It also perpetrates all the negative stsreotypes associated with Down Syndrome from the past. It’s very important this word is consigned to the past.

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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    Nov 6th 2017, 3:22 PM

    @Unpersoned: It’s about changing perceptions and using those words sets us back decades. If you understood the true origins of the word you would be very offended. It’s a parents job to advocate for their child and not to accept degoratory language and the negative stsreotypes they perpetrate. This isn’t political correctness this is giving out kids a chance to be seen for the wonderful human beings they are . With all the emotions and needs and goals that everyone else has. I hope your child wouldn’t mind having that term shouted at them. Or doesn’t the childs feelings count ? Is it all about the adult ?

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 3:31 PM

    @Laura Connolly: How many people with down syndrome find it offensive. If you cite a single study that shows that every person with down syndrome finds it offensive, I will completely, 100% change my opinion and agree that yes, it is offensive to people with down syndrome. Failing that, I will continue to assume that SOME are offended and some are not. Just like everyone else who may find certain words offensive. For example, I don’t think the word “fucķ” is offensive, but some people certainly do. In fact, I had to adjust it to be even able to post it on here. I don’t like people preaching matters of opinion as if they are matters of fact, without any data to back up their point. My mind remains open to be changed by actual stats.

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 3:36 PM

    @Catherine Sims: You think words have the power to radically alter someone’s life like that? You think changing crippled to disabled makes a difference to someone’s quality of life? Bullshit. These words only have negative connotations because people like you attach the connotations. Give it 5 years and you’ll be giving out about the word disabled and you’ll be demanding that people say differently-abled because DISabled is derogatory as it implies they are lesser people.

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 3:56 PM

    @Catherine Sims: “You have a down syndrome child? Surely you have a child with down syndrome” There you go again. Preaching. You just can’t help yourself. It’s none of your bloody business how Ian refers to his own child. Nobody appointed you to police language Catherine.

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    Mute Ken Loughman
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    Nov 6th 2017, 5:08 PM

    @Ian Oh: Then you, sir, are an idiot if you don’t take offence at that description.

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    Mute Unpersoned
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    Nov 6th 2017, 5:20 PM

    @Ken Loughman: How very tolerant of you.

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    Mute DaisyChainsaw
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    Nov 6th 2017, 5:48 PM

    @Ian Oh: Cos the person who discovered it was called Down. Haven’t done much research into your child’s condition, have you?

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    Mute Aidan Conway
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    Nov 6th 2017, 11:04 PM

    @Ian Oh: because a real doctor called Dr Down first described the condition…. That’s why it’s Down’s syndrome and not down or up it’s a name.
    The other words are offensive to me and most people I know..
    And ignorance generally of disability is offensive

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    Mute Laura Connolly
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    Nov 6th 2017, 11:07 PM

    @Unpersoned:

    You could literally say that about anything. Some people find trolls annoying, others may not.

    Doesn’t mean they’re not tw@ts. That’s a life lesson, no citations required.

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    Mute Ken Loughman
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    Nov 7th 2017, 12:46 AM

    @Unpersoned: My tolerance has limits.

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    Mute Mark o' Leary
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:00 PM

    Mangey wombat!

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    Mute WJH
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:41 PM

    You lost me at celebrity nutritionist….

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    Mute DaisyChainsaw
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    Nov 6th 2017, 5:44 PM

    @WJH: That deserves to be an offensive term! Do an online course for €9.99 and get a diploma! Any old drongo or dag can call themselves a “nutritionist”!

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    Mute Kinsaleable
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:35 PM

    Nutritionist….. says it all really… made up title… dietitians are medically trained practitioners whereas nutritionists are not..

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    Mute Richard Murphy
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    Nov 6th 2017, 12:56 PM

    Bloody ding bazzer

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    Mute @UK
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:57 PM

    Not a great word to use any more but you have to know where it came from and eventually, a bit like many other words to describe people with disabilities it became a derogatory term over time. People need to lighten up a bit.
    Celebrity nutritionist though? Enough said

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    Mute Dell
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:20 PM

    @@UK: Langdon Down attributed the condition to a “reversion” to the “mongoloid race.” He held that evolution had been reversed and there had been a sort of backslide from the superior Caucasian to the inferior Oriental race… Its origin is pretty offensive, even to those not easily offended, to be fair. People do need to lighten up, I agree, but this word truly is best left to history.

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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    Nov 6th 2017, 3:24 PM

    @Dell: Thank you !! I appreciate this comment .

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    Mute Deirdre D'Arcy Murphy
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:13 PM

    Just shows how ignorant she is when she used that term also saying it was due to the lack of folic acid etc.
    would people still buy her book??!!!!!!!

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    Mute Gary
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:49 PM

    @Deirdre D’Arcy Murphy: Exactly. Idiots like this person loves throwing the “lack of folic acid” at everything. They’ll be saying next that there are different races of people because of the lack of folic acid and we should all be one race. It has been proven time and time again that lack of folic acid has zero to do with DS.

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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    Nov 6th 2017, 3:14 PM

    @Gary: That’s not true at all . It has been found to play a part. Have you looked at the research that can’t out of places like Stanford ??? I could go into it in more detail but this isn’t the place to do so.

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    Mute A H
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:30 PM

    Doesn’t surprise me. Spent some time there and it’sgot a lot of derogatory language, and it’snot only the easily offended who’d get offended there.

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    Mute Mr D
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    Nov 6th 2017, 12:54 PM

    Bloody Australians

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    Mute eastsmer
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    Nov 6th 2017, 4:43 PM

    The term was in everyday use in Ireland in the ’50′s, ’60′s and ’70′s and it was not liked then either.
    I prefer the term to use the term Chromosome 21

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    Mute Gareth Cooney
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    Nov 6th 2017, 2:57 PM

    She looks a bit Mongolian herself…… just a very small bit

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    Mute Sean
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    Nov 6th 2017, 9:41 PM

    Didn’t our own celebrity nutritionist Rosanna Davison make some points in her book that causes one or two raised eyebrows and create a short lived storm of Twitter outrage?

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    Mute Brian Casey
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    Nov 6th 2017, 1:42 PM

    Ya flamin mongo!

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    Mute Denis Mc Kenna
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    Nov 7th 2017, 12:22 AM

    @WilhelminaMCallaghan: Your point is not very clear “it when away” “is there”.Are you sure you haven’t got some syndrome yourself.And as for the 130 people who think you’ve made an intelligent point maybe they have some intellectual deficiency too.Maybe it’s contagious. I hope your not “touchy and offended” by anything I wrote .

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    Mute Austin Rock
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    Nov 6th 2017, 3:35 PM

    What a muppet, Aussies and their mouths………………………..

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    Mute Slim Browne
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    Nov 6th 2017, 10:06 PM

    O lord , theyll be pulling our tongues out next, just because the WHO stopped using it dont mean it never existed, people are going to have to stop being so sensitive, I understand its not a nice word but its part of the history of discovering more about Downs Syndrome, just like racism this PC term is being thrown about like confetti, its all nonsense and it hasnt at all made the world a safer place, free speech is slowly being taken away, it wasnt like this 10yrs ago, just imagine what itll be like in 10yrs time. I wudnt have any liking for the term she used but its a word, thats all .

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