“With all due respect, you are a bunch of sociopaths”: A critical discourse analysis of the metaphorical use of mental health disorders in the Spanish Parliament

Research indicates that the pejorative metaphorical use of mental health conditions in the media reinforces the social stigmatization of those affected. Beyond the media, however, the figurative use of such conditions remains largely unexplored. Drawing on Conceptual Metaphor Theory, Critical Metaphor Analysis, and van Dijk’s ideological square, this study examined the metaphorical use of nine highly stigmatized mental health conditions—anorexia, autism, bipolar disorder, bulimia, paranoia, psychosis, psychopathy, schizophrenia, and sociopathy—in 617 publicly available speeches delivered in the Spanish Parliament (1993–2024). The aim was to study whether and how political discourse reinforces negative perceptions of such conditions through metaphor. The findings revealed that 62.1% of references to these disorders were metaphorical, carried negative connotations, and functioned as a negative presentation strategy aimed at discrediting others. These findings call for greater awareness of how the metaphorization of mental health in political discourse can contribute to perpetuating prejudices and stereotypes.