The Student Room Group

Do 'mental health patient' halloween costumes fuel stigma?

In 2013, both Asda and Tesco famously withdrew halloween costumes which depicted those suffering from a mental health problem as violent and 'crazy' - Asda's came with a fake meat cleaver and Tesco's with a machete. There's also been the glorification of eating disorders with the 'Anna Rexia' outfit which made light of a serious mental illness which; in extreme cases lead to the person living with it - dying.

A paper published by the World Psychiatric Association in 2003 found that in actual fact that only around 3% of violent crimes are committed by those with a mental illness such as depression and schizophrenia and seperate findings have found that those with a mental illness are around 10 times more likely to be the victim of a violent attack than someone who doesn't have a mental health problem - going against the idea that people with a diagnosis are violent.

With the media quick to jump to the conclusion that murders or any sort of violent could be due to a person having poor mental health, it's no suprise to hear that the widely accepted statistic is that 9 out 10 people with a mental illness are treated negatively in light of them disclosing that they've been diagnosed with any form of disorder.

Do you feel as though 'mental health patient' halloween costumes contribute to the stigma people face on a daily basis? What do you think about the media being quick to link violence to a person's possible mental health problems?

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Original post by Deyesy
In 2013, both Asda and Tesco famously withdrew halloween costumes which depicted those suffering from a mental health problem as violent and 'crazy' - Asda's came with a fake meat cleaver and Tesco's with a machete. There's also been the glorification of eating disorders with the 'Anna Rexia' outfit which made light of a serious mental illness which; in extreme cases lead to the person living with it - dying.

A paper published by the World Psychiatric Association in 2003 found that in actual fact that only around 3% of violent crimes are committed by those with a mental illness such as depression and schizophrenia and seperate findings have found that those with a mental illness are around 10 times more likely to be the victim of a violent attack than someone who doesn't have a mental health problem - going against the idea that people with a diagnosis are violent.

With the media quick to jump to the conclusion that murders or any sort of violent could be due to a person having poor mental health, it's no suprise to hear that the widely accepted statistic is that 9 out 10 people with a mental illness are treated negatively in light of them disclosing that they've been diagnosed with any form of disorder.

Do you feel as though 'mental health patient' halloween costumes contribute to the stigma people face on a daily basis? What do you think about the media being quick to link violence to a person's possible mental health problems?


I think it does contribute to the stigma. It makes mental illness something to laugh about. It doesn't promote healthy discussion, just mockery. Making the link between mental health problems and violence, especially in such a way, is upsetting and frankly offensive. They sell because people like to cross lines, and because people just don't understand what they're saying by wearing them. That doesn't make it right to produce them in the first place. Companies like this should know so much better
(edited 7 years ago)
It makes casual ignorance and offensiveness OK, when it should NEVER be OK. It's similar to how people use the word "gay" as a way of ****ging something/someone off. It just implicitly perpetuates the idea that it's OK to ascribe negative connotations automatically and casually to marginalised groups of people :angry:

(Sorry, it's something I feel quite strongly about, so I do get very cross about this :mob: )
It definitely contributes to the stigma. It implies that those with mental health problems or in institutions are people to be scared of and feared.

I think the media and society in general are quick to point the "mental health finger" at anyone who commits a crime because we yearn to understand why people commit such terrible acts. We're obsessed with explaining everything as humans are naturally scared of the unknown and mental health problems are a handy excuse - we don't have to admit that some people are genuinely just "bad" or take the time to search for another explanation.
(edited 7 years ago)
tbh the whole Hallowe'en shtick is gross and tasteless.
Reply 5
Original post by Deyesy
In 2013, both Asda and Tesco famously withdrew halloween costumes which depicted those suffering from a mental health problem as violent and 'crazy' - Asda's came with a fake meat cleaver and Tesco's with a machete. There's also been the glorification of eating disorders with the 'Anna Rexia' outfit which made light of a serious mental illness which; in extreme cases lead to the person living with it - dying.

A paper published by the World Psychiatric Association in 2003 found that in actual fact that only around 3% of violent crimes are committed by those with a mental illness such as depression and schizophrenia and seperate findings have found that those with a mental illness are around 10 times more likely to be the victim of a violent attack than someone who doesn't have a mental health problem - going against the idea that people with a diagnosis are violent.

With the media quick to jump to the conclusion that murders or any sort of violent could be due to a person having poor mental health, it's no suprise to hear that the widely accepted statistic is that 9 out 10 people with a mental illness are treated negatively in light of them disclosing that they've been diagnosed with any form of disorder.

Do you feel as though 'mental health patient' halloween costumes contribute to the stigma people face on a daily basis? What do you think about the media being quick to link violence to a person's possible mental health problems?


I think it depends on how you look at it. I like to think that people view severe and very dangerous mh problems like sociopathy etc in a different area to more "mundane" things like schizofrenia, bipolar, depression. Honestly though I think a lot of people don't and they will view any mh problem as a dangerous thing and anybody with one as crazy.

I think theres a limit to how much the costumes affect mindsets compared to how mindsets affect costumes, in adults at least. If somebody already has a positive attitude towards it I don't imagine a costume could change their mind, but it could reinforce less positive ideas. I also think there is a lot more than just costumes that affect how people view mh conditions, including other halloween related things- scary movies etc- and everyday things like news coverage. I think people are really keen to find a reason they couldn't do something horrible or would be able to know who is a criminal and who isn't so they focus a lot on the mh aspect. It's like the idea of "stranger danger" distracting from the fact that most kidnappings are by somebody known to the child and family. It just makes it a lot easier to cope with if yo blame something like that.

The biggest problem I have with halloween related stigma is it's audience- children and teenagers. They are the people who haven't formed their opinions yet and are still really suseptible to influences like this. I'm ashamed to say that when I was younger I would have probably viewed people with just about anybody with a mh problem as crazy. I hardly read or watched the news so that influence for me will have come from things like this and my interactions with other people.

I do have a real issue with people thinking mh sufferers are dangerous, when infact they are much more likely to be a danger to themselves. Actually i've found mh sufferers to be some of the most sympathetic and understanding people I know. I think people are encouraged to fear it and that leads to people not wanting to deal with sufferers nd also sufferers not wanting to accept things or open up to people.

The thing with halloween is it jumps at any steryotype it can find. I think it is more of an indicator of already held view than I pioneerer of those views. If these costumes were removed I don't think it would actually help much on the big scale. It is certinally insensitive and in very poor taste at the least though.

I think a far bigger issue is the lack of willingness to open up about it. People are afraid to discuss the big issues and that just means they grow. Nobody knows what mh problems are because they are afraid to ask- either because they'll be murdered in cold blood (HA!) or they will offend some poor vulnerable soul. People need to brave the awkward for a while so they can actually learn something and then we might actually be able to make some progress.

That's super messy and i'm sure i've missed out a bunch of things, but basically: Yes costumes are bad and potray a negative steriotype, but no, changing it wouldn't make any real difference. It's a symptom more than a problem of it's own.
Reply 6
Okay here's an interesting idea... is it better to have this sort of controversy despite it's negative affects because it encourages discussion, or is it better for the controversy to be gone and people to remain ignorant to the issue?

I personally think that eventhough this sort of thing is terrible, it does lead to some important discussion and if that discussion leads to some proper change it's worth it.
Reply 7
They definitely do add to the stigma! They can add the myth that all MH sufferers are crazy, deranged or that having a MH problem is funny.

I honestly don't know how shops can find it acceptable to sell these kind of costumes. Would they feel comfortable selling 'cancer patient' or 'paralysed patient' costumes? No, they wouldn't yet with mental health conditions, it seems funny or even fashionable to exploit them :facepalm:

Its the same with the whole "I have OCD - Obsessive Christmas Disorder!" gimmicks. Its disgusting and only adds to the belief that mental health issues aren't serious and are worthy of making light of which they aren't.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 8
Original post by bones-mccoy
It definitely contributes to the stigma. It implies that those with mental health problems or in institutions are people to be scared of and feared.

I think the media and society in general are quick to point the "mental health finger" at anyone who commits a crime because we yearn to understand why people commit such terrible acts. We're obsessed with explaining everything as humans are naturally scared of the unknown and mental health problems are a handy excuse - we don't have to admit that some people are genuinely just "bad" or take the time to search for another explanation.


Exactly! It's the same with AIDS and anything else scary or strange. AIDS is being related to gays, when it should be related to unsafe practices. It's just so much easier to find an outlying group and attach anything scary to that becaus then you don't have to worry about it.

That said, I think anybody who does something deliberately to harm another person has to have something wrong with them. They have either been pushed to it or are not right in the head in some way. BUT, we shouldn't be shunning people and shying away from them because of it. We should be helping them and making sure they don't get driven to a point where they do something violent.

Also, if you're going to blame crime on mh problems you should actually treat the criminals as if they have mh problems and help them. Don't just lock them up in a place that would frankly make the most sane person go at least a little crazy- give them therapy. Rehabilitation is a far better approach than locking somebody up, getting them to resnt you and them letting them out in a little while so they can do the exact same thing again.

I think I went a little off topic there :colondollar: It's just so easy to rant about this sort of thing.
Reply 9
Original post by Spock's Socks
They definitely do add to the stigma! They can add the myth that all MH sufferers are crazy, deranged or that having a MH problem is funny.

I honestly don't know how shops can find it acceptable to sell these kind of costumes. Would they feel comfortable selling 'cancer patient' or 'paralysed patient' costumes? No, they wouldn't yet with mental health conditions, it seems funny or even fashionable to exploit them :facepalm:

Its the same with the whole "I have OCD - Obsessive Christmas Disorder!" gimmicks. Its disgusting and only adds to the believe that mental health issues aren't serious and are worthy of making light of which they aren't.


Don't get me started on OCD! "Obsessive Christmas Decorator", Obsessive Complusive Cleaners (none of whom have OCD, but it's implied they all do) and **** like that!
It's great that you feel comfortable talking about it, but could you actually learn what the hell it is first. I'm just waiting for the day somebody tells me I don't have OCD beause I don't clean things... oh wait that was my counselor.

Very good point about "cancer costumes" btw. I actually hadn't though about it that way really until now.
I completely support the focus on Mental Health which has become an issue that needs to be focused on. Services should be improved and mental health education must be implemented.

I am not convinced however that the argument or notion of those types of costumes contributing to stigma yields any merit.
Reply 11
Original post by Kindred
Okay here's an interesting idea... is it better to have this sort of controversy despite it's negative affects because it encourages discussion, or is it better for the controversy to be gone and people to remain ignorant to the issue?

I personally think that eventhough this sort of thing is terrible, it does lead to some important discussion and if that discussion leads to some proper change it's worth it.


This is an interesting point you make :holmes:

Asda made a £25,000 donation to MIND after the controversy too - so some good did come of it. It's a difficult one to come down on either side of. On one hand, things like the halloween costumes may discourage people to open up, to see their GP, to reach out for support out there but the fact that a hell of alot awareness comes out as reaction to controversies like this and infact more mental health awareness is probably raised because of it; means they can become incredibly positive things.
Reply 12
Great. The SJWs want to get rid of Halloween now :colonhash:
Original post by Kindred
Okay here's an interesting idea... is it better to have this sort of controversy despite it's negative affects because it encourages discussion, or is it better for the controversy to be gone and people to remain ignorant to the issue?

I personally think that eventhough this sort of thing is terrible, it does lead to some important discussion and if that discussion leads to some proper change it's worth it.


I get what you mean. I think in a way, it does promote discussion, at least after the outrage. I do think it promotes unhealthy discussion/mockery as well though. As someone with physical and mental illness, I don't think I could stand any of my illnesses being mocked through costume, but the discussion that comes after would be welcomed as well. It astounds me how the retailers thought this was a good idea though
Reply 14
Original post by AshEntropy
Great. The SJWs want to get rid of Halloween now :colonhash:


Eh? :s-smilie:

Original post by chelseadagg3r
I get what you mean. I think in a way, it does promote discussion, at least after the outrage. I do think it promotes unhealthy discussion/mockery as well though. As someone with physical and mental illness, I don't think I could stand any of my illnesses being mocked through costume, but the discussion that comes after would be welcomed as well. It astounds me how the retailers thought this was a good idea though


It's this bit that gets me. It wouldn't have just been a single person who would have approved it either.
The thing with such costumes is they are such cartoon-like caricatures that I doubt anyone is dumb enough to connect them with real people with mental health problems. So I think arguing they add to stigma is a little tenuous.
Original post by Deyesy
It's this bit that gets me. It wouldn't have just been a single person who would have approved it either.


Yeah, this would've had to get past a number of people. It's not like it just fell from the sky into stores. It's things like this that make me question company values
That makes me so angry!
I really wish there was more awareness for Mental Illnesses! They are a major thing and they dont make us crazy!
We dont go around murdering people, we dont go around with knives or cleavers etc, we dont go around causing disruptions!
Who on earth thought it was a good idea to allow that to happen! Heck, who even thought it was a good idea in the ****ing first place!
Total *******s!

OCD is a big one for me. I hear jokes about it on a daily basis! It's not a ****ing joke (I suffer from it) and its a serious illness!
People who joke about it deserve to experience what we go through on a daily basis!
They wouldn't be joking afterwards!

All this does is show to people that Mental Illnesses are nothing major. And that everyone who has them are totally crazy! This angers me so much!
We are no different to any others and as said in the OP, we are more likely to be abused when we tell people about it. It sucks!
Something needs to be done and done now!
This cannot continue!

Argh this makes me so angry! :angry::angry::angry::angry:
Original post by Deyesy
This is an interesting point you make :holmes:

Asda made a £25,000 donation to MIND after the controversy too - so some good did come of it. It's a difficult one to come down on either side of. On one hand, things like the halloween costumes may discourage people to open up, to see their GP, to reach out for support out there but the fact that a hell of alot awareness comes out as reaction to controversies like this and infact more mental health awareness is probably raised because of it; means they can become incredibly positive things.


Yup. And thanks for pointing out the donation part.

I'll be honest, a lot of the issues i'm aware of i'm probably only aware of from issues like this. I think sometimes people need something shoved in their face in a way they can understand or relate to before they notice it. I mean I had no idea everything related to poaching etc before this whole Cecil the lion thing and it's only once gay marriage came up I started to consider if sexual orientation and equality for that is more important than religious rights and freedom (can the church refuse gay marriages or not).

Obviously i'd rather none of it existed or needed to, but I can deffinately see that in some cases the publicity could be worth the initial problem.
Original post by chelseadagg3r
I get what you mean. I think in a way, it does promote discussion, at least after the outrage. I do think it promotes unhealthy discussion/mockery as well though. As someone with physical and mental illness, I don't think I could stand any of my illnesses being mocked through costume, but the discussion that comes after would be welcomed as well. It astounds me how the retailers thought this was a good idea though


I know. Weather or not there can be a positive from it you still have to wonder how it came about. So many people must be involved in things like that and nobody thought "hey, isn't this maybe just a bit insensitive?"? I guess it starts as just a scary costume or maybe based on a film caracter and then some moron adds the name? Still who would pass off on that?!

I personally think it's a bit wierd how things that are in some ways so simmilar can (as far as my experience goes) be treated so differently. I don't think anybody would consider an ADHD or Downs Syndrome costume yet another mental problem can be so easily mocked? Is it cos special needs is more associated with children and you can't mock kids or what? Maybe special needs are permanent but mh issues are just being weak about something?
I'm far more willing to open up about my ADD or Dyslexia than any mh problems because I feel they will be more understood, and I have noticed schools and universities making measures for special needs far more than mh issues, but I don't see that they're all that different. I dunno. But I hope mh problems start to get the same sort of improvement as I think i'm seeing for special needs. I'm not sure if it's just because i'm more interested now, but i think i'm seeing more about mh issues around so hopefully that's the start of some proper change.

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