Halloween is the holiday for people to dress up as whatever their heart desires. With this comes so many people dressing as stereotypes. One of the worst stereotypes doesn't even come out of the costumes--it comes from haunted houses. Haunted houses, when done right, can be a fun night for friends. But there's one theme of haunted houses that pisses me off like no other.

Asylum-themed haunted houses are a shit show. They showcase "crazy people" that are so insane they're a danger and will hurt you the second they can. This could not be further from the truth. The people I met during my stay in the "looney bin" are some of the nicest girls I have ever met. They're kind souls, who due to mental health issues, need to leave society for some time.

While some mental patients are a danger, they don't attack unprovoked. Even the most dangerous patient is still a human and can control themselves if they need to. The second they start having an episode, nurses and doctors grab them instantly and the threat is under control within a minute.

Haunted houses use so many out-dated clichés and stereotypes it makes me wonder if they've even met anyone that's stayed in one before. Truth is, they probably have met someone that has been through the system. We're not scary monsters that should only be let out during Halloween. We are your coworkers, your daughters friend, your favorite niece. We are people and we can live normal lives, and at some point in our life we needed help that only a mental hospital could provide.

So the next time you go to a haunted house that has the theme of an asylum, know that the girl screaming and ripping her hair out was a girl whose nightmares are so bad she can't handle reality. The scary doctor threatening to give you a shot to put you down would only do so if you were a danger to yourself or others. The girl rocking back and forth looking like a "lunatic" just needs to rock herself to feel comfort. We are people too.