To discover that stores are selling these “funny” mental illness statements is a complete exploitation, and a bad representation of all mental illnesses. People who suffer from mental illness will view this as hateful and completely offensive. I'm going to show you some merchandise that I have seen online that is making fun of mental illness. This is in no way “funny, cute or fashionable.” The companies that are making these products are making mental illnesses look normal and giving the public the wrong impression. Supporting these companies by purchasing their merchandise is insulting, inappropriate, disgusting, promoting unhealthy habits and using mental as a new trend. Many people keep their mental illness a secret because of the bad stigma that surrounds it. For anyone who has, and continues to suffer from any of these mental illnesses, it will hit close to home. This is not something to make light about.
"Eat Less": this shirt was taken off of Urban Outfitter's website for its insensitivity towards people who suffer from an eating disorder. However, although it was it taken off of the racks, two years later it reappeared and was found in stores again.
"I thought I was bipolar, turns out I'm an [expletive]": this shirt is stigmatizing people with bipolar disorder that they are [expletive]. This is calling people who suffer from bipolar disorder not very nice, to say the least.
"Blame it on the A-A-A-A-A Anxiety": this is trying to make light of the mental disorder, by pairing this negative statement with a song lyric. Although, the original song lyric is not any better.
" Suicide watch": this t-shirt is making suicide look like a less serious issue than it is. This picture is not a work of art, and it is not building up anyone. It is a complete insensitive statement with an unfortunate picture to match. Imagine losing someone you loved to suicide and then seeing people wear this shirt. It's completely disgusting.
" Depression": this is yet another shirt Urban Outfitters is selling. It was being sold in stores and online the same time the "Eat Less" shirt was being sold. All in all, this shirt is portraying depression like it is no-big-deal.
"Social anxiety intensifies": why would anyone with social anxiety want to publicly announce this? It's enough as it is that people with social anxiety can feel extremely uncomfortable being in social settings. This is not cute, funny or fashionable.
Kurt Cobain's suicide letter: This should not be acceptable to wear. This is a real suicide letter that Cobain wrote before taking his own life. Wearing his suicide letter is doing what exactly? It is not accomplishing anything other than glamorizing an actual person's suicide.
"My Goal In Life To Have A Psychiatric Disorder Named After Me": this is so disgusting and only implies that it is trendy or cool to have a mental illness named after you. It's absolutely sickening to think that you could purchase this cup at Dollar Tree.
These are only some of the products that can be found online, and it is upsetting that these are even an option to buy. Regardless of if you have a mental illness or know someone who has one, this is not the appropriate way to display mental illnesses.
