[Niamh.]

I know this article is 10 months old but I wondered what peoples thoughts on it are


Target accused of poking fun at OCD with 'Obsessive Christmas Disorder' sweater



Jokes, jabs and a general lack of understanding surrounding Obsessive Compulsive Disorder all come at a cost to people who genuinely suffer from OCD, which is why some say a new line of Target sweaters is so upsetting.

The retail giant recently unveiled a new line of holiday sweaters that define OCD as "Obsessive Christmas Disorder."

People have taken to Twitter to let Target know that this kind of thinking — and marketing — is not OK, as it trivializes mental illness.


amy / bluelightblue
‏@_bluelightblue_
Hey @Target OCD is a real disease not a joke. I don't see any shirts making fun of cancer - why #mentalillness?

@philsadelphia
they're selling these at target and as someone who has struggled with OCD for six years im pretty pissed off

http://www.today.com/style/target-ac...sweater-t55121

[the truth]

pretty pretty good

[Tom4784]

Just a typical reaction from those silly people that look for excuses to be offended for other people.

I doubt many people with OCD would give a ****.

[Crimson Dynamo]

humorous jumpers are always wrong and look at the neckline and shape

[Kyle]

I've got BDD which is a close to OCD as you can get and I don't give a toss, I think it's funny.

[Vicky.]

Some people just look for reasons to get offended. Its quite pathetic.

[Niamh.]

What do you all think about people comparing it to having tops making light of cancer or something along those lines? Is it different or would you all think that's ok too?

[Kyle]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

What do you all think about people comparing it to having tops making light of cancer or something along those lines? Is it different or would you all think that's ok too?

Maybe I don't know. But personally I don't think this is making fun of OCD it's just using what's known about OCD and transferring it to a well known stereotype where some people go overboard on Christmas.

If the jumper said 'OCD, it's not a real mental illness and people who say they have it are faking it, faking it, faking it, hahaha look at me mocking the repetiveness of OCD thoughts and behaviours but seriously don't believe people who say they have it' well not only would it have to be an enormous jumper to fit it all in but it would be actually detrimental to people with OCD. The real jumper I don't think does that.

[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

What do you all think about people comparing it to having tops making light of cancer or something along those lines? Is it different or would you all think that's ok too?

I think it's a silly comparison that's fundamentally flawed for obvious reasons.

If anything is demeaning for people with OCD, it's the countless people that pretend to have it because they think it makes them look quirky.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Kyle

Maybe I don't know. But personally I don't think this is making fun of OCD it's just using what's known about OCD and transferring it to a well known stereotype where some people go overboard on Christmas.

If the jumper said 'OCD, it's not a real mental illness and people who say they have it are faking it, faking it, faking it, hahaha look at me mocking the repetiveness of OCD thoughts and behaviours but seriously don't believe people who say they have it' well not only would it have to be an enormous jumper to fit it all in but it would be actually detrimental to people with OCD. The real jumper I don't think does that.

Yeah I agree with that I think. It's kind of like saying "I think have pneumonia" if you're cold, it's not taking the piss out of people who actually have got pneumonia, it's just a way of saying you're really cold or whatever?

[Kyle]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Yeah I agree with that I think. It's kind of like saying "I think have pneumonia" if you're cold, it's not taking the piss out of people who actually have got pneumonia, it's just a way of saying you're really cold or whatever?

Yeh I think sometimes people are just being hyperbolic. Like if I have a man flu I'll be a little bitch and tell everyone I'm dying but I know I don't mean it and nobody takes it serious enough to call an ambulance. And I'm not meaning to be offensive to people who have just passed either.

[Mokka]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

humorous jumpers are always wrong and look at the neckline and shape

This is the only correct response.

[Ashley.]

Well, I don't find the sweater offensive. I might even get one myself x

[Crimson Dynamo]

Im still sore about the hoo-haa caused when I bought my (ex) Mother-in-law a Christmas jumper

Spoiler:

how was I to know she did not like carrots?

[bots]

people don't tend to get offended by a disorder they don't really care about. That's the difference. While it can be severely debilitating to those that have it bad, it isn't really life threatening as such and so ... who cares

[Mystic Mock]

A joke is a joke at the end of the day, why are people getting so offended by a joke?

[y.winter]

People have too much time on twitter. They should find a real hobby.

[Maru]

Pssh Please. Obviously this is Walmart corp paying off people to say that ....

Joking aside, if we're to be sensitive about that, then we have to be sensitive about everything else around that same level.

Jokes and sarcasm are a healthy indicator of a free thinking society. Jokes seem like such a minor thing, but as a public we need it as a stabilizing force in democratic society. It's low-level free speech, but so very necessary in a democratic society. As long as it's not particularly egregious showing ample amounts of disregard or has no ill intent attached, it should ass the social sensitivity test... and even then, I think we can be a smidgen more sensitive on certain topics or circumstances (especially for more recent charged matters), but we should strive to not try to be so oversensitive that we suppress free thinking...

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I know this article is 10 months old but I wondered what peoples thoughts on it are


Target accused of poking fun at OCD with 'Obsessive Christmas Disorder' sweater



Jokes, jabs and a general lack of understanding surrounding Obsessive Compulsive Disorder all come at a cost to people who genuinely suffer from OCD, which is why some say a new line of Target sweaters is so upsetting.

The retail giant recently unveiled a new line of holiday sweaters that define OCD as "Obsessive Christmas Disorder."

People have taken to Twitter to let Target know that this kind of thinking — and marketing — is not OK, as it trivializes mental illness.


amy / bluelightblue
‏@_bluelightblue_
Hey @Target OCD is a real disease not a joke. I don't see any shirts making fun of cancer - why #mentalillness?

@philsadelphia
they're selling these at target and as someone who has struggled with OCD for six years im pretty pissed off

http://www.today.com/style/target-ac...sweater-t55121

....hmmm, I do see a little bit what they're saying/why the offence...not so much with the Obsessive Christmas one but just looking at the link to how many there are ../obsessive corgi disorder/cat disorder/cow disorder/cycling disorder etc and all saying 'I Have OCD'...so the feeling that it's trivialising something that has such a disabling effect on people's lives...?...I just think though that it's still raising awareness of something so not a negative thing or an offensive thing...families of people who suffer from OCD can joke about things as well to do with the disorder because it's often a way of dealing with these things and the same with other illnesses as well.../whether mental or physical...maybe the company who makes them should donate some of the profits to an OCD Foundation/support group...

[Livia]

I know that some people who suffer from OCD are locked into a terrible cycle. But the therapy for it is not, as far as I know, a sense of humour bypass.

[user104658]

Too PC or not too PC, that is the question.

... ...

It's a ****ing awful jumper, that should be enough to render the debate pointless.

[Livia]

It is an ugly jumper.

[Kizzy]

You do have to ask yourself if any other mental health issue is mocked in this way? it seems almost trivial to some however if you aren't a sufferer, it smacks of ignorance to find humour in something you don't fully understand.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

You do have to ask yourself if any other mental health issue is mocked in this way? it seems almost trivial to some however if you aren't a sufferer, it smacks of ignorance to find humour in something you don't fully understand.

http://www.redbubble.com/shop/schizophrenic+hoodies

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

humorous jumpers are always wrong and look at the neckline and shape

agreed

anyone wanting a comic tagline on their chest needs putting down