Mental Illness gets newpaper coverage

[Alan]

Sunday Emily brought home a copy of Wichita's main newspaper, the Wichita Eagle. (www.kansas.com) I was pleased to see that the lead editorial and one of the letters to the editor were about mental illness.

I've been wanting to write on mental illness (MI) for quite some time.  Some say MI is "the disease that doesn't bring chicken soup."

Specifically, what I wanted to write in a letter to the editor, is the way MI has been reduced to a joke by those who don't know or at least act like they don't know, what the hell they are talking about.  For example, the stupid "Spangles" commercials which have used an advertising slogan for years of "Two ninety-nine?  Are you out of your mind?"  A newer ad I heard (on the radio, I hardly ever watch TV) repeats the "are you out of your mind" question about 5 or 6 times.  (secret message to Spangles: your "joke" about us doesn't even rhyme.)

Spangles, it's about time you ended this detestable nonsense of exploiting and insulting MI patients, and yes I know that a stereotype of MI patients is they sometimes make reckless financial decisions.  If you want to show some huevos, try that with an audience making fun of, say, diabetic patients or maybe Alzheimer's patients.  Wouldn't that be hilarious, Spangles?  Hmmmm?  Do you dare make jokes like that about AIDS patients?  Go ahead, I double dog dare you to make jokes about the more "serious" illnesses there are and how they relate to hamburger pricing.

I know, how about this for an advertising idea?  Two sufferers of terminal cancer go into a Spangles and tell each other they want the 2.99 heart attack special, then they giggle and say, "that's OK, we're going to die soon anyway so for now let's live it up!"

What do other mental patients think of this?  Am I being overly sensitive to think the Spangles ads are repulsive and insulting?

Alan

[ncjohn]

I don't think you're being over-sensitive at all, Alan. To be fair, I don't think that the "jokes" are being done in the malicious kind of way that ethnic jokes are, but simply out of ignorance and failure to give any thought to what it is they're saying.

I'm sure some might think that your concerns are just PC baloney, but those are likely people who have not dealt with MI on any kind of intimate basis, either in themselves or in someone they care about.

It is probably time that awareness be raised about the whole thing. I still consider that to be one of the three or so areas where it is still ok to be totally insulting. People with weight problems is another area that screams for attention.

John

[jsiegman]

I am afraid I disagree with y'all on this one. I don't see any problem with the Spangles commercial. Furthermore,  I find your idea for the heart attack special rather humorous and I think it might actally work. They certainly  would not have ay problems with he powers that be for false advertising.

We got an auto dealer up here who calls himself "Mad Max Madson" or something like that. His late night commercials feature an announcer who is definitely out of control half yelling, half screaming the pitch about the incredibly low prices that Mad Max has his cars priced at. Then they urge you to hurry in before he comes to his senses and raises the price back to where it started.

And then, of course, you have the entire series of Geico caveman commercials.

Nah, I don't see them as being insensitive, unaware, or insulting.

JKS

[reen]

Actually, Alan, it is when I hear someone on the TV say that
'this is schizophrenic,' meaning 'split' in some way, that
I tend to clench my jaw.

First of all, I think that the word they're searching for is 'schizoid' -
where feelings and thoughts may be dissociated from each other.  [Dissociated = 'split off?']

And even here, I'm not certain that that's what they're trying to say,
or if schizoid is indeed the word they're searching for.
Maybe they mean 'split off' from consensual reality.
Who knows?   

I hear this on TV several times a year, in fact.
"That's schizophrenic."
How comforting to the heart of a family, who has
a relative diagnosed with schizophrenia, to hear this said.

Would a TV personality analogize a forgetful moment with:
 
"Geez. That's an Altzheimer Moment." ?

I don't think so.   

Yet on TV, it seems perfectly fine to describe
another's incongruent views as 'schizophrenic.'

I'll tell you one thing. Some of the kindest and gentle
people that I have ever met were fellow patients on
a psychiatric unit.

The British author, Caryll Houselander, noted in one of her books, that one winter,
she came upon a group of people from a psychiatric setting,
who were kneeling in a chapel at dusk, during Adoration. 
This good woman, who  survived the Blitz - only to pass away with breast cancer
at age 52, was proufoundly touched by what she saw.
As I recall, she likened those praying to Christ wearing a crown of thorns.
Yet anyone - who has mental suffering, not at all clinical in nature -
they, too, wear a crown of thorns.

It's bad enough that mental illness is not well understood
by many people in the world. But to use words like
'crazy' or 'schizophrenic' may place another crown of thorns on the heart -
of those who endure mental illness.

I don't think, at all, that people mean to say these things.
It's more thoughtlessness than intentional wounding.
But it does, I think, add to the sense of marginalization
that those with mental illness often experience.

A recent addition, to the repetoire of the thoughtless,
is to say to another "Get back on your meds!"

Dismissive and demeaning, I think - to those who require
psychotropic medication to function, in this sometimes not nice world -
populated, as it sometimes is, with the truly insensitive.

Just my thoughts, Alan.


reens

[Alan]

I am afraid I disagree with y'all on this one. I don't see any problem with the Spangles commercial. Furthermore,  I find your idea for the heart attack special rather humorous and I think it might actally work. They certainly  would not have ay problems with he powers that be for false advertising.

So you're saying it's perfectly OK with you, to make fun of a hypothetical psychotic supervisor about the destructive aspects of his illness?  Regardless of the laws, do you not even find Spangles of being guilty of poor taste and poor judgment?  Here's one thing I can say about them -- their stupid insult to the likes of me doesn't even rhyme, for God's sakes!  What a bunch of losers.  The alleged "humorous" part of their whole advertising campaign contains exactly one joke which wasn't funny to begin with, and has been driven home ad nauseum -- many times over the years.

We got an auto dealer up here who calls himself "Mad Max Madson" or something like that. His late night commercials feature an announcer who is definitely out of control half yelling, half screaming the pitch about the incredibly low prices that Mad Max has his cars priced at. Then they urge you to hurry in before he comes to his senses and raises the price back to where it started.

That sounds sick and perverted to me, not the sign of a responsible advertiser.  If the joke was actually funny, I might feel differently.

And then, of course, you have the entire series of Geico caveman commercials.

Not familiar with the commercials, given my small amount of television viewing...

Nah, I don't see them as being insensitive, unaware, or insulting.

Of course not.  To see them that way might involve actually agreeing with me.   

 
Alan

[Alan]

Actually, Alan, it is when I hear someone on the TV say that
'this is schizophrenic,' meaning 'split' in some way, that
I tend to clench my jaw.

Yes, "jokes" by the ignorant are just pathetic.  If they want to be funny, maybe they should start with checking their dictionaries and finding out the meaning of the terms they use.

First of all, I think that the word they're searching for is 'schizoid' -
where feelings and thoughts may be dissociated from each other.  [Dissociated = 'split off?']

From what I've seen along these lines, they think that "schizophrenia" = MPD.  They are ignorant, and stupid.

I hear this on TV several times a year, in fact.
"That's schizophrenic."
How comforting to the heart of a family, who has
a relative diagnosed with schizophrenia, to hear this said.

Yes, my SIL has been so diagnosed, and I'll tell you there is nothing funny about her predicament, and especially about jokes that are based on ignorance and doesn't even use the right term for the illness they mean to exploit.

Would a TV personality analogize a forgetful moment with:
 
"Geez. That's an Altzheimer Moment." ?

I don't think so.   

Yet on TV, it seems perfectly fine to describe
another's incongruent views as 'schizophrenic.'

Sad, isn't it?

I'll tell you one thing. Some of the kindest and gentle
people that I have ever met were fellow patients on
a psychiatric unit.

That's what I found.  My last psycho ward experience involved people of several religions, discussing our views with each other.  There were several protestants, at least one Catholic, a Jehova's witness, and I don't remember what else.

I don't think, at all, that people mean to say these things.
It's more thoughtlessness than intentional wounding.
But it does, I think, add to the sense of marginalization
that those with mental illness often experience.

Amen!

A recent addition, to the repetoire of the thoughtless,
is to say to another "Get back on your meds!"

Oh geez, you're so right.  About the first question anybody asks when they find out I have an affective disorder, is whether I see a doctor and are taking "meds."  For some reason, just to know that I'm taking prescription drugs they find comfort.

Dismissive and demeaning, I think - to those who require
psychotropic medication to function, in this sometimes not nice world -
populated, as it sometimes is, with the truly insensitive.

Just my thoughts, Alan.

Thank you for your words.   They ring true in my life.

Alan

[jsiegman]

So you're saying it's perfectly OK with you, to make fun of a hypothetical psychotic supervisor about the destructive aspects of his illness?

Never said any such thing. It wouldn't be fair of me to pass final judgement on whether or not Spangle's is out of line since I never even heard of them until you started this thread and I have never seen the ads in question. Still, I suspect my conclusion would be that no harm was intended. Doesn't mean I might not think it was a stupid idea though.

An Alzheimer's moment? Haven't heard that one. But is that really so different than using the ever-so-popular phrase "a senior moment?" I don't know anyone who has a problem with that one.

To see them that way might involve actually agreeing with me.

Again, I am referring to the ones I am familiar with. You are referring to the ones you are familiar with. Who knows? Maybe we might agree on certain ad campaigns. And if we do disagree, is that really a disaster? or just a difference of opinion?

JKS

[Alan]

Never said any such thing. It wouldn't be fair of me to pass final judgement on whether or not Spangle's is out of line since I never even heard of them until you started this thread and I have never seen the ads in question. Still, I suspect my conclusion would be that no harm was intended. Doesn't mean I might not think it was a stupid idea though.

No, I doubt the people who put on the commercial even considered what the effect on *actual* MI people might be, and *that's* an excellent indicator of the problem.  If I were more emotional these days, I'd be pissed off at them.  The commercials, especially this latest one, are very obnoxious -- it's like Jay Leno telling a joke ... after he milks it and/or explains it several times, it isn't funny anymore. 

An Alzheimer's moment? Haven't heard that one. But is that really so different than using the ever-so-popular phrase "a senior moment?" I don't know anyone who has a problem with that one.

This is a good counterexample; in some cases we can exploit the weaknesses in a group of people, without them getting too bugged.  Yes, I think an "alzheimer's moment" would be much worse than the "senior moment" which has become a respectable excuse for forgetting things. 

Again, I am referring to the ones I am familiar with. You are referring to the ones you are familiar with. Who knows? Maybe we might agree on certain ad campaigns. And if we do disagree, is that really a disaster? or just a difference of opinion?

Maybe I can find a recording of the specific commercials I'm thinking of -- like the one that repeats the refrain "are you OUT of your MIND?" about 6 times... and after six times their stupid slogan STILL doesn't even rhyme.

You are right that whether you and I agree or not doesn't really matter... what I'm looking for is a little publicity for a point that I want to make to the public.  Hell I don't know maybe I'll get really loud back at them, and Spangles will hire me as a consultant so I would leave them alone. ($$  )

BTW, Spangles is normally a bit pricey, so I think the $2.99 deal is probably a good deal.

Alan

[jsiegman]

I decided to ask for another opinion and read your first posting and John's comments to Eric. He was absolutely flabbergasted at them. Some of his comments --

---- What is he so worked up about?
---- What's with the rhyming? Who says it has to rhyme?
---- Did you notice that he has to abbreviate everything? Here, he was referring to your use of "MI"
      It helps to know that Eric and I have, due to numerous discussions over the years, reached the
      conclusion that one way people try to make things PC is by turning it into an anagram -- giving
      us the wonderful ways of saying things like P.A.D.S., E.D., R.L.S., heck, even A.I.D.S. and M.P.D.

What do other mental patients think of this?  Am I being overly sensitive to think the Spangles ads are repulsive and insulting?

Eric is most assuredly a mental patient but he doesn't see any problem here other than perhaps just being another stupid ad campaign. And yes, he does think that you are being overly sensitive.

He also suggested that both Alzheimer's moment and senior moment could be replaced with the more pointy and vulgar (my word) "brain fart" which, believe it or not, is the basis for another series of TV ads for a cell phone network here.

JKS

[Alan]

---- What is he so worked up about?

Every so often I have a dream that I can actually make a difference for the betterment of the world. 

---- What's with the rhyming? Who says it has to rhyme?

It's clear from the context that it was intended to rhyme, or at least sound like they were trying to rhyme.  So far I have not found the audio or video to that ad, so until we find a recording of the specific commercial I've targeted, you'll have to take my word for it ... or not. 

---- Did you notice that he has to abbreviate everything? Here, he was referring to your use of "MI"
      It helps to know that Eric and I have, due to numerous discussions over the years, reached the
      conclusion that one way people try to make things PC is by turning it into an anagram -- giving
      us the wonderful ways of saying things like P.A.D.S., E.D., R.L.S., heck, even A.I.D.S. and M.P.D.

OMG ('scuse me ... that's Oh My God in plain English) you talk about my barking at the moon and yet you have some sort of conspiracy theory about my use of an abbreviation -- which I defined the first time I used it in the article -- that I'm trying to do anything other than save a few keystrokes.  Very interesting. 

What do other mental patients think of this?  Am I being overly sensitive to think the Spangles ads are repulsive and insulting?

Eric is most assuredly a mental patient but he doesn't see any problem here other than perhaps just being another stupid ad campaign. And yes, he does think that you are being overly sensitive.

OK, that's his opinion and he's entitled to it.  I asked, you answered, he answered, and bada boom bada bing.  Thank you veddy mush. 

He also suggested that both Alzheimer's moment and senior moment could be replaced with the more pointy and vulgar (my word) "brain fart" which, believe it or not, is the basis for another series of TV ads for a cell phone network here.

So you and Eric have different opinions on what is proper speech, although neither one of you agrees with me on this; that's very "interesting."    Like I said, I asked.  Thank you for your time and effort in answering me. 

Alan

[Alan]

I decided to ask for another opinion and read your first posting and John's comments to Eric. He was absolutely flabbergasted at them. Some of his comments --

John made comments to Eric?  What did I miss?

Alan

[Alan]

which, believe it or not, is the basis for another series of TV ads for a cell phone network here.

Wow.  It takes all kinds, I guess.

I keep reminding myself, "it's all good.  It's all good.  Really, it's all good."

[jsiegman]

I decided to ask for another opinion and read your first posting and John's comments to Eric. He was absolutely flabbergasted at them. Some of his comments --

John made comments to Eric?  What did I miss?

Alan

You misread. The "to'Eric" phrase is the indirect object modifying "read," not "comments;" "posting" and "comments" form the compound direct object phrase for "I read."

Capish?
JKS

[Alan]

I decided to ask for another opinion and read your first posting and John's comments to Eric. He was absolutely flabbergasted at them. Some of his comments --

John made comments to Eric?  What did I miss?

Alan

You misread. The "to'Eric" phrase is the indirect object modifying "read," not "comments;" "posting" and "comments" form the compound direct object phrase for "I read."

Capish?
JKS

Yes, I get it now.  Thanks for clearing that up.

[Lana]

OMG....That is my first thought!

My second thought is simply this, if there are medical uses for a normal moment and used in a campain, it should "expect" reactions from both sides. They have to be aware that they take the chance when they pick the slogan that it inevitably will hurt people. So to hurt anyone with the full knowlege of doing so, just to make a buck....bad form! It speaks volumes of the mentality, and honoribility of the founders of the product.

So, knowing this we have a few things to remember. ONE, they have more money than we do, and money was what paid for the add to begin with. Two, we now have the right to, "consider the source"

They accept that they will inadvertantly hurt people for a buck, and therefore accept that this will drag the company down at one point in time. Word of mouth will be the other swing of the pendulem....as i see here.

No one has to agree with you Alan, but better put, we DO have a connection to you and yes, agree or not, we can validate your feelings. I just happen to be one of those who agree with you on this one. Is there anything we can do about it? We have!

Lana