I was aghast when I saw the headline 鈥�This insane asylum themed haunted house near 麻豆传媒映画will give you nightmares鈥� on 麻豆传媒映画 recently. I thought we were past this, Vancouver.
My shock quickly turned to dismay when I realized that many people in our community still don鈥檛 realize that an 鈥榠nsane asylum鈥� themed haunted house is incredibly disrespectful and stigmatizing towards people living with mental illness. 听
Newsflash: mental illness (like any other illness) is not 鈥渟pooky,鈥� 鈥渃reepy,鈥� 鈥渇unny,鈥� or a form of entertainment.
Okay, so you didn鈥檛 know (or you didn鈥檛 think). Thanks for the opportunity to share some information and ideas (or remind you) about why costuming like a 鈥渟chizo鈥� or 鈥減sycho鈥� is just not appropriate, now or ever:
People living with a mental illness deserve the same respect, compassion and understanding that we afford to people living with other illnesses.听听
Would you celebrate a 鈥榗ancer ward鈥� themed haunted house? I鈥檓 guessing you would find that inappropriate and insensitive.听 But , so why would it be okay to exploit mental health facilities for entertainment purposes? Answer: it鈥檚 not.
According to the Center for Addiction and Mental Health (Canada鈥檚 largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world鈥檚 leading research centres in its field), 鈥�.鈥� This leads to a lack of critical funding for treatment; for example, .
Halloween costumes that evoke mental illness enforce the stigma that individuals living with mental illness should be feared.听
We often fear what we do not understand, but ignorance is much scarier. Education is the antidote, and thankfully, there are many resources available with helpful information for those interested in learning. For example, you might be surprised to learn that .听听
This means that 鈥渘ormal鈥� people living with mental health issues are all around us, living 鈥渟uccessful鈥� lives (whatever those terms mean). If you don鈥檛 know someone close to you with lived or living experience of a mental illness, maybe ask yourself whether your attitude about mental illness is scaring some of your loved ones off, and start a conversation about it.
Costumes that associate 鈥渕ental patients鈥� as 鈥渉aunted鈥� or 鈥渆erie鈥� perpetuate the stereotype that people with mental health issues are morally culpable for their condition and its consequences.听听
This is another inaccurate and dangerous stereotype, but ; for example, .听听听听
Judgment about mental illness (whether directly or indirectly) exacerbates the issue. The concept of non-judgment and mindfulness in mental health recovery is ; for example, mindfulness is a component of BC鈥檚 and programs.
Exhibits that characterize mental health facilities as 鈥渃reepy鈥� or 鈥渟pooky鈥� discourage people from seeking and receiving much-needed treatment.听听
Now here鈥檚 a chilling statistic: , yet . Although awareness, discussion and understanding of mental wellness is improving, this stat underscores the critical work that remains to be done.
鈥淚nsane asylum鈥� isn鈥檛 really a thing anymore.
Language is important in , and it is best to be accurate about terminology, and symptoms. . Given that mental health facilities are often populated with vulnerable people courageously seeking and accepting help during what is likely the most challenging time in their lives, the word 鈥�鈥� (meaning a place of retreat, security, or refuge) aptly emphasizes the type of protective sanctuary that ought to be afforded to those focusing on their wellness; however, the term mental health or or facility is more accurate.
In my view, 鈥渋nsane asylum鈥� has negative connotations, conjuring up images of outdated and poor treatment of patients. But mental health research and science has come a long way since , and referencing old-timey, unethical practices towards ill people for entertainment purposes sets the clock way back on these advancements.
The symptoms of mental illness are often worsened by the social exclusion perpetuated by inaccurate stereotypes.听
The new , which examines the ways that crucial BC services like social housing, social assistance and employment supports can support or undermine the human rights and wellness of those living with mental health or substance use-related health issues, highlights the key factor of inclusion in supporting those experiencing mental health issues to live their best lives:
If a person has friends and healthy relationships, feels they are a part of a community and can meet their basic needs, they are less likely to experience anxiety, depression or problematic substance use. People in recovery who are living with mental illness or addiction are deeply impacted by barriers they face getting and keeping the resources and relationships they need to feel included. In other words, social inclusion and the factors that either promote it or deny it are important to having an equal chance at mental wellness.
In my view, excluding people for 鈥渇un鈥� diminishes a deep sense of belonging, for both the subject and the maker of said 鈥渇un.鈥澨� It鈥檚 like any other compulsive behaviour: in the short term, it relieves the pressure of an otherwise unmet need; in the long term, it perpetuates an unsustainable cycle that usually causes more discomfort than it relieves.听 Where possible, it is more satisfying to investigate and treat the underlying need.
Perpetuating harmful stereotypes costs us all money.
If nothing above convinced you not to exploit mental illness for entertainment purposes, here鈥檚 the business case. ,听
Right now, we are paying for mental illness in the most expensive way possible because we are waiting too long to provide access to treatment and services. We are waiting until the point of crisis. That means too many hospital stays, and jail instead of the right treatment. In 2010, the government of British Columbia estimated that mental health problems cost our economy an estimated $6.6 billion annually.
Consistent with this, the fact that the 鈥渋nsane asylum鈥� article ran next to this article highlighting Homelessness Action Week and reporting that homelessness (which often co-exists with mental illness) is at an all-time high in Vancouver, is fitting.听听
Lack of education and insight contributes to stigma, which in turn fuels the crisis-level lack of resources for those living with mental illness in our city.听 Reacting to crises costs us much more than does proactively responding to health issues.
So this Halloween, afford yourself and your community asylum from stigma and ignorance by choosing not to celebrate outdated and harmful stereotypes about mental health.听 We all benefit from the security of robust, adequately-funded mental and physical health care; informed, thoughtful behavior affecting mental health issues; and compassion that threads together our community quilt. 听
- Megan Nicholls
