"Mental patient" in the haunted house

[Globetrotter]

I just saw photos on FB of someone posing as a mental patient - he was part of the haunted house, there to scare people. He's a very intelligent person, so this surprises me.

Wow. As someone who is struggling with mental health issues in our family, I don't find this amusing, and I'm not easily offended. This is 2015, people.

No wonder there is such a stigma and people don't want to seek treatment.

[hillview]

yeah that is poor taste for sure. I might mention it to him, perhaps he has not thought about it much

[baymom]

Wow, not funny. At all. Is there a 'witty' gentle comment you could put as a comment to point out how tasteless that is? Depending on what I could come up with and how close I was to the person, I might.

[JBaxter]

I guess I never thought about it but every really scary haunted house I've ever been to had a "mental patient" usually in a straight jacket chained to a wall. I just chalked it up to Halloween nothing is appropriate or off limits.

[Mikey0709]

Totally agree with Baxter.... Halloween and nothing is inappropriate or off limits.

We actually live VERY close to a shut down mental facility. Closed late 80's and the reports of abuse there are frightening! I think a news report is actually what got them shut down.

So today it's THE most popular haunted attraction in our state. I don't think I could go there for history alone, but the buildings still have original equipment now used as props. And they charge $80 a ticket to walk through this! All actors are apparently doctors or mental patients.

I love Halloween and have been to most .... But this one has just kept me away....

Google "pennhurst asylum" or pennhurst hospital for history.

[Simon]

I understand your anger, but I always interpreted the scene as depicting that the way mental patients are treated is scary, not that the person is scary him/herself. I would be afraid to be committed b/c of the doctors and staff, not the other patients.

[StantonHyde]

But that's just it-by making people afraid to be a patient, it causes people not to seek help. I think it is in very poor taste. But Hslloween is not about being in good taste, sigh ....

[Simon]

But that's just it-by making people afraid to be a patient, it causes people not to seek help. I think it is in very poor taste. But Hslloween is not about being in good taste, sigh ....
Well, I guess that just went right over my head. I thought the offense was that people with mental health issues are scary.

[petesgirl]

I agree it's very common to see depictions of mentally ill people in 'haunted' venues. And it has always bothered me a little. Since burying DD a few months ago I have actually been disturbed by a lot of Halloween decorations this year. Every skeleton I see just reminds me that that is what she is becoming. It isn't amusing. And graveyards aren't spooky places to me anymore, they are sacred places that are filled with love.
But, whatever, I'll never say any of this to anyone IRL. I just probably won't ever be really into Halloween :)

[Melaine]

Part of my own mental health state is that I tend to over-empathize with strangers and also just go to the Worst case scenario. from childhood, I always really hated halloween and never understood why we would celebrate and trivialize people's pain: such as mental health patients, victims of violence, suicide victims, murder, etc. If I see a skeleton hanging from a noose in a tree, I immediately think about families who have lost someone to suicide. If I see a bloody "decor" set up, I think about someone affected by domestic violence. I refuse to watch a movie that centers around violence towards kids or kidnapping. Because I can't help visualizing families who have gone through this. What must they think of their heartbreak twisted into a form of entertainment? I know that most people think this is a crazy mindset, but this is how God made my brain, for better or for worse.
I never celebrated Halloween until a few years ago, when I realized it could be interpreted more as fun dress-up day and the spiderwebs started getting glittery. (I hate 99% of halloween decor but I am starting to come around to some of the shabby chic sugar skull painted pumpkins). I guess what I mean is, Halloween by nature is insensitive and trivializes pain, so I guess this just seems more of the same to me. I have never been in a haunted house and have no interest in visiting one.

[gatorsmom]

Since burying DD a few months ago I have actually been disturbed by a lot of Halloween decorations this year. Every skeleton I see just reminds me that that is what she is becoming. It isn't amusing. And graveyards aren't spooky places to me anymore, they are sacred places

i am so sorry for your loss and that you have to go through this. Honestly, I'm not sure you will ever get over this. I buried my mom 10 years ago and dad 4 years ago and occasionally I think the same thing. I don't tell anyone but I think it. I have to block it out of my mind and do something else. I guess I just wanted I let you know you aren't alone. :hug:

Op, I can understand how the mental patient thing would bother you. The people who are blissfully unaware of what some of these Halloween themes actually represent are just lucky, I guess. The rest if us just have to deal with and move on.

[petesgirl]

i am so sorry for your loss and that you have to go through this. Honestly, I'm not sure you will ever get over this. I buried my mom 10 years ago and dad 4 years ago and occasionally I think the same thing. I don't tell anyone but I think it. I have to block it out of my mind and do something else. I guess I just wanted I let you know you aren't alone. :hug:

Op, I can understand how the mental patient thing would bother you. The people who are blissfully unaware of what some of these Halloween themes actually represent are just lucky, I guess. The rest if us just have to deal with and move on.

Thanks for saying this!! I do feel a little crazy when I see a skeleton and picture DD--seriously, I'm glad to know I'm not alone!

[Gracemom]

That is the reason I hate zombies. I think of my decomposing dad coming back to life and I want to throw up. My DH doesn't get it and loves zombies. I only do cute halloween decorations. I do like Day of the Dead celebrations though, since they are about honoring the dead.

[Globetrotter]

But see, here is the difference, imo... it's not just disturbing, as much of Halloween is ( I too only like the cute costumes), but it perpetuates dangerous stereotypes that prevent people from seeking medical help. This is a REAL problem, and I don't care if it's been going on forever - in this age of increased awareness, I don't think it's appropriate. I know people who had to be literally dragged into psych. treatment because they didn't want to be associated with "those crazy people." The stigma is real. What if someone was posing as a severely autistic child? Or a cancer patient? It's no longer funny, is it? Why is it okay to portray mentally ill people, whose brains are not functioning properly through no fault of their own and may exhibit unusual behavior, in this light? I will never understand this.. whatever.

ETA: hugs to PPs who have a hard time with various aspects of Halloween

[gatorsmom]

OP I totally agree with you. Unfortunately movies like "Silence of the Lambs" don't help either. One of the houses on our block who really enjoy decorating for Halloween (I don't really know the people), chose that movie as their theme this year. Complete with a strapped- down Hannibal Lector.

[Globetrotter]

Ok, so I googled this issue. No surprise- I'm not the only one who feels this way. There are several articles on this, but I loved this one: http://www.theguardian.com/science/brain-flapping/2015/oct/21/mental-patient-halloween-costumes-a-scientific-guide-to-dressing-accurately