Target Criticised For 'OCD' Christmas Jumper That 'Trivialises Mental Illness'

Target Criticised For 'OCD' Christmas Jumper That 'Trivialises Mental Illness'
|

Nothing says Christmas like making fun of a serious mental illness, does it Target?

The US superstore has come under fire on Twitter for selling a festive jumper that trivialises OCD.

The jumper, which has "OCD Obsessive Christmas Disorder" sprawled across it, is on sale in stores across the country and online.

Angered customers took to Twitter to complain about the jumper, with some calling to boycott the store.

According to Time To Change, a campaign to end stigma around mental illness, OCD typically has two parts: obsessions and compulsions.

"Obsessions are unwelcome thoughts, ideas or urges that appear repeatedly in the mind and interrupt everyday thinking. Compulsions are repetitive activities you feel you have to do, usually to ‘put right’ the anxiety and distress caused by the obsessive thoughts," explains the site.

OCD affects everyday life and can be debilitating, it is not something to trivialise or use to sell products.

Speaking to HuffPost UK Lifestyle, a spokesperson for Target explained that the 'OCD: Obsessive Christmas Disorder' phrase used and product has been around for quite some time.

Target told HuffPost UK Lifestyle in a statement: "We never want to disappoint our guests and we apologise for any discomfort. We currently do not have plans to remove this sweater."

9 Signs Of OCD
Causing Harm (01 of09)
Open Image Modal
Thinking that your actions or thoughts will cause harm to yourself or someone else. (credit:Shutterstock)
Keeping Things In Order (02 of09)
Open Image Modal
Extreme need for a certain order of things. (credit:Shutterstock)
Fear Of Germs (03 of09)
Open Image Modal
Excessively thinking about germs and illness. (credit:Shutterstock)
The Same Thing On Your Mind (04 of09)
Open Image Modal
Going over and over the same things in your head. (credit:Shutterstock)
Repetitive Behaviours(05 of09)
Open Image Modal
(credit:Shutterstock)
Constantly Rearranging (06 of09)
Open Image Modal
Constantly needing to touch or rearrange objects. (credit:Shutterstock)
A Focus On Keeping Clean (07 of09)
Open Image Modal
Compulsive hand-washing or housecleaning. (credit:Shutterstock)
Checking Things(08 of09)
Open Image Modal
Compulsively checking (up to hundreds of times a day) things like alarms, locked doors, and unplugged fixtures. (credit:Shutterstock)
Keeping Everything (09 of09)
Open Image Modal
Inability to throw away items there is no reason to keep. (credit:Shutterstock)