AICAFMHA:
promoting mental health for young Australians
Australian Infant, Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Association Ltd
ABN 87 093 479 022
Back to AICAFMHA Homepage / News in Brief Index / Issue #25
Embargoed until
8.00 am, Sunday 6 October 2002
media release
SANE Australia
A national charity helping those affected by mental illness through campaigning, education and
research
Fudge: SANE condemns ?hair-raising? stigma
Mental health charity SANE Australia today protested against shocking stigma in Fudge?s latest product promotions ? ?Schizophrenic? and ?Headcase? -? that poke fun at the mentally ill.
Fudge?s makers, the multi-million dollar Sabre Group Ltd, have repeatedly ignored pleas from SANE?s StigmaWatch program to remove offensive references to mental illness from the packaging of its hair care products and their promotion. SANE?s protest comes at the start of Mental Health Week (October 6 ? 12), this year focusing on young people.
?Schizophrenic?, two hair care products packaged together, claims to ?Get it straight one day and curly the next?, giving young people ? Fudge?s target age group ? the false idea that schizophrenia means a ?split? personality.
Advertising for ?Headcase? ? another product combination -? uses the slogan: ?Don?t be a headcase? and shows a young woman in a straitjacket, trivialising and ridiculing mental illness which affects one in five Australians at some time in their lives.
Dr Paul Morgan, Deputy Director of SANE Australia, said: ?It?s inexcusable that a wealthy corporation can exploit and mock the most vulnerable members of our community; it demonstrates corporate responsibility that is, sadly, still in the dark ages.?
?The stereotyping of schizophrenia as a split personality is not only grossly inaccurate but the mean-spirited trivialising of mental illness is highly offensive to people who live with distressing and painful illnesses,? he said.
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of New Psychiatrists echoed the outrage, describing the campaign as ?truly miserable?. ?There is something very disturbing about an advertising strategy that has to demean people experiencing illness, in order to sell a product,? said Executive Director of the College Mr Craig Glenroy Patterson.
Mental illness is common with one in five Australians experiencing a mental illness at some time in their lives. Many mental illnesses first appear during late adolescence and early adulthood. Unfortunately, stigma causes a lengthy delay in recognising symptoms and seeking help early, often resulting in serious consequences for the person and their family.
?This continued stigmatising of mental illness means young people receive confusing information and it also discourages them from seeking help when they need it most. Tragically, sometimes this results in suicide,? said Dr Morgan.
As part of its StigmaWatch campaign, SANE calls on Australian consumers to send a clear message to the Sabre Group by supporting the protest against Fudge until the company remove all references to mental illness from its packaging and promotion.
Email
kristynlodge@sabre-group.com
Write
Mr Anton Starling
Chief Executive Officer
Sabre Group Ltd
75 South Creek Road
DEE WHY NSW 2099
Fax
02 9972 0747
Facts and Statistics
- In the year 2000, 2363 Australians died by suicide; the majority of cases were related to mental illness.
- About 10 times this number, in the same year, were admitted to hospital after a suicide attempt.
- More women attempt suicide than men, but more men die as a result.
- The suicide rate amongst people with schizophrenia was 12 times higher than the general population.
- The suicide rate, particularly amongst young Australians, has emerged as a major public health issue.
- The reduction of stigma is recognised as a legitimate suicide prevention activity.
Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, 2002, Reporting Suicide and Mental Illness: A Resource for Media Professionals, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra
StigmaWatch
An initiative of SANE Australia
supported by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care under the National Mental Health Strategy
www.sane.org
Lorraine Chiroiu
Media Contact
SANE Australia
campaign@sane.org
03 9682 5933
0414 427 291
www.sane.org
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