NYU Child Study Center Advertisements
The NYU Child Study Center in the USA ran a series of ads, briefly, fashioned as "ransom notes" from mental illnesses. The ads were pulled after numerous people complained and a petition was started to end it. The purpose was to raise awareness about childhood psychiatric illnesses, but the people who complained were adults with the illness as well as parents of children with them.
This is the text of the ads:
People also objected to the hostage metaphor; this implies that the REAL child is hidden or destroyed by the illness and that you can recover this real, perfect child from behind the illness. This is a common view that already exists in some circles, and is generally regarded as damaging to a person's self esteem and the hope of all involved for the future. In the case of Asperger's and autism (which aren't psychiatric disorders in any case) there is no separating the "person" from the autism; the different way of thinking and perceiving is part of the person.
Many people feel the focus should be on hope, ability, what the person does have and can do, and appreciating the child that you have, rather than despairing that you have a hopeless, broken trapped child and that you and them will never be happy until you've fixed them. It is not easy having these disorders or bringing up a child with them, but it doesn't mean misery, and happiness and success doesn't depend on whether someone is "normal" or not.
I feel that these ads are frightening and promote dispair more than anything else.
This is the text of the ads:
We have your son. We will make sure he will no longer be able to care for himself or interact socially as long as he lives. This is only the beginning…Autism.
We are in possession of your son. We are making him squirm and fidget until he is a detriment to himself and those around him. Ignore this and your kid will pay…ADHD
We have your son. We are destroying his ability for social interaction and driving him into a life of complete isolation. It’s up to you now…Asperger’s Syndrome
We have your daughter. We are forcing her to throw up after every meal she eats. It’s only going to get worse…Bulimia
We have your daughter. We are making her wash her hands until they are raw, everyday. This is only the beginning…OCD
We have taken your son. We have imprisoned him in a maze of darkness with no hope of ever getting out. Do nothing and see what happens. -DepressionPeople complained that not only were these not necessarily true, they promoted a single aspect that reinforced stereotypes as well as the idea that these children and people were broken.
People also objected to the hostage metaphor; this implies that the REAL child is hidden or destroyed by the illness and that you can recover this real, perfect child from behind the illness. This is a common view that already exists in some circles, and is generally regarded as damaging to a person's self esteem and the hope of all involved for the future. In the case of Asperger's and autism (which aren't psychiatric disorders in any case) there is no separating the "person" from the autism; the different way of thinking and perceiving is part of the person.
Many people feel the focus should be on hope, ability, what the person does have and can do, and appreciating the child that you have, rather than despairing that you have a hopeless, broken trapped child and that you and them will never be happy until you've fixed them. It is not easy having these disorders or bringing up a child with them, but it doesn't mean misery, and happiness and success doesn't depend on whether someone is "normal" or not.
I feel that these ads are frightening and promote dispair more than anything else.
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