Holly M.

Arend
03/01/16
Wilson
4th hr
Holly M. Arend
03/01/16
Wilson
4th hr

Why am I romanticized
A lot of people want money, a successful future, or anything along those lines. I long for
something a bit different. Mental illness affects 14- 20% of adolescents across the U.S.(Child
Mind Disorder Institute). Many teens use hashtag depression for days they feel down or when
they have a bad week but there is a difference between mental illness and a bad day. When
someone has a mental illness it weighs them down like a rock keeping them from doing what
they love. It takes them away from everything makes them fear everything, makes them feel
alone. Also scrawling eat less or depression across a t-shirt doesnt make a person look
cool or stand out it makes them look as though theyre making fun of what other people deal
with , like they can just get over it . Mental illness shouldnt be glamourized in society today
because of companies abusing it, mistuning the term between bad day and mental illness , and
lastly how to get help.
It's almost as if hipster retailer Urban Outfitters has a formula: once a year or more, a
fresh outrage erupts on the internet after one of their products is deemed offensive. Sometimes
Urban Outfitters pulls the offending product, but other times it sells out first. So, in the first week
of 2014, it should come as a surprise to no one that Urban Outfitters is already embroiled in a
argument over a top accused of mocking mental illness. The shirt is a black and white crop top
repeating the word "depression". Urban Outfitters could make a weak argument about how they
were just trying to raise awareness about mental health (Krupnick). Instead, pointing to the

Holly M. Arend
03/01/16
Wilson
4th hr

organization who actually does exist to raise awareness on such a pervasive issue: the National
Alliance on Mental Illness. Depression affects as many as 8% of Americans. A startling 25
million of us will have a major depressive episode this year, and when untreated, depression can
lead to suicide. For reasons unknown, depression occurs 70% more frequently in women
(ironically, the very same demographic as the target consumer for that crop top). Of course,
Urban Outfitters knows all this. The company banks on products generating an outrage,
conveying to young shoppers they're an "edgy" brand. This isnt the first time Urban outfitters
has done this : back in 2010, Urban Outfitters sold a women's t-shirt that read "Eat Less"; in
2011, the Navajo Nation spanked the store for using its name and designs on products, including
a flask; in 2012, the store was criticized for selling a novelty card about "a closet tranny". Just
before the holidays, the store pulled a pair of socks depicting the Hindu deity, Ganesh
(Krupnick).
Teens go to the computer to vent about feelings. They use hashtags to express how they feel for
example #depression or #anxiety are big ones. Teens use hashtag depression for hen they feel sad
or hashtag anxiety for when theyre scared. Theres a difference between sad and depression and
anxiety and being scared. According to the Sydney Morning Herald we can fight mental illness
using social media but yet we dont. There are multiple online sources for teens to go for help
with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, etc. , for example Bell Lets Talk a Canadian
organization that advocates for teen to get help with mental illness and talk about how to make
others aware (Sydney Morning Herald) . Bell Lets Talk is an organization that dedicates a day
every year January 27th to be exact to raise awareness for mental illness. The organization has
raised over a 100 million since 2010 (Bell Lets Talk). Yet our society never talks about it, why?

Holly M. Arend
03/01/16
Wilson
4th hr

The reason is because mental illness is a dirty word in society never really praised or helped.
Yet there is a whole month dedicated to cancer awareness.
A bad day consist of bad events all in a row. This can be from Donald Trump running for
president, a bad test grade, or your parents yelling at you. Unlike a bad day mental illness weight
on shoulders, the person cant talk to anyone, they cant do what they love, and makes them feel
alone
About 20 percent of teens will experience teen depression before they reach adulthood.
Most teens with depression will suffer from more than one episode. 20 to 40 percent will have
more than one episode within two years, and 70 percent will have more than one episode before
adulthood. Episodes of teen depression generally last about 8 months. Dysthymia, a type of mild,
long-lasting depression, affects about 2 percent of teens, and about the same percentage of teens
develop bipolar disorder in their late teenage years. 15 percent of teens with depression
eventually develop bipolar disorder(Speak Up For Kids). Teenagers with depression are likely to
have a smaller social circle and take advantage of fewer opportunities for education or careers.
Untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide, the third leading cause of death among
teenagers. 90 percent of suicide victims suffer from a mental illness, and suffering from
depression can make a teenager as much as 12 times more likely to attempt suicide.
Unfortunately, less than 33 percent of teens with depression get help, yet 80 percent of teens with
depression can be successfully treated. (Child Mind Institute)
The signs of mental illness are if someones not doing what they love anymore. If the person
isnt at school as much. If the person is acting differently or if the person hasnt done anything
they use too (New York Times). Talk to someone if you or someone you know is in need of help,

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counselors, psychiatrists, parents, teachers, etc. are always here for you. Always get help no
matter what the circumstance and dont ever feel alone
Thus society shouldnt be putting mental illnesses on shirts for attention. We should be
advocating how to help and save lives of those who have mental illness. Lastly we should
advocate how to get help. Mental illness shouldnt be glamourized in society today.

Holly M. Arend
03/01/16
Wilson
4th hr

Works Cited
1. "Bell Let's Tall." Bell Let's Talk. N.p., n.d. Web.
2. Krupnick, Ellie. "Urban Outfitters Pulls 'Depression' Shirt From Shelves, Says It's Sorry
(Again)." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2016.
3. "Mental Illness Awareness." New York Times 11 Dec. 2015. Global Issues In Context. Web. 9
Feb. 2016
4. "Social media can fight mental illness." Sydney Morning Herald [Sydney, Australia] 19 Jan.
2016: 17. Global Issues In Context. Web. 9 Feb. 2016
5. "Speak Up For Kids Mental Health Report." Speak Up For Kids Mental Health Report. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2016.