Fruitcake, Nuts, Bananas And Crackers

[Lucycat]

I appreciate that some people find these terms offensive, negative and stigmatising. Quite simply I don't. However I am curious as to how these food items became associated with Mental Health.

I asked T, and although he does not know the answer he told me a wee true story. A Mental Health Patient Advocate demanded that the above words were removed from all printed literature at the local Psychiatric Hospital while my T still worked on the wards there. As a consequence these item were all removed from the patients' menu cards. Banana pudding was replaced with Butterscotch pudding etc. - all for the sake of Political Correctness. When Christmas Day arrived the box of *you know what* had been relabelled 'Pull and bang things for Christmas!'

What does anybody else think? Are you bothered by these terms?

 

[digger]

I don't find those words offensive. I think they're type of words that are (generally) used jokingly. Softly rather than offensively. Personally I think a sense of humour is essential if you're going to go 'nuts'. Would be interesting to know how they came about though.

 

[bluebird]

OK, you got me - I kept staring at these words wondering what the hell is supposed to be wrong with them :lol:Guess my english needs to get better! I honestly do not know (except for "go nuts") that they are used in this way as well :whistle:

 

[Meadowsweet]

I don't find those terms offensive. they're playful and help me to gently find the humour in some of my reactions to life. I find that quite healing, and much better than beating myself up for being a bit nutty.

Of course at the time that I'm having a nutty reaction, it is very serious and not anything at all to laugh at. But as the years pass, I see the person who quite literally sat in a wardrobe because i just wanted to get away from the world, or had a crazy panic feeling like I was trapped on an internet forum, until someone kindly pointed out that I could just turn my computer off :insane:!

I have had someone say nastily that I need 'professional help', but never heard the terms nuts said in a derogatory way. I think I might be offended if I went to the doctor for help with mental illness and he said I was nuts. But if it helps me take the very painful episodes in my life more lightly, then it works for me.