{"id":57717,"date":"2017-11-08T10:15:33","date_gmt":"2017-11-08T15:15:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/these-antidepressant-pillows-have-divided-mental-health-campaigners\/"},"modified":"2017-11-08T10:15:33","modified_gmt":"2017-11-08T15:15:33","slug":"these-antidepressant-pillows-have-divided-mental-health-campaigners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/these-antidepressant-pillows-have-divided-mental-health-campaigners\/","title":{"rendered":"These Antidepressant Pillows Have Divided Mental Health Campaigners"},"content":{"rendered":"

These Antidepressant Pillows Have Divided Mental Health Campaigners<\/b><\/p>\n

A range of cushions replicating medication used to treat depression and anxiety have divided mental health<\/a> campaigners.<\/p>\n

The pillows, by interiors brand Jonathan Adler, come in three styles: Xanax (sometimes prescribed for anxiety), Prozax (a common antidepressant) and Quaalude\u00a0(an illegal sedative).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

While some campaigners believe the pillows \u201cturn a serious issue into a gimmick\u201d, others claim they could help mental ill health become \u201can accepted part of everyone\u2019s life\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The pillows reportedly first sparked a backlash on Instagram after a photo of them was shared by the official Jonathan Adler account.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to Metro.co.uk<\/a>, some commenting claimed the cushions were made in \u201cpoor taste\u201d while others thought they were \u201cfunny and irreverent\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Instagram post has since been deleted, but the cushions remain available to purchase online.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cPerk up your sofa with the right pharmaceuticals,\u201d the product description reads.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur Prozac Needlepoint Pillow brings our affair with all things medicinal to your pillowscape. Take just one, or follow our professional recommendation to mix the whole assortment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Commenting on the mixed reception the products have received, Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of the mental health charity SANE<\/a>, said the pillows could normalise mental ill health.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile some people may take offence at these cushions, we do not wish to criticise Jonathan Adler, or to demand their withdrawal from sale,\u201d she told HuffPost UK.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there is no intention to cause offence we don\u2019t think it is helpful to be too prescriptive, as it risks creating a climate in which people may be frightened from talking about mental health at all.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if we are constantly treading on egg-shells, how can we make mental health an accepted part of everyone\u2019s life?\u201d<\/p>\n

But Craig Butler,<\/a> a mental health campaigner who has previously written about his own experiences of depression, disagrees.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not a big fan of these,\u201d he told HuffPost UK.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m all for trying to making light of serious issues as it\u2019s important, but this is at a point where society is just establishing mental health as a credible and major issue and my personal opinion is that this jeopardises that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think things like this just turn a serious issue into a gimmick – it feels cheap to me and I don\u2019t think turning mental health into a novelty is helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n

It seems the jury is well and truly out on this one. What do you think of the pillows? Tweet us at @huffpolifestyle to tell us your thoughts.<\/p>\n

HuffPost UK has contacted Jonathan Adler for comment and is awaiting response.<\/em><\/p>\n

Useful websites and helplines:<\/strong><\/p>\n