Charity blasts Boohoo for ‘Obsessive Christmas Disorder’ pyjama slogan

Mental health charity blasts online fashion chain Boohoo for selling festive pyjamas with the ‘offensive’ slogan ‘Obsessive Christmas Disorder’

• The charity OCD Action claims logo ‘trivialises’ obsessive compulsive disorder 
• Those diagnosed carry out repetitive behaviours and battle intrusive thoughts
• Festive set has OCD written on it and ‘Obsessive Christmas Disorder’ underneath
• Boohoo said it was aware of complaints regarding pyjamas and is investigating

A mental health charity has slammed the online fashion retailer Boohoo for selling festive pyjamas with the slogan ‘Obsessive Christmas Disorder’.

OCD Action claims the logo ‘trivialises’ obsessive compulsive disorder and called it an insult to those living with the condition.

The disorder affects up to 750,000 Britons and sees those diagnosed carrying out repetitive behaviours and battling intrusive thoughts. 

The festive set, on sale for £17, has OCD written on the top and ‘Obsessive Christmas Disorder’ underneath.

The word obsessive was written with the O as Rudolph’s red nose combined with a pair of antlers.

A mental health charity has slammed the online fashion retailer Boohoo for selling festive pyjamas with the slogan ‘Obsessive Christmas Disorder’

Olivia Bamber, the Youth Service and Communications Manager of OCD Action, said: ‘Products which mock or trivialise OCD add to these misconceptions and can stop people who are genuinely affected by the condition seeking help, often due to a fear that they will not be taken seriously.

‘It’s important that we challenge these trivialising products, even though their intention is not to cause any distress or offense.

‘OCD Action welcomes conversations with organisations and is happy to help educate them about how they can contribute positively to people’s understanding of this debilitating mental health condition.’

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Another OCD charity, OCD-UK, has also contacted Boohoo about the item and has been advised that the online retailer will review whether or not to ban it from sale.

Twitter users have also brought the pyjama set to Boohoo’s attention online with one user posting: ‘Hey Boohoo, what’s the deal with these pyjamas? OCD is a read, valid mental illness, that effects and can destroy lives.

‘It’s not something to make jokes about. I know for a fact that there would not be pyjamas with the jokes about depression, bipolar disorder, anorexia etc.’

Social media users claim the logo ‘trivialises’ obsessive compulsive disorder and called it an insult to those living with the condition

This incident comes after TK Maxx had to apologise and pull a line of ‘OCD’ kitchenware after receiving a backlash from campaigners online.

The novelty Christmas items were emblazoned with the slogan ‘I have O.C.D. * Obsessive Christmas Disorder’.

Ashley Fulwood, chief executive of OCD-UK, said this is not the first time they have had to battle offensive products.

Ashley said: ‘There are two issues – one is that it trivialises it and the second is that it fuels these misconceptions of OCD being something quirky. It fails to recognize that the D in OCD stands for disorder.

‘It’s not just a case of us being easily offended. People fail to realise how severe it can be. It destroys lives, relationships, careers and sadly we have tragic consequences of people taking their own lives.’

A Boohoo spokesman said they are investigating, adding: ‘We are aware.’

The festive set, on sale for £17, has OCD written on the top and ‘Obsessive Christmas Disorder’ underneath. The word obsessive was written with the O as Rudolph’s red nose combined with a pair of antlers

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