Target's "OCD Obsessive Christmas Disorder" sweater is not sitting well with some people who claim it trivializes mental illness, but the store said it plans to continue selling the item anyway.
Target's "OCD" sweater, a play on obsessive-compulsive disorder, is part of the retailer's so-called Ugly Christmas Sweater collection, which pokes fun at the
Christmas tradition, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a condition characterized by unreasonable thoughts and fears that lead a person to
perform repetitive behaviors, according to the Mayo Clinic. Victims of the disorder are often driven to perform compulsive acts in an effort to ease stressful feelings or anxiety.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, OCD often starts during childhood and is diagnosed in most people around age 19. It currently affects about 2.2 million American adults.
"We never want to disappoint our guests and we apologize for any discomfort," Jessica Carlson, a spokeswoman for Target, told the Chicago Tribune. "We currently do not have plans to remove this sweater."
Other humorous Christmas-related items at Target include an Ugly Christmas Tree and a sweater featuring the message "On The Naughty List," but none have attracted the same attention as the Obsessive Christmas Disorder sweater.
Some have taken to social media to complain about the sweater.
Others, though, said they were not bothered by it.
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