Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/893950
maltatoday SUNDAY 29 OCTOBER 2017 News 11 AMY MICALLEF DECESARE WHEN did shop owners decide it was time to stock their shelves with skeletons, witch hats and pumpkin-spiced cookies? They can't be blamed. After all, excited children likely began raid- ing their stores on the search for the perfect ghoul costume weeks ago. But how did Halloween, a celebra- tion commonly associated with all things dark and ghoulish, start being celebrated in a Catholic stronghold like Malta? According to popular toy shop Juniors, Halloween today is "even more popular than carnival". Most stores noted a rise in popu- larity between six and seven years ago, and though many have wel- comed the celebration with open arms, some people still have their doubts. Such as Edgar Tonna, the husband of the President of the Republic Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, who believes Halloween is a satanic holi- day. "Let's educate our children and ourselves to this practice, and maybe end it once and for all," he recently said. His sentiment, though on a milder level, is shared by the management of toy store the Model Shop. While admitting that Halloween celebra- tions have been all the rage in Malta, especially over the last few years, they refuse to stock any Halloween- related products, including cos- tumes, creepy face paint and the like. "We're Christians and in theory, we just don't agree with the concept, so Halloween is the only line we don't stock," a store mamager said. PartyTime owner, Stephen Cas- sar, on the other hand, has different ideas, saying "Halloween is a big deal for us". "People are much more adventur- ous with their costumes and decora- tions, and the Halloween requests are endless," he said. "Over the past six years, it's become about as popu- lar as carnival I would say". In spite of receiving pressure to take down Halloween products, the managing director of Mecca Enter- prises, Nichol Chetcuti did no such thing. "We got a lot of resistance from the church. We received calls, mes- sages and letters. They even called us Satanists," he said. Is it just toy store owners who have embraced 'AllHallows Eve'? Not at all. Just ask Swieqi resi- dent J P Barthet, who with his wife Johanna, hosts a haunted Trick or Treat walk in their garage and the surrounding garden area every year. What started as a mere alterna- tive to the run-of-the-mill ringing of doorbells and collecting of sweets six years ago, Barthet's event has since taken the town by a storm, with over 3,000 people taking part. Entry is free though a small donation would be appreciated, as all proceeds go to- wards the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. In Malta, as is observed in primar- ily Western regions of the world, 31 October has become synonymous with partying, (seemingly) harm- less pranks, sweet collecting and the scaring of your friendly neighbours. And the truth is that whether you plan on embracing it for all its worth, giving kids sweets and dress- ing up as one of the twins from The Shining or closing your doors off to anything remotely spooky, Hallow- een doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. Is Halloween in Malta really 'more popular than carnival'? DENISE GRECH BIPOLAR disorder is a mental health stigma which is driving suf- ferers into hiding as more than 4,000 patients suffering from this 'invisible' disease remain either un- aware of their situation or are afraid to come forward. The illness, also known as manic-depressive illness, causes unusually frequent mood swings and shifts in energy and ac- tivity levels. The Bipolar Self-Help group that set out to reassure families in need of help due to this disorder, brings together families of sufferers in an effort to combat the mental health stigma. "Someone's mental health does not define them," co-founder and bipolar disorder survivor Albert McCarthy said. "You are not your condition," he insisted. Only 2,000 of the 6,000 bipo- lar disorder patients in Malta are open about their condition to their friends and families, he said. "When my husband was diag- nosed, I knew nothing about the condition. I realised that, just like me, many families out there don't know about bipolar disorder and need someone to lean on," wife and co-founder Lina McCarthy said. Speaking to MaltaToday, the couple opened up about the dan- gers of the condition, saying that during episodes of mania – one of the symptoms of bipolar disor- der – people may end up spending money recklessly, without being conscious of the situation. Relatives are often left to deal with the brunt of financial losses as a result. Another hazard related to manic episodes is that a person's elated state leaves them vulnerable to loan sharks, gambling and other forms of addiction. And once again, mem- bers of the family and the patients themselves will somehow have to deal with the consequences after- wards. Furthermore to, literally, add in- sult to injury, bipolar disorder also causes strong depressive episodes, when the persons who undergo the mental trauma feel ashamed of themselves and the reckless deci- sions they took during their manic states. "One of the greatest dangers of the condition is that patients are prone to suicidal tendencies after their manic episodes," Lina McCa- rthy said. The couple insisted that being open to diagnosis of mental health illness spares many families from increasing financial and emotional stress. But mental health stigma means many are still afraid to approach their GP to talk about their behav- iour. "Sometimes, it's enough for our participants to admit their diag- nosis," Lina McCarthy said. "The hardest part of our self-help group is seeing people who refuse to seek help because they are afraid of be- ing judged for it." For this reason, the couple en- courages those who believe they might be affected by the symptom to visit their general practitioner. "You shouldn't be afraid of visit- ing your doctor," said Albert Mc- Carthy. "Families are often more supportive than you believe." Using words like 'crazy' casually to describe people with mental health problems continues to perpetuate the mental health stigma and alien- ate sufferers from accessing help, he added. "Before we came out into the open, we spoke to our children and wives because we were afraid that their kids would get bullied, with their classmates teasing them about their 'crazy grandfather'," he continued. The couple, however, admit that the stigma has changed over time, saying that the number of people who are open about the condition has risen. Family members are also more accepting of relatives who suffer from bipolar disorder. The Be Positive Self Help group organise a monthly meeting at the Russian Chapel in San Anton Gar- dens. Hidden illnesses: Behind bipolar disorder and mental health stigma Albert and Lina McCarthy: Grateful that stigma associated with mental health is on the decline