Upset by offensive comments at work

[Namechangedforthis0]

I've name changed as this would out me, work at very small workplace.
Today a person at work started talking about someone he knew having mental health issues, and being "nutty as a fruit cake" because they had been sectioned.
AIBU to be upset by this which I consider to be incredibly offensive (I have MH issues myself and have been sectioned)?
I called him out but he really did not seem to understand how offensive he was being (other colleagues did and tried to shut him up but he kept blathering on).
What, if anything, should I do about it?

Pengggwn
I agree. Language change is a thing. Words shift their meanings over time.

Just on MN it's good to virtue signal (one thread someone said they never need to use idiot ir any word to express the same meaning because that's not something they go around thinking )

OP Depending on the structure of your company, it is worth raising. What they said wasn't on and taking the mick out of people who have been sectioned only shows their own lack of awareness.

I am giving an honest opinion and my opinion is that being offended and upset is ridiculous and expecting "disability awareness training" for using the term "nutty" is absurd and something I imagine could only happen in the public sector - not in real life.

Hear hear. In Mumsnet land he should be reported to his manager, HR and the office cleaner. He should then be hung drawn and quarterted in the staff car park. In reality You have called he out on it, now get on with your life - there really are more important things to get upset about.

I have MH issues and I don't care about those comments. Pick your battles. It's so exhausting to be offended by everything

Honestly some people just love getting offended these days. Let it go and toughen up a bit.

sorry but it is just how people talk until they have personal experience of MH issues.
When my brother was diagnosed, i realised how much of our language might offend someone. 'She went mad' 'it was crazy' and so on...
You really cannot police a language.

'Nutty as a fruit bat' was one of our favourites ...

We need a word that means what stupid means in common parlance. It doesn't usually mean someone with learning difficulties. It describes behaviour which is foolish and possibly dangerous because of lack of forethought or consideration or ignorance or a mixture of all of them. It's not quite the opposite of sensible but well on the way.

If I were you I would report to HR to be honest. Taking the piss out someone's mental health is pretty nasty.

The person is not discussing a collegue but an out of work friend/acquaintance. I fail to see what a mythical HR is going to do.

Again context is everything. When my DH was in ICU the consultant was discussing bringing him round and said it had to be done gently as he wasnt taking the risk of "arms failing, he could be mad as a cut snake". I certainly didnt find it offensive.

I find all this being offended, offensive!
I'm sick to the back teeth of it!

Dh runs a huge site and recently went on a 3 day mental health training course. He is very open minded and knowledgeable, but even this course educated him and opened his mind significantly.

I think people who don't know any better say these flippant things all the time. Not that this is ok.

So the man wasn't talking to you?
You just over-heard this conversation. That he was having with someone else? And he wasn't discussing an employee, just an acquaintance of his.

I don't know what HR could do about that.

He was talking to me, describing how he had just met said person in town.
Interesting mix of replies, thanks.
He is on a ftc so I'll just suck it up for now. If he gets made permanent I'll request the disability awareness training - that would be quite fun as all training is given internally usually by the bosses.