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Cleo Runge

Prof. Kretzer

English 1201 Online

20 March 2019

Mental Illness in the Media

When I was about nine years old, my mom found me having my first severe anxiety

attack in my room. Realizing that I was having difficulty stifling unwanted thoughts, she decided

then and there that I would need to get some sort of therapy. At such a young age, I did not

entirely understand what that meant; all my innocent mind could comprehend was that I did not

have as much control over my fears as the other kids around me. Nonetheless, it became part of

my weekly routine to visit a therapist and talk about things that made me anxious. Roughly four

years later, I found myself in the middle of a doctor’s appointment with my parents. When my

parents were questioned about my previous health concerns, both mental and physical, I heard

my mom say, “she has slight OCD.” Wait, what? I asked my mom if she was serious, and she

replied with, “you had to get therapy for it, remember?” I was baffled; I thought having OCD, or

obsessive compulsive disorder, just meant that one would always have a need for tidiness and

symmetry. How had I gone four years of my life without being aware that what I was being

treated for was considered a form of OCD?

It turns out that I was not alone in this way of thinking, but not just with OCD. Thousands

of people nowadays have some sort of misconception about a mental illness, whether it's about

the symptoms, the treatment, or how it affects people. People joke about “being OCD” for being

clean freaks, underestimate the emotional struggles of depression, or associate severe

psychological disorders with danger. Even though mental health is becoming a bigger issue as

time goes on, much of the general population still fails to understand how common mental
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disorders really work. How exactly has this happened? Well, it largely has to do with the media.

Finding exaggerated portrayals of mental conditions in movies, TV shows, newspapers, and

more is extremely common. While articles are informing readers about the crimes of a

schizophrenic, a new TV episode may be introducing a mentally ill character based solely off of

stereotypes. Since the public exposed to the media every day, the abundance of inaccurate

depictions has likely been a large contributor to their misunderstandings, if not the main factor.

People should not be relying on mass media to learn about mental illnesses. Doing so only

contaminates their minds with stereotypes, creates negative biases, and distracts from the much

more accurate sources.

While there are countless ways that mental disorders have been misrepresented in popular

movies, a notable example comes from the fairly recent film “Split.” Directed by M. Night

Shyamalan, “Split” tells the story of a group of girls who are kidnapped by a man with multiple

personas (Nedelman 1-3). The movie’s antagonist is depicted as suffering from DID, or

dissociative identity disorder, which causes one to switch back and forth between different

personalities. The main reason behind the inaccuracy is that it is far too intense; it “[portrays]

only ‘the most extreme [aspect]’ of the disorder” and exaggerates it to make it have dangerous,

criminal-like appeals (Nedelman 14). In doing so, the film ignores both the statistics of crimes

and some of the deeper reasons behind strange behavior like changing personalities. In reality,

people with DID “are far more likely to hurt themselves” than they are to perform an act of

violence (Nedelman 13). When movies make a habit out of portraying mentally ill characters as

criminals, it turns the intimidating image into a stereotype that many viewers come to recognize.

The more that viewers are exposed to inaccurate stereotypes, the more they start to believe that

said stereotypes could be true.

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Real-life DID patients have admitted to not approving of “Split” due to the harmful effect

it has on the representation of their illness. What people do not realize about DID sufferers is that

many of them used personality shifts as coping mechanisms throughout their lives. In fact, the

majority of DID patients have “suffered ongoing trauma as [young children],” which played

large contributing factors to their abnormal behavior (Nedelman 7). Patient Amelia Joubert is

just one of many examples of people with this type of background who understands the hate

towards “Split.” Because of its negative portrayal of DID, she believes the film “may deter

young people from coming out and seeking help” (Nedelman 21). Movies that contain more

positive portrayals provide relatable, usually more realistic characters that young patients may

identify with and like. These types of characters may help younger patients understand their own

disorders, as well as teach regular viewers about the way the way said patients function.

Backlash has also been seen towards modern TV shows, with “13 Reasons Why” being

one of the targets. In this series, one of the main characters, Hannah Baker, is depicted as being

depressed. In fact, the entire show revolves around her classmate listening to some tapes she

recorded, which list the reasons why she chose to end her life. Psychologist Deborah Serani

acknowledges that the show has allowed people to start discussing suicide prevention, but

believes that the portrayal of Hannah Baker’s depression is mostly stigmatizing. Because

depressed people typically “experience a profound depletion in executive functioning and have

poor impulse control,” she thinks that Hannah’s elaborate suicide attempt is not realistic (Serani

12). Even though the show has shed some light on a sensitive topic, it fails to give audience the

accurate information needed to discuss the issue properly. Serani also does not approve of the

romanticized themes and situations seen throughout “13 Reasons Why.” The show suggests that

the people most affected by a person’s suicide are his or her enemies because said enemies will
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learn to change their ways (Serani 11). According to Serani, this is a harmful way of thinking

because in reality, “the ones that are forever changed from a death by suicide are...loved ones”

(Serani 11). Assuming that suicide will cause bad people to improve themselves ignores how

detrimental suicide is for anyone who knows the victim. Although “13 Reasons Why” may have

sparked some mental health awareness in viewers’ minds, it did not present much accuracy on

the matter.

Negative biases and judgements resulting from media portrayals are just as much of a

problem as the stereotypes. In fact, stereotypes are often the main reason behind said biases.

According to a survey, “61 percent of Americans believe that people with schizophrenia are

violent towards others,” similar to how people were lead to think that people with DID are also

vicious (Levin 4). There are countless fictional villains out there with mental disorders, so the

idea that mentally ill people are dangerous may be one of the most common misunderstandings

on the issue. Adopting this way of thinking only “[increases] the already heavy burden of stigma

against all people with mental illnesses” and makes it harder to understand and accept them

(Levin 8). Associating anything with a form of danger causes one to avoid the thing or situation,

which in this case is unhealthy for both the public and the sufferers. If one chooses not to

approach a patient with a mental illness, he or she may not learn the truth about said patient’s

hardships. Without the knowledge of what a patient experiences, it may become difficult to fully

understand his or her illness. On the opposite end, the patient may have difficulty confiding in

others or seeking guidance. While being confident enough to approach others may be important,

it is just as important for all people to be willing to listen.

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Fig. 1 Stigmatization of a mental illness occurs through the following events (Northwest

Passage)

In this day and age, it is becoming increasingly more essential for the general public to at

least have a basic understanding of how mental illnesses work. Common disorders like

depression and anxiety can hold people back just as much as more severe disorders like

schizophrenia. However, common disorders are also misrepresented in the media as frequently as

severe ones, if not even more so. In entertainment media, mentally ill characters not depicted as

criminals “are likely to be depicted as childlike innocents or unconventional free spirits” instead

of showcasing the reality of their illnesses (Levin 12). Ignoring the way that people with mental
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disorders truly act and cope with it, especially those with common disorders, only adds to the

many stereotypes that have been created and accepted. Understanding common disorders should

be a priority when learning about mental illnesses because of the amount of people in the

population who suffer from one. Common does not mean less serious, especially considering the

dire consequences both patients and loved ones could have if a mental illness is left untreated.

A problem with relying on popular media to learn about mental illnesses is that accuracy

is not always a main concern for certain types of media sources. Sure, it may be important for

reality and news sources, which must maintain good reputations and a sense of credibility.

However, entertainment media is typically more concerned with keeping an audience on the edge

of their seats. Since it is typically more exciting for viewers, “what we see on TV or in the

movies is therefore several times more dramatic...than reality” (Tartakovsky 15). While not

every fictional story exaggerates reality just for the sake of enjoyment, the frequently-occurring

stereotypes and inaccuracies in most media hint that the entertainment industry has its own set of

priorities. When the industry chooses to introduce mentally ill characters, especially when said

characters may not be entirely accurate, “the key is to take the media with a grain of salt”

(Tartakovsky 19). Several popular media sources already exist with the goal of education its

audience, so relying on made-up stories and portrayals is not the best way to educate oneself on

this issue.

Besides learning from educational sources like documentaries, the public can learn a lot

about mental illness by listening to stories directly from patients with disorders. People suffering

from a wide range of mental illnesses have chosen to tell their stories of recovery and

overcoming difficult obstacles. Many of these patients have gone on to become successful

speakers, Youtubers, or other inspiring professions, helping them to spread the message that
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mental illnesses do not need to hold one back. A notable example is the speaker and researcher

Eleanor Longden, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. In her speech “The voices in my

head,” she explains how her initial, frightening experiences with her disorder as a college student

lead to the voices she could hear becoming “both [her] persecutors and [her] only perceived

companions” (Longden 4:26-4:34). Like other recorded cases of schizophrenia, Longden found

herself giving into the demands that her voices told her to follow. She tells the audience that “if

[she] proved herself worthy of their help, they could change [her] life back to how it had been,”

explaining her motivation and thought processes behind the situation (Longden 4:35-4:41). In the

end, Longden was able to overcome her hardships and join an organization dedicated to

supporting people with similar conditions. Longden provides an inspirational story for those

looking to learn about severe mental disorders, which is a huge departure from what

entertainment media typically brings to the table. Listening to this speech provides readers with

information from one’s first-hand experience with a mental illness instead of a fictional tale

based on one or two aspects of it.

Despite the many reasons to disapprove of the media’s portrayals of mental illnesses,

some may argue that the depictions have improved over the years. Excessive criticism is always

a good reason to make changes to something, and it should come as no surprise to hear that the

media often get backlash for its negative images. Efforts for improvement have shown that with

enough education and proper information, the media can actually produce content that is accurate

enough for audiences to receive it in a positive light. In one case, a Canadian mental health

organization “[aimed] to better inform journalism students and faculty about mental illness” by

hosting a series of educational courses (Whitley 9). Each course was designed to teach the

students about a different area or aspect of writing about mental illness in an appropriate manner.
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The attempts proved to be a success, as “articles with a positive tone had almost doubled” and

“those with stigmatizing language had reduced significantly” as a result (Whitley 13). Audiences

reacted to the changes very well, indicating that they wanted to see positive portrayals just as

much as mental health professionals and patients. Perhaps if similar endeavors are made, then the

media will eventually become flooded with accuracy and sensitivity, which will also reduce the

amount of criticism towards many of the media’s mental illness depictions.

There may be an abundance of negative portrayals of mental disorders in the media, but

that does not mean that audiences should be blind to the positive ones. The media has its fair

share of precise representations, and professionals believe that they can be rather informing.

Psychotherapist Jeffrey Sumber approves of the portrayals in the movie “Julien Donkey Boy,”

which contains a character suffering from schizophrenia. According to Sumber, the movie is

successful because it is“intensely unsettling, disturbing, and at times utterly absurd, and yet there

are few films that have done the illness as much justice” (Tartakovsky 9). Sumber is also

accepting of the representation in the movie “The Sixth Sense.” In fact, Bruce Willis’

“[demonstration of] the methodical, note-taking, conscientious side of the therapist behind the

door” makes his portrayal Sumber’s personal favorite (Tartakovsky 13). Real-life therapists

approving of mental illness depictions is a good sign for the future of mental health awareness.

When positive portrayals occur more often, it could mean “the beginning of a transition toward

less stereotypical and simplified mediated representations” (Parrott 38). The media’s best

portrayals of mental illness can help change people’s views on the matter for the better. Viewers

can benefit from watching fictional movies with pragmatic depictions of mental illness because

the films are more likely to catch their interest and the characters are realistic enough to be

educational. It is also beneficial for those suffering from their own mental illness, as it exposes
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them to depictions that do not imply discrimination and, therefore, could lessen their fear of

getting treatment.

The problem with assuming that the media will get better is that it ignores how efforts are

not made frequently enough, which could be why people continue to be biased. Yes, there have

been numerous times when positive portrayals have seen the light of day, but the negative ones

still distract the public from the truth. If the media was already good enough at teaching people

the truth about mental illnesses, there would be no need for the continuation of many of today’s

mental health awareness movements. Audiences still find problems in the way popular movies

and TV shows portray mentally ill characters, such as “Split” and “13 Reasons Why.” Poor

portrayals have ultimately led to people associating mental illnesses with negativity and

sometimes harm. Research has shown “that the media in general are perceived as the root of such

attitudes,” which would not be the case if the media was good at portraying it and the public

actually understood mental illness (Pirkis 42). If the media portrays mental disorders positively

more often, then people’s attitudes would be more positive as well. The public’s attitude may be

more likely to change faster if the media makes more of an effort to be accurate.

It may also be true that successful portrayals of mental illnesses currently exist in popular

media, but they are not very common at all. Most of the representations that are found in the

media tend to be negative, and the recent ones are no exceptions. Movies like “Split” focus on

just one part of a mental disorder and exaggerate it for entertainment, which is not an effective

way to inform audiences about how mental illnesses really work. A lack of accuracy can

sometimes be attributed to companies not doing enough research on the subject matter for films

and shows. For example, “13 Reasons Why” “did not have any input from mental health

professionals or suicide prevention experts” for its first season (Serani 15). Doing a little extra
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research when writing a script could result in a much more precise film, similar to how a student

might do extra research to make an essay more reliable. As seen in Whitley’s article, audiences

like to see positive improvements of mental health portrayals in the media, as it proves that

writers are genuinely willing to be respectful of sensitive subjects. However, it has been difficult

to determine whether or not recent changes in media representations have been effective. One

particular study that examined mental illness stereotypes in crime dramas actually concluded

with some mixed results. While some of the results showed more evidence that “not much

progress was made in lessening the association of mental illness with violence,” there was also

enough evidence to suggest that representations were becoming “more ambiguous and perhaps

[painting] a more hopeful picture” (Parrott 38). If scholarly research is suggesting that there is

still more work to be done, then the efforts to improve mental health depictions are not truly

finished.

In our current society, there are just not enough signs that relying on media

representations of mental illnesses are beneficial. The current depictions are too stereotypical and

lead people to adopt negative attitudes. There are much better ways for people to learn about

mental illnesses, mainly by referring to real-life stories instead of fictional worlds and characters.

Loads of work still needs to be done in order to lift the negativity from people’s minds, whether

it is the public being more aware of what they are exposed to or the media putting in more effort

to be accurate. Understanding mental illnesses is turning into a necessity because more and more

people suffer from one each year, and they need guidance from their loved ones rather than

ignorance. If I have learned anything since first discovering my anxiety, it is that all mental

health sufferers are really asking for is empathy.

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Works Cited

Levin, Aaron. “Media Cling to Stigmatizing Portrayals of Mental Illness.” Psychiatric

News, 16 Dec. 2011, p. 18,

psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/pn.46.24.psychnews_46_24_16-a. Accessed

21 March 2019.
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Longden, Eleanor, performer. The Voices in My Head | Eleanor Longden. YouTube,

TED, 8 Aug. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=syjEN3peCJw. Accessed 22 March

2019.

Nedelman, Michael. “What Shyamalan's 'Split' Gets Wrong.” CNN, Cable News

Network, 23 Jan. 2017, 4:32 PM, www.cnn.com/2017/01/23/health/shyamalan-split-

movie-dissociative-identity-disorder/index.html. Accessed 20 March 2019.

Parrott, Scott, and Caroline T. Parrott. “Law & Disorder: The Portrayal of Mental Illness

in U.S. Crime Dramas.” Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, vol. 59, no. 4, Dec.

2015, pp. 640–657. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/08838151.2015.1093486.

Pirkis, Jane, et al. “On-Screen Portrayals of Mental Illness: Extent, Nature, and Impacts.”

Journal of Health Communication, vol. 11, no. 5, July 2006, pp. 523–541. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1080/10810730600755889.

Serani, Deborah. “'13 Reasons Why': The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” Psychology

Today, Sussex Publishers, 16 May 2017, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/two-takes-

depression/201705/13-reasons-why-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly. Accessed 6 April

2019.

Tartakovsky, Margarita. “The Media and Mental Illness: The Good, the Bad and the

Ridiculous.” Psych Central, 8 Oct. 2018, psychcentral.com/lib/the-media-and-mental-

illness-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ridiculous/. Accessed 6 April 2019.

“The Vicious Cycle of Stigma Www.nwpltd.org.” Pinterest, Northwest Passage,

www.pinterest.com/pin/295548794270300668/. Accessed 6 April 2019.

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Whitley, Robert. “Is The Media Getting Better At Portraying Mental Illness?” HuffPost

Canada, 17 Feb. 2017, 5:41, www.huffingtonpost.ca/robertwhitley/media-portraying-

mental-illness_b_14798608.html. Accessed 22 March 2019.