WP2: Mental Health in Media

Greta Cox

WP2

Portrayal of Mental Health in Film, Television, and Theater

Mental Health issues are a relevant aspect of everyday life. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, in 2021 approximately one in five adults experienced mental illness, or around 57.8 million people. At one point in time, mental illness was never diagnosed, therapy was not an option, and mental health was never discussed with family or friends. Nowadays, mental health and illness is becoming less and less of a taboo subject.

As a theater student diagnosed with mental health issues including OCD, depression, and anxiety since I was ten years old, I have been a strong advocate for accurate portrayal of mental health issues in various commonly used media platforms. Specifically, these included film, television, and theatrical representation. The University of Rochester believes “portrayals of mental illness in film are often superficial, stigmatizing, and inaccurate. Many overemphasize stereotypical negative attributes such as violence, aggression, and bizarre behavior, as well as, rely on demeaning slang terms to refer to mentally ill individuals” (rochester.edu). However, CBR lists several movies, including Silver Linings Playbook and Perks of Being a Wallflower, and states that they believed these films dive into illnesses such as bipolar disorder and ptsd with the respect and accurate depiction they deserve. Mindframe discusses ways in which mental health in these media outlets, when done correctly, can provide an opportunity for sensitive, engaging, and powerful material. However, Mindframe contrasts this idea and states that when handled poorly, storylines can have harmful effects, perpetuating the stigma associated with mental ill-health and reducing the likelihood that those with mental ill-health will seek appropriate help. I wanted to see whether those in my generation agreed or disagreed with these sentiments and in what ways.

I surveyed several college age students, many of which have a passion for theater and cinema, to determine their own opinions of the portrayal of mental health issues and specific instances where they believed the portrayal either got it very right, or very wrong. Personally, I believe mental health issues are often dramatized or stereotyped in a way that is harmful to those who may be suffering with them in real life. I was interested in seeing if this generation of artists was able to draw back to examples and measure ways in which these examples portrayed mental health accurately or ways in which these examples missed the mark.

I surveyed a total of nineteen students, in which 68.4% said the portrayal of mental health and mental illness in film, television, and theater was not accurate. I expected the number to be more drastic, but I also assumed more than half would think mental health was not portrayed accurately. Because I surveyed college students, mental health discussion is most likely more apparent in today’s educational setting creating more opinion. In my own theater classes, storyline and accuracy is a discussed topic and vital to ensuring a story being told either onscreen or on stage is realistic.

I then asked for specific examples of these portrayals in the media and whether they believed these films, television shows, or theater pieces were accurate or inaccurate based on how they answered the above question. Students mostly believed these art forms overexaggerated or made the mental illness the entire personality of the person. Many film and television examples came up including 13 Reasons Why, a television show that resulted in much praise and also much scrutiny for its depiction of depression and suicide. Many believed the television show went too far with its depiction of mental health, and others believed it brought a new light to teenage depression and anxiety. One student even said 13 Reasons Why “romanticized” suicide, a phrase many news articles used to describe the main character’s continued relevance throughout the show even after she took her own life. Albright University’s Dr. Swansea Jacobsen stated how the show “focuses on blaming others, as opposed to recognizing that greater than 90 percent of individuals who complete suicide actually struggled with mental illness” (albright.edu). Two students brought up the musical Dear Evan Hansen, a story centered around a boy named Evan who lied to a family that he knew their late son (who took his own life) in order to get closer to the sister he was in love with. One student argued the musical did a mediocre job at representing mental health struggles, and the storyline was clouded by catchy songs and choreography. The Daily Aztec author states the show “misses the mark” in its portrayal of mental illness and does not make someone watching think about their own mental health struggles when the story is fogged by someone who “tries to kill himself while singing.” I would’ve brought up the musical Jagged Little Pill, a haunting story of addiction, sexual assault, and family dynamics set to the tunes of Alanis Morissette. This was the first time I saw mental health accurately depicted. I saw a mother struggling with routine and anxiety/depression with hauntingly beautiful choreography and internally I thought “this is what mental illness looks like.This is how I have felt before.”

I answered no above but I am a bit mixed. I feel like it depends on the piece that we are talking about. For example, in Suits they show that the main character Harvey has anxiety and panic attacks in the later seasons. I felt that the way his panic attacks were depicted in the show was veryyy accurate in how they used camera work, audio, and even his own acting/ emotions to show what he was going through. However, my answer above is no since I feel that a lot of times there aren’t a lot of people with health/ mental illness. At least in the shows that I watch there are often either references to people who might have depression or have committed suicide but they don’t really show the journey that the character goes through. In a few dramas that I have seen as well, I feel that when a character has an illness it is depicted in a way that makes it the character’s entire personality rather than just one characteristic about their person.

Dear Evan Hansen

13 Reasons Why, Virgin Suicides, A Streetcar Named Desire. Suicide and depression is portrayed as used for revenge, being fetished/romanticized, and/or those with mental health as crazy or insane

While I can not think of a specific example, I feel that anxiety is dramatized and exaggerated in the media.

Social media as a whole portrays an inaccurate version because people only post when they are doing good but not the unglamorous side of things.

Urinetown, Lion King, Barbie

inside out

I think the Joker is a great movie that covers mental health issues. I think shows like Euphoria dramatize it and are not

The one film that comes to mind is Still Alice (about a woman with early Alzheimer) and I believe they did a very accurate description of describing the development of the illness itself. I also believe they did a good job of capturing how the illness not only impacts the person suffering from the illness, but also those around them.

Gossip Girl: There are many circumstances of undiagnosed mental health experiences/symptoms, such as Blair’s eating disorder, Chuck’s substance abuse, and Serena’s PTSD and abandonment wound that aren’t given proper clinical light throughout the series.

I think in general, the depictions aren’t terrible, but they’re often exaggerated. A beautiful mind is a good movie that tells the story of John Nash’s life with paranoid schizophrenia. The depiction is more or less accurate but slightly fictionalized and exaggerated

Dear Evan Hansen: I wouldn’t say it does a poor job, but more a mediocre one. The songs are catchy and everything but it definitely takes a more surface level approach, but that may because it is supposed to be theatrical and not completely daunting and disheartening.

I think Tony Soprano, the main character in the TV show The Sopranos, is a very accurate portrayal of depression. This is shown through his discussions with his therapist as well as his interactions with family and other people.

13 Reasons Why actually romanticized suicide

Honestly, I have been racking my brain trying to think of specific examples that I’ve seen and couldn’t really think of any. In general though, I think that because everyone’s experience with mental health is so different, it makes it really difficult for anyone to accurately portray it, as someone’s truth may not align with another’s.

Next, I asked what specifically these media platforms could do better to accurately portray these mental health issues (If the student initially stated these platforms were failing to portray these problems with accuracy). I believe this question is important because the arts can always improve to tell stories truly based on the human experience and not just stereotypes or overgeneralizations. A common theme for these responses was consulting clinical professionals and taking the necessary research steps so that these storylines are based on fact. A few believed in the importance of simply talking about it or ensuring it is an open conversation on social media or everyday life. It could be an interesting choice to have psychologists at various rehearsals or filming of these television shows and movies to ensure the storylines during the entirety of the process remained true to real life experiences. This could also include the actors meeting with professionals and doing their own research to best tell these stories. One student stated that is could be necessary to talk to someone who has the mental illness, as a few surveyed noted that mental illness is on a wide specturm. There is not one way to portray depression/anxiety, and some mental illness cases are more severe than others.

I feel that media platforms need to include health/ mental health illnesses more. I feel like they also need to show how these illnesses are just one part of an individual and not the only defining feature about them. There is so much that they can do with camera work, music, and acting to accurately depict the experience of having a health/ mental health illness.

Take time to research real symptoms and cases

Destigmatize it and talk about it more with good intentions and boundaries.

Consult with medical professionals

I think media platforms can show that anxiety and others are part of daily life and are not at 100% at all times. People deal with these in their daily lives and it is most of the time not as noticeable as people think.

RESEARCH!!!! and actually consulting with people who have each illness/disorder to get a glimpse into their daily lives

They make the mental illness a personality trait. It is simply part of someone. Not their whole identity. Some people deal with mental health issues on a lower level but still struggle just as much.

Nothing

Not sure

I mean, even though I said yes, I believe there are still quite a few platforms that do not accurately portray mental health, and I believe what they can do to improve or more accurately portray these illnesses would be to consult professionals for these illnesses, etc.

Portraying a recognition of mental health experiences — maybe even naming then verbatim. Demonstrating a personal acknowledgement of illness and an active search for help.

Speak to professionals and those who actually suffer from the specific mental illnesses being depicted

Maybe incorporate other signs of mental illness beyond suicide/depression to make it more relatable and realistic in that not everything is in the same level of severity or always in the form of depression.

better writers who have a strong understanding of these illnesses

Consulting with a lot of different people with different experiences maybe?? I do think though that the change needs to come from the number and variety of stories being told, rather than the few spaces available for them.

Lastly, I asked students which specific mental health illnesses were used the most in these platforms. I asked this question to determine if there was a trend in the illnesses used, or if students believed a wide enough array of mental illnesses was depicted. It seemed most agreed, specifically 78.9%, that Depression/Suicide was the most used which is a slippery slope. Depression is a tough illness to portray as everyone experiences it differently. Suicide specifically is still a taboo subject often feared in everyday discussion. However, it is also valuable that these platforms utilize storylines of Depression/Suicide in order to bring such a topic to the forefront. Life imitates art and art imitates life, and it is important this imitation remains accurate.

The information I gathered has helped me discover the overal trends in mental health portrayal in film, televison, and theater and whether or not students my age believe these portrayals are accurate. It was interesting to discover the various examples these students came up with as well and which specific on screen or on stage depictions resonated with them in good or bad ways. Some were genuinely not sure how these depictions could improve or if they believed improvement was necessary, and others were extremely passionate in the importance of talking to professionals and gaining insight in a way that was accurate and truthful. This survey was a small sample size, yet opened my eyes to how art can tell beautiful stories, and also ways in which I can be a part of the change.