top of page
abutbul

Mental Health in Pop Culture


I came across an interesting debate about the depiction of mental health issues in pop culture. Depictions of mental issues on television can often serve as relief to those who struggle silently because they feel they are not alone in their feelings, but they can also perpetuate harmful stereotypes that enable the stigmas attached to having a mental illness. A UCLA report found that, if shown with empathy, proper research, and appropriate resources, popular television shows and movies can help teenagers cope with bullying, suicidal thoughts, sexual assault, substance abuse, and depression.


"Together, we can normalize talking about mental health by bringing together scholars and content creators to unlock the power of research-informed storytelling…Accurate information combined with compelling storytelling works well" says UCLA researcher Yalda Uhls.

While this might be the case, it is important to also recognize the power of mass media, and how there are many cases where shows and movies do not accurately represent mental health issues. Studies have shown that mass media serves as the public’s main source of information about certain mental issues like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and depression. Therefore, content creators are faced with an extremely difficult and tricky task. Damaging stereotypes or myths about people with mental illnesses often make for great television. However, they usually depict the person struggling as overly dramatic, prone to violence, or unwilling to seek help.


This debate can be seen in Netflix’s series “13 Reasons Why” which gained a lot of controversy. It was highly acclaimed, but also condemned, for its very graphic portrayal of school shootings, bullying, suicide, sexual assault, domestic violence, and homelessness. Reports showed that most teens who watched the show looked for additional information on mental health topics related to what they saw on television. Teens also began to discuss these issues with their peers and parents. The study showed that the challenging and realistic stories shown on the show inspired young adults to talk about and learn more about mental health issues. In fact, the show gained 1.29 million Twitter mentions over a total of three weeks.


However, research also shows that exposure to another person’s suicide, or to graphic accounts of death, can be a big risk factor for young adults struggling with mental health issues. Therefore, many felt that the show’s depiction of depression and suicide was very harmful. People felt the show risks creating a contagion effect, where vulnerable teenagers are likely to mimic what they see.


I think it’s important to take both sides into account. The fact that recent shows and movies have enabled teenagers and adults to discuss mental health issues is extremely powerful and beneficial. However, I think content creators must ensure they are writing shows with proper research in order to portray an accurate and empathetic portrayal of mental health without facing the risk of perpetuating the stigma surrounding mental illness.


I'm curious to hear what you all think. :)






14 views3 comments

Recent Posts

See All

3 commentaires


Brianna Vargas
Brianna Vargas
27 nov. 2022

This is an extremely important topic to mention especially with the rise of social media platforms and other media outlets. There is an epidemic that seems to be consuming the youth of high depression rates and it's clear that pop culture, engulfed in social media, has a lot to do with the issue. Great post.

J'aime

Marguerite Scotti
Marguerite Scotti
21 nov. 2022

You definitely bring up a new and interesting topic. The discussion and portrayal of mental illness/health is something that has recently been brought into the world and pop culture. Therefore, I believe that people are still figuring out how to bring it up in a safe and just way which can be tricky. It is an important topic to discuss, and good that it has reached the surface of our community, but I agree with your point that there needs to be research to ensure the proper portrayal of mental illnesses.

J'aime

sebastiandom123
16 nov. 2022

Very interesting topic. Coming in I fully believed that you would be 100 percent for the depiction of the current mental health issues in pop culture. However, I never considered the fact that the misrepresentation can not only be harmful to those who suffer from mental health issues but it can also normalize certain stereotypes when it comes to mental health issues. I enjoyed when you brought out the example of 13 reasons why because it essentially "glorified" in a way the issues that high school students go through that need attention. In short by making this the common theme throughout the show it normalized that all those who go through the issues touched on in the show act the…

J'aime
bottom of page