She’s of great utility to her friends and aside from causing occasional exasperation, her mental illness never gets in the way of her life. var msg = $( '.wysija-msg' ); 2015;30(10):1046-54. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2014.917840. A powerful answer to the depiction of mental health in all those horror films of yesteryear. Sensitive portrayals of people with mental health problems in television programmes such as Homeland and Coronation Street are helping to promote much better understanding of … stereotypes, and positive portrayals of mental illness in 14 feature-length American films, which contain scenes of psychiatric hospitalization. //window.location.replace( 'http://your_thank_you_page_url' ); The film isn’t perfect – the film is derailed by a subplot that doesn’t make a lot of sense – but Russell Crowe’s portrayal of Nobel Prize-winning economist and schizophrenia sufferer John Nash helped undo decades of films misrepresenting the condition. Authors Cynthia A Hoffner 1 , Elizabeth L Cohen. The way these fictional characters experience and cope with mental illness can directly affect the way real-life people understand and react to the conditions. Thankfully, they didn’t get their way, and Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman delivered career-best performances in a little gem of a movie based on the abilities of a real person, Kim Peek. Negative portrayals can contribute to the stigma surrounding mental illness, making those who need it less likely to seek help, according to a 2008 study in Journal of Health Communications. If one was to weigh up every single film featuring mental illness, the vast majority would be horror films. Not all portrayals of mental illness in movies are completely inaccurate. Its portrayal of institutionalised cruelty – embodied by Louise Fletcher’s Nurse Ratched, one of the all-time great movie villains – was criticised for potentially putting people off seeking treatment, but it was also credited with changing attitudes to psychiatry and encouraging more focus on individual patients’ needs. (function($){ These negative portrayals have a significant impact on harmful stereotypes and negative attitudes held by the public which further isolate individuals with mental illness and may contribute to lack of treatment seeking behavior or unrealistic expectations for treatment. The film goes to show that dementia need not rewrite a person’s entire personality, nor must it be the end of the world. Hoffman plays a man with savant syndrome, which is often associated with autism and which enables extraordinary feats of memory, while Cruise isn’t scared to be thoroughly unlikeable from the outset. Secret fees being added to online shopping because of Brexit red tape, Articles of impeachment filed against Joe Biden. If you only learnt about mental illness from films, you’d probably think it made you dress up as your gran and go around killing people. Robot And Frank never shies away from this fact. People Like Ourselves: Portrayals of Mental Illness in the Movies (Studies in Film Genres, Band 3) | Jacqueline Noll Zimmerman | ISBN: 9780810848764 | Kostenloser Versand für alle Bücher mit Versand und Verkauf duch Amazon. var email = $( '#form-validation-field-0' ).val(); Brie Larson’s portrayal of a kidnap victim after years of abuse was flawless. }); For decades, individuals dealing with mental illness have been depicted as crazy, harmful and dangerous. They can’t recover even with professional help. However, strides have been made and will continue to be made. return false; Sure, there are some patchy areas and the issue is still occasionally treated as a trope. Negative: Overall, no complaints about the movie’s portrayal of mental illness. }); Bale’s astonishing performance – and equally astonishing weight loss, with him dropping more than four stone for the role – compensates for the fairly predictable plot. Just look at our list of films that got it very, very wrong. In traditional Hollywood horror films, there are two kinds of bad guy: the cursed ones and the crazy ones. It’s a nuanced, insightful and powerful film about mental health in adolescence and its effects on not just the sufferer, but the people around them. People Like Ourselves: Portrayals of Mental Illness in the Movies (3) (Studies in Film Genres) von Zimmerman, Jacqueline Noll bei AbeBooks.de - ISBN 10: 0810848767 - ISBN 13: 9780810848764 - Scarecrow Press - 2003 - Hardcover Another film dealing with depression. Rush Hour Crush: Is someone lusting after you this week? } Whether it’s Norman Bates in Hitchcock’s Psycho or Leatherface in Texas Chain Saw Massacre, we’re used to seeing insane characters in horror. There’s a lot to be positive about on the subject of portrayals of mental health in Hollywood. Larson’s character, Joy, battles suicidal ideation, depression, anger and loss as a result of her experiences. – based around dissociative identity disorder, popularly known as multiple personality disorder, a condition where one person may have more than one personality. This brings up the importance of asking a professional about certain symptoms and not solely depend on the opinions of netizens and medical sites. Okay, sure, the film never actually states those words. Despite this, the movie has saving graces and can also be considered one of the better representations of mental illness in movies. A work in progress. The treatment of mental health on film is certainly improving. } And even, sometimes, a few laughs. By the end, it’s clear that while Joy will never completely move on from her experiences, she can learn to live her own life. Stay tuned for articles throughout November and click here to donate to help the many charities involved. But for every Me, Myself and Irene that mocks mental illness, there are films that approach the issue with empathy. War films have been doing it for years, but Room was something else entirely. What a powerful thing, then, that Inside Out was released to remind young audiences that sadness is not only normal, but necessary for their well-being. Masterson in particular is amazing. function isEmail(email) { Glen O. Gabbard and Krin Gabbard, Psychiatry and the Cinema, American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc., … In fact, the common mischaracterisation of schizophrenia as a disassociative personality disorder is often compounded by horror films to this day. Christopher Nolan’s taut, time-travelling thriller focuses on the effects of anterograde amnesia, where sufferers cannot form new memories.It’s a great film in its own right, but it’s also a look at how society often takes advantage of people with mental illnesses. Mental illness in films: are mental health portrayals in film improving? } This could have gone very wrong but it’s a warm and empathetic film with a big heart. The Soloist. The highlight of Lars Von Trier’s depression trilogy (the others are Antichrist and Nymphomaniac) isn’t an easy watch, but Kirsten Dunst portrays the experience of severe depression very well. It’s honest, it’s brutal, but ultimately it’s incredibly heartwarming. Also, note that this is by no means a comprehensive list, and merely contains movies that I have seen or may want to see. Tim Robbins has never been better. var regex = /^([a-zA-Z0-9_.+-])+\@(([a-zA-Z0-9-])+\. Read on for the best movies about mental illness this World Mental Health Day. And alright, to be fair, the depiction isn’t that much better than the mentally ill monsters from horror movies. This article reviews dominant media portrayals of mental illness, the mentally ill and mental health interventions, and examines what social, emotional and treatment-related effects these may have. Set in a mental hospital in the mid-60s, Girl, Interrupted features exceptional performances from Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder as two troubled young women. Frank, suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, is very much a sympathetic character. This could have been a truly terrible film – studio bosses had decided that what a film about a yuppie and his newly discovered mentally ill brother really needed was some set-piece gunfights. Are there any movies that have helped with your own mental health? success:function(data){ The cult classic is – spoiler alert! In addition to its honest portrayal of depression, The Perks Of Being A Wallflower aims to break down barriers. type:"POST", Epub 2014 Oct 15. Portrayal of Mental Illness on the TV Series Monk: Presumed Influence and Consequences of Exposure Health Commun. One strong positive cited by experts: "Joker" takes an honest look at the daily life of a person struggling with mental illness and the breakdown … Listen is a series supporting Movember, encouraging men to speak out. It’s a beautiful depiction of mental illness that encourages audiences to think. My descriptions will indicate which mental illness or neurological condition is exhibited by which character (if known). Do not read if you want to avoid spoilers. The result is heartbreaking, often very funny and rightly attracted stacks of five-star reviews. All the above are just a few stereotypical portrayals of people with mental illnesses in the media. It’s incredibly common and can be both terrifying and heartbreaking for sufferers. The film touches on everything from depression to social anxiety, never judging or criticizing, just accepting and offering a thoughtful response that even children can understand. The story of Nathaniel Ayers, a gifted musician whose mental health illness or disorder drove him out of Juilliard School. A study analyzing attitudes towards … $( 'form.widget_wysija' ).submit(function(e){ Sure, Silver Linings Playbook isn’t always realistic. Perhaps one of the most honest films dealing with the portrayal of mental health. Sure, there are some patchy areas and the issue is still occasionally treated as a trope. The following is a list of movies that have a positive depiction of mental illness. if( msg.text() !== '' ){ This movie, based on a true story, highlights the life of John Forbes Nash, Jr. (Russel Crow), a mathematical savant who lived with schizophrenia. X + Y. 20. Still, as the years have gone by we’ve learned more about psychology and the representation of mental health on films has changed too. Dementia is an illness that affects around 10% of people at one stage in their life. Perhaps this depiction could encourage conversations with other ‘mean girls’ in schools around the world? However, mental illness in entertainment media can also be depicted in a more positive manner by accounting for sensitivities and excluding exaggerations of mental illness. Robin Williams’ superb performance is even more poignant now we know about his own demons. You suggested films focused on mental health institutions and rehab such as ‘28 days’, 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' and 'Silver Linings Playbook'. Movies and Mental Illness – Hogrefe Publishing; David J. Robinson, Reel Psychiatry: Movie Portrayals of Psychiatric Conditions, Rapid Psychler Press, 2003, ISBN 1-894328-07-8. This romantic comedy featured Mary Stuart Masterson as Joon, a schizophrenic young woman who meets the quirky Sam, played by Johnny Depp. The future of mental illness on film. })(window.jQuery); According to a 2015 worldwide survey, 216 million people were living with depression. It over-eggs the pudding a little bit by giving Natalie Portman’s ballerina Nina a whole bunch of disorders that in real life don’t tend to co-exist, but Black Swan powerfully demonstrates the horror of untreated psychosis. I definitely agree there's a problem in media with the portrayal of mental illness, although it has improved over the years with exposure, it is still not great. It’s easy to forget while watching Finding Nemo and Finding Dory that we’re watching films with mental health at their heart. Regina George is a real piece of work, but maybe that’s because she’s actually suffering from Histrionic personality disorder? Christian Bale is Trevor, the titular machinist. His character always operates within the realms of possibility for someone with dementia. The success of Netflix’s shows like Atypical and 13 Reasons Why prove that audiences are clamouring for interesting, modern depictions of mental health issues. Hollywood has, in its slow, carefully considered manner, started to acknowledge the reality of mental health on film. $(document).ready(function(){ url: "/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php", 19 Melancholia (2011) The 2011 science fiction psychological drama film Melancholia is not the only film that Lars von Trier directed which features themes of mental illness. Okay, we’ll start with a pretty light one. }); The film never shied away from the difficult side of depicting her PTSD either. The movie beautifully captures the challenges John faced throughout his life, including paranoia and delusions that altered his promising career and deeply affected his life. Through the magic of film, viewers can live John’s hallucinations with him, which feel as real to the audience as they did to him. Dubbed as a ‘psychological disaster movie’, it’s a very odd film indeed, but the people who like it love it. Sure, her mental illness might account for some of her actions, but what about the rest of the cast? //alert(email); They deal with issues across a broad spectrum of mental illnesses, disorders, and clinical psychoses. There’s a lot to be positive about on the subject of portrayals of mental health in Hollywood. Inaccurate depictions fuel stigma and may prevent people from seeking help. For kids with pervasive developmental disorders such as ADHD this was the ultimate empowering film. While authentic portrayals of mental illness and psychotherapy are slim pickings, they do occur, even if we just get bits and pieces. jQuery.ajax({ The perception of mental illness as making someone more likely to harm you is the result of a misunderstanding, often due to the sensationalised portrayal of conditions such as DID and Schizophrenia in Horror films. data: { email : email, action : 'add_to_mail'}, The violent representation of the mentally ill is sadly where many get their information on issues such as Psychosis, as there is such little representation in the media elsewhere. It’s now up to the big studios to answer that demand. 11 GARDEN STATE Garden State teaches us that if you’re diagnosed with a mental illness but meet the right person, you won’t have to depend so much on real medication and therapy. There are hundreds of extremely worthy films that have been made over the years that deal with the issue of mental illness, but these ones are fantastic and (in most cases) very educational. There is empirical evidence that the majority of those with a mental illness never commit a violent act, rather they are actually more likely to be a victim of violence than a perpetrator (Stuart, 2003). He suffers from severe insomnia, which affects his weight and his mental health, and when he accidentally injures a colleague, his illness becomes much more severe. Aside from disassociative personality disorders, post-traumatic stress is one of the most commonly depicted mental illnesses. 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