Mental Disorders Research Paper

Years ago mental illness was perhaps the most misinterpreted and mistreated illness. It is a disorder that is characterized by disturbances in a person’s thoughts, emotions, or behavior. At one time it was a sickness that no one would dare talk about. The humiliation was so strong it was looked upon as a crime. Patients would be “put away” not to be treated but to protect them from the community. It was an illness to be ashamed of and was thought to be brought upon by patients themselves. Mental illness refers to a wide variety of disorders, ranging from bipolar disorder or depression, to post-traumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia. Each one of these disorders can cause anywhere from mild distress to those that impair a person’s ability to function in normal day-to-day life. In the movie “Call Me Crazy: A Five Film”, it looks at how each individual copes with mental illness and succeeding in everyday situations. By comparing similarities in the film with the differences about mental illness in ordinary life we can understand how the movie at times exaggerated mental disorders.

Among the characters in the movie, Susanna appeared to be the least seriously ill. Some of the mental illnesses present in the movie are considered more unmanageable than they are now. People dealing with eating disorders nowadays do not get placed into a mental hospital, but rather a setting that specializes with this type of disorder. However, Susanna was in denial that she had tried to commit suicide and even that she was mentally ill. She claimed that the reason for consuming a bottle of vodka while swallowing a bottle of aspirin was just for a headache. According to NIMH (2007), a person with BPD may experience intense bouts of anger, depression, and anxiety that may last only hours, or at most a day. These may be associated with episodes of impulsive aggression, self-injury, and drug or alcohol abuse. Suicide threats and attempts may occur along with anger at perceived abandonment and disappointments.

In a society where movies, television shows, social media, and even news articles are such a large part of the learning process for a person of any age, our world has helped display people that are “othered” or misrepresented for anything and/or everything; one group has suffered the effect of misrepresentation with movies from Forrest Gump to movies like Silver Linings Playbook. Throughout the years, there have been numerous forms of media that have helped show the struggles people with disabilities or mental illnesses face. People have depicted certain mental illness with a strong misrepresentation that everyone with that certain disability or illness must act and be the same. After doing some research on the topic

Most people gather what they know about mental illnesses from television and film. Unfortunately these media portrayals are inaccurate and create stigma. They depict people suffering from mental illnesses as different, dangerous and laughable. Characters are often addicted to drugs or alcohol, are violent, dangerous, or out of control. Horror film characters like Norman Bates in Psycho, Jack Torrance in the Shining, or Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs associate the typical 'psycho- killer' with people who suffer from a mental illness. But dramas and horror films are not the only film genres that create stigma. Comedies like What About Bob and many others not only stigmatize, they also make fun of mental illnesses and the people

Mental illnesses contribute to the daily life of individuals and they make those people who they are, but mental illnesses aren't always bad nor odd. Media influences many viewers in America which leads them to making choices, but the media also informs people about significant topics such as mental illnesses. Literature and film incorporates mental illnesses into characters that belong to multiple genres from romance and thriller to horror and comedy, but not all adaptations of characters who possess a mental illness are portrayed accurately. Those who generated All the Bright Places , The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Girl, Interrupted showed accurate depictions of certain mental illnesses in the lives of people.

The mention of mental illness brings to mind the many portrayals seen in film and television, most of which are stigmatizing. In television shows such as Criminal Minds and Law and Order, the criminals are typically depicted as someone who suffers from some sort of a mental illness, whether it is an antisocial disorder or something that physically affects the brain. Crime dramas easily portray the mentally ill as serial killers or torturous psychopaths. The portrayals shaped by these television shows provide viewers with the idea that anyone who suffers from some sort of mental illness endures the same urges as those shown in crime dramas as well as horror movies. Even then, it is not just movies or television shows, it even moves over into

Mental illness is heavily stigmatized in mainstream media sources, such as articles, books and movies. The character who is suffering from a mental disorder, which is stigmatized is often exaggerated for the sake of entertainment. The stigmatization of mental disorders is unfair to those who have mental disorders. The viewers of media are viewing those suffering from the disorders as “psychotic” or “crazy”, which is inaccurate and unjust to those affected. The media representation of the disorder provides vague and inaccurate causes and treatments. In the movie series “The Dark Knight Rises” and television series “Dexter”, the characters Joker and Dexter are afflicted with the mental disorder antisocial personality disorder; in which it creates

According to the 2014 U.S. census there are approximately 318 million people residing in the United States and 1 in 5 people are diagnosed with a mental condition. As a society we have continued to evolve physically, mentally, and emotionally. With this growth we have become better equipped to handle many situations that we once found difficult to understand and treat, such as mental conditions. With the rise in the number of people diagnosed with a mental condition, society has become more interested in studying the causes and possible treatments of these conditions. Not only are mental conditions widely studied by scientists, the entertainment industry has capitalized on our fascination and has made many others aware of the mental conditions

The positives of this film featured several scenes in which Kevin’s psychiatrist provided accurate facts about individuals with DID, including that they possess different handwriting styles, different strengths, accents, and gender identities depending on which alternate personality has taken the light, For reasons such as this, many argue that this film, along with other films representing mental illness, takes an “any publicity is good publicity” approach. To further explain, proponents of the current mental health portrayal in media argue that as long as mental health is getting representation in popular culture, we are on the right track. They often state that including completely accurate representations is too “politically correct” and that no one bases their interpretations of mental illness off these depictions, because they’re “just movies”. While they are correct in saying that it’s a good step to bring mental illness to the spotlight, it’s just as harmful to misrepresent it as it is to not represent it at

According to the 2014 U.S. census there are approximately 318 million people residing in the United States and 1 in 5 people are diagnosed with a mental condition. As a society we have continued to evolve physically, mentally, and emotionally. With this growth, we have become better equipped to handle many situations that we once found difficult to understand and treat, such as mental conditions. With the rise in the number of people diagnosed with a mental condition, society has become more interested in studying the causes and possible treatments of these conditions. Not only are mental conditions widely studied by scientists, the entertainment industry has capitalized on our fascination and has made many others aware of the mental conditions

Vincent Van Gogh, Marilyn Monroe, Emily Dickinson, Beethoven and Buzz Aldrin are all renowned professionals in their field of work, recognized and respected by people all around the world. Although their incredible accomplishments are most memorable in people’s minds, what few people realize is that all of these inspirational, historical figures also showed signs of having bipolar disorder.

However, they also let us know that like any other potentially lifelong disorder; such as diabetes, someone with a diagnosis is fully capable of living a “fulfilling and productive life” with proper treatment (Bring Change 2 Mind, 2015). Unfortunately, the stress and humiliation that comes with the damaging stigmas of mental illness causes many diagnosed to avoid treatment; thus adding to the improper treatment cases that fuel the stigma fire (Bring Change 2 Mind, 2015). Another stigma is that oftentimes those diagnosed with a mental illness do not go on to be successful in their lives. The Mental Health article brings to light the situation of mental health in the public eye being portrayed by “acts of violence, the homeless mentally ill, and the untreated” but often fail to bring into light the “truck drivers, secretaries, teachers, lawyers, physicians, and government officials” who have undergone successful treatment who “work, compete, and succeed” (Mental Health, 2008). One of the most overlooked stigmas of mental health is that it only affects the individual diagnosed. Melissa Thompson of the Huffington Post states that “stigmas are pervasive not only to individuals, but also to family and friends” (2013). While the hardest blow definitely goes to the diagnosed individual, judgement does

The media also greatly impacts the social stigma of mental illnesses (Corrigan & Watson, 2002, p. 17; Davey, 2013; Friedman, 2014). The mentally ill are often negatively portrayed in movies and the news (Corrigan & Watson, 2002, p. 17; Davey, 2013; Friedman, 2014). In fact, results from an analysis of “English-language movies featuring at least one main character with schizophrenia” released from 1990-2010 depicted that “a majority of characters displayed

Some disorders are more common than others, for example, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD. ADHD is very prevalent in children and teens, its symptoms include chronic and extreme impulsivity and an inability to focus on specific tasks. Another well known disorder is schizophrenia. Schizophrenic disorder is characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and a decline in the ability to function normally. Schizophrenia is a close neighbor to post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. PTSD is most commonly caused by a stressful or traumatic situation, hence the name. People with PTSD often have flashbacks, and startle easily. Mood disorders, also known as affective disorder or manic-depressive disorder, are characterized by a person’s emotional state, including bipolar disorder. People with mood disorders often show signs of extreme sadness or diminished interest in activities, weight loss, and fatigue. If people have a mood disorder, they could also, possibly have an eating disorder. Eating disorders are disturbances in eating behavior which can cause physical problems. Types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Eating disorders such as the two listed are extremely prevalent in young women in western societies. Another well known disorder is OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. People with OCD experience intrusive thoughts(obsessions) and repetitive behaviors(compulsions). There are many more disorders but the ones listed are the most known by today’s

Despite mental health receiving more attention and representation than ever in popular culture, the topic is often handled insensitively. Artifacts ranging from clothing lines to Netflix TV shows continue to link mental disorders to fascinating character traits, making the prospect of a diagnostic label appear trendy or desirable. Mental health terms are thrown around in casual conversation or used as adjectives when describing oneself or another person, desensitizing modern culture to severe illnesses. Primary research, conducted in an effort to gain the responses of youth aged eighteen to twenty-four, displayed a common belief that certain pop culture artifacts correctly represent the mental health community. A majority of respondents familiar with John Green’s novel Looking For Alaska, the film Silver Linings Playbook, and Netflix series 13 Reasons Why agreed that the artifacts offer healthy depictions of mentally