Mental Illness In Mass Media

Mental illness is a taboo subject in our society. It is something that too often gets overlooked because these types of ailments " do not bleed ". The negative stigma that surrounds mental illnesses prevents access to care for those in need because either themselves or those around them don’t want to believe that they have one. Mental illnesses are not seen in the same light as a common cold or the chicken pox. If someone have a mental illness, they are seen as broken and potentially unstable. Look at all of the horror movies that surround insane asylums, or people with schizophrenia who are cast as psychopathic murders. It 's no surprise that mental illness has become something that people are in denial for or want to be kept hidden. And its not just the media that is

However, as highlighted by the Time to Change initiative, media depictions have continued to portray mental health in stigmatising ways. Research has suggested the media continues to present false, misleading, stereotyped and negative information to the public about mental health. This occurs through various media sources, including newspaper articles, films and portrayals of mental illness in TV programs.

Misinformation and misperception about mental illness can lead to the stigmatization of ourselves, our parents, our children, our spouses and others that we care about. The consequences of stigma range from social isolation to poverty to barriers to quality treatment and care. Stigma perpetrated on a grand scale can result in a system that reinforces the idea that people diagnosed with mental illnesses are unimportant and therefore are unworthy of access to quality and affordable care. Some media outlets (films and television) serve to perpetuate negative stereotypes and reinforce stigma. Although relatively few people with mental illness act out in

Mental illness is often wrongly portrayed in the United States’ media creating stigmatization and misrepresentation. Mental illness “refers to a wide range of mental disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2015). Examples of disorders include anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Any “negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors are called stigma” (Wilson et al., 2016, p. 2) and stigma can contribute to progression of mental illness because of its harmful effects due to misrepresentation in the media. In the recent years, the United States media has began to address the reprehension around the topic of mental illness, as it has began to develop into a rising problem in citizens across the nation. In the past, any portrayal of a figure or character with a mental disorder would be wrongly depicted, therefore, creating a distorted perception for the viewers (Stout et al., 2004, p. 1). Television shows have started to establish characters with mental illness in hopes to lessen the stigma behind ill characters due to the wrongful associations viewers may make. The way media viewers’ stereotype the mentally ill into categories can be harmful to the well being of those with disorders. Stereotypes can be so harmful that even medical professionals “contend that stigma is a major reason why one-fourth of the estimated 50 million Americans experiencing mental illness yearly will not seek

We have a tendency of shadowing out individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental illness. Despite our human nature of caring, we place those individuals in prisons or understaffed psychiatric facilities, leaving them to be the burden of others. People with mental illness may not be able to hold employment and may not have that family support. This public perception (stigma) “limits opportunities for individuals with mental illnesses and often prevents them from seeking appropriate help”. (Jeglic, 2015) How is it that the public perception is so strong when most people do not have expertise within the field of abnormal psychology?This perception is influenced by the media. “Information presented in the media can be

ts our study of the stigma related to mental health illness. There is a lack of research investigating the portrayal of psychologists, those affected by mental illness and issues of mental health; this lack of research prevents any interventions from being made to protect those at risk. “With the continued portrayals of therapy in the media, it is important to consider how these images may affect attitudes and beliefs that can contribute to help seeking behavior”. (Maier, et al., 2013, p.1). Although there is research supporting that psychological and medical treatment are effective for a broad range of mental illnesses, only around 11% of those who have a diagnosable issue will seek help (Corrigan, 2004). The researchers of this article were interested in how the media portrayal of psychologists and mental illnesses impacts those who should seek therapy, through the formation of stigma. The hypothesis of the article study is formed around the idea that turning to a professional for help is not viewed as a sign of weakness when the psychologists are viewed as trustworthy and have experience.

The media in American society has a major influential impact on the minds and beliefs of millions of people. Whether through the news, television shows, or film, the media acts as a huge database for knowledge and instruction. It is both an auditory and visual database that can press images and ideas into people's minds. Even if the individual has no prior exposure or knowledge to something, the media can project into people's minds and leave a lasting impression. Though obviously people are aware of what they are listening to or watching, thoughts and assumptions can drift into their minds without even realizing it. These thoughts that drift in are extremely influential. The massive impact

Modern television shows will be analyzed to find any indication of a shift from misrepresentation of the mentally ill to a portrayal that does not represent them as incapable or unable to perform well socially in the real world, or in a job. Shows such as Grey’s Anatomy and Homeland will be evaluated based on the correct representation of disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder, alcoholism/addiction, and bipolar disorder. These shows will be compared to other television shows such as Saved by the Bell that misrepresent mental illness. A detectible shift from negative misrepresentation to a more positive representation will be prevalent if there is a focus on a disorder of an individual in not just a negative light.

Although there’s a stigma associated with mental illness, there are people stepping forward and being honest about their mental health experiences. How come mental health stigma exists? This question should be important to society because mental illnesses are common throughout the United States, affecting tens of millions of people each year. This question’s important to me because I’m a crisis counselor for two organizations and I’m going to receive a master’s degree in counseling. After obtaining a master’s degree, I hope to continue my education to become a psychiatrist. Mental illnesses typically aren’t portrayed correctly in the media. I’m going to explore how news reports have contributed to the false belief that people who have mental illnesses are “violent” and/or “crazy,” but keep in mind that there are several other types of media that give this impression.

1. My research question was “How are representations of mental illness inaccurate and potentially harmful?”. I chose this research question because I am interested in psychology and was interested to look into how the media portrays mental illness.

Past Research on the Effects of Psychotherapy Portrayal There are relatively few studies that have attempted to gauge these depictions and their impact on the viewer empirically. Pirkis et al. (2006) conducted a review of the literature on fictional portrayals of mental illness, mental health professionals, and treatment for mental illness. They concluded that there were “no studies systematically examining the portrayal of on-screen psychotherapy” (p. 12). There have, however, been a number of studies that have shown the impact the media has on the viewer’s perception of those with mental illness and the treatment of mental illness. Granello and Pauley (2000) support this claim in their finding that negative attitudes about the mentally ill increase as a function of the amount of exposure to

Entertainment media has been criticized for negatively depicting schizophrenics. In the media, there is stereotyping and misinformation about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of schizophrenia. They are depicted as being dangerous and violent towards themselves and others with a high rate of homicidal behavior. These stereotypes not only damage public perceptions but also lead to stigmatization of the schizophrenic. This leads to schizophrenics having a low self-esteem and a fear of getting out of their comfort zone in social situations. The stigma also makes the family of the schizophrenic shun them which makes them feel isolated. Depiction by the media also makes it difficult for them to seek the appropriate treatment

In society, psychological disorders can be hard to understand. Sometimes the media can portray how people act with a certain disorder that is unlikely of the person with the disorder. Not everything that is shown in the media is right about psychological disorders. Media can make psychological disorders very clear, exaggerated, and some could be completely wrong.

The stereotypes in the media of people with mental illness are that they are obsessive, unpredictable, violent, and eccentric .these forms of representation influence our perception of people with mental illnesses. In his journal article Using Popular Media to Reduce New College Students’ Mental Illness Stigma, Theriot presents different studies on the effects of certain movies on student’s opinions on mental health. Theriot mentioned one study conducted by George Domino in 1983, In the study Domino had half of his students watch One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The portion of students that watched the movie had a more negative attitude towards mental illness than those who didn’t watch the film. When trying to instill positive attitudes towards mental disorders, Theriot found that when the content shown to the students is longer then they are more likely to obtain those positive attitudes. The Ph.D. professor did a study on first-year students taking the “Maniacs Class”. The class was held for two days a week for about seven weeks. The class material included learning and studying the DSM ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) which is the primary tool for diagnosing mental illness, watch various movies that feature mental illness and having a special focus on understanding mental illness. There were two different seminars the control and test seminars. The two classes took a survey the first and last day of classes. Data was collected through surveys

With the ongoing advance in technology today, it is no surprise that the media is becoming an even greater source in acquiring and sharing information. But exactly how accurate are these reported information? As mentioned in Otto Wahl’s, Media Madness: Public Images of Mental Illness, Americans tend to retrieve most their knowledge about mental illness through the mass media (Wahl 3). When it comes to mental illness, it is safe to say that much of society views the mentally ill as deviants who are capricious and potentially dangerous. Or at least, that is how they are sometimes portrayed in movies, books, music, magazines, etc. Those who are knowledgeable about the severity and seriousness of mental illnesses often view the