A man who suffers from schizophrenia goes on a shooting spree in Times Square and later stabs a pregnant physician in the stomach. These are the opening scenes from Wonderland, a drama set in the psychiatric and emergency room units of a New York City hospital. Premiering in 2000, Wonderland was promptly canceled because of dwindling ratings and heavy criticism from mental health groups (though it was brought back in January 2009).
The series portrayed a bleak life for people with mental illness and groups like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) criticized its theme of hopelessness.
But images of individuals with mental illness aren’t always so in your face. Subtle stereotypes pervade the news regularly. Just the other day, a local news program in Central Florida reported on a woman setting her son’s dog on fire. The reporter ended the segment by stating that the woman had been depressed recently. Whether it’s a graphic depiction or an insinuating remark, the media often paint a grim and inaccurate picture.
And these pictures can have a big influence on the public. Research has shown that many people get their information about mental illness from the mass media (Wahl, 2004). What they do see can color their perspective, leading them to fear, avoid and discriminate against individuals with mental illness.
These myths don’t just damage public perceptions; they also affect people with mental illness. In fact, the fear of stigma can prevent individuals from seeking treatment. One study even found that workers would rather say they committed a petty crime and spent time in jail than disclose that they stayed at a psychiatric hospital.
Common Myths
Whether it’s a film, news program, newspaper or TV show, the media perpetuates many myths about mental illness. Below is just a sampling of common misconceptions:
People with mental illness are violent. “Studies have found that dangerousness/crime is the most common theme of stories on mental illness,” said Cheryl K. Olson, Sc.D., co-director of the Center for Mental Health and Media at Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry. But “research suggests that mentally ill people are more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violence.” Also, recent research found that mental illness alone doesn’t predict violent behavior (Elbogen & Johnson, 2009). Other variables—including substance abuse, history of violence, demographic variables (e.g., sex, age) and the presence of stressors (e.g., unemployment)—also play a role.
They’re unpredictable. A focus group composed of individuals who affect the lives of people with mental illness, such as insurance executives, was asked what they thought about people with mental illness. Nearly half cited unpredictability as a big concern. They feared that individuals might “go berserk” and attack someone.
Contrary to these beliefs, the vast majority of people with mental illness are ordinary individuals who go to work and try to enjoy their lives, said Otto Wahl, Ph.D, professor of psychology at University of Hartford and author of Media Madness: Public Images of Mental Illness.
They don’t get better. Even when portrayals are primarily positive, we rarely see progress. For instance, the lead character in Monk, who has obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), regularly attends therapy, but has yet to improve, Wahl said. He believes this perpetuates the myth that treatment is ineffective. Still, if you’re seeing a therapist and haven’t experienced much improvement, you might feel the same way. However, this may mean that it’s time to switch therapists. When searching for a therapist, remember it’s best to shop around. Here’s a good guide that can help with the process. You also may want to research the most effective treatments for your condition and check if your prospective therapist uses them.
Even people with more severe disorders, such as schizophrenia, “can be treated effectively and lead integrated lives in the community if we allow them to,” Wahl said.
If the media rarely show people getting better today, you can only imagine the portrayals a decade ago. When he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Bill Lichtenstein, founder and director of Lichtenstein Creative Media, spent almost four years before meeting another person with the illness, because “no one talked about it.” In the 1990s, when he got better, Lichtenstein produced Voices of an Illness, the first show to feature everyday people, including a Yale graduate and a Fortune 500 executive, discussing their illness and recovery. And clearly the need was there: After providing NAMI’s number on the show, the organization received 10,000 calls a day.
Depression is caused by a “chemical imbalance.” Thanks to direct-to-consumer drug ads, many think mental illness treatment is simple and requires only a wonder drug to correct a chemical imbalance, Olson said.
Though there’s a plus side — it squashes the idea that mental illness is a “moral failing,” Olson said — this hypothesis hasn’t been substantiated with research (see here and here) and oversimplifies depression’s causes and treatment.
It isn’t that neurotransmitters are insignificant in contributing to depression; it’s that they’re part of an intricate interplay of causes that includes biology, genetics and the environment. “The more we study the causes of mental illness, the more complex they can seem,” Olson said. Also, “many people with depression are not helped by the first drug they try, and some never find a drug that helps.”
Teens with mental illness are just going through a phase. Movies like the “Heathers” and the “American Pie” series depict alcohol and substance abuse, depression and impulsivity as normal teen behavior, according to Butler and Hyler (2005). The authors also point out that the movie “Thirteen” features substance abuse, sexual promiscuity, an eating disorder and self-injury, but the main character never seeks treatment. Ultimately, these behaviors may be viewed as “a glamorous benchmark to beat.”
All mental health professionals are the same. Movies rarely make distinctions among psychologists, psychiatrists and therapists, further confusing the public about how each practitioner can help. Here’s a detailed look at the distinctions between these professionals.
And they’re evil, foolish or wonderful. Since the 1900s, the movie industry has been crafting its own field of psychiatry, giving the public an inaccurate — and often terrifying — view of mental health professionals. Schneider (1987) categorized this portrayal into three types: Dr. Evil, Dr. Dippy and Dr. Wonderful.
Schneider describes Dr. Evil as “the Dr. Frankenstein of the mind.” He’s vastly disturbed and uses dangerous forms of treatment (e.g., lobotomy, ECT) to manipulate or abuse his patients. Dr. Evil is often seen in horror movies, Olson said. “A surprising number of people, especially teens, get misinformation about psychiatry and hospitals from those films — they’ll lock you up and throw away the key!” Olson described a recent episode of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit where the “greedy and arrogant” psychiatrist who “exploited his patients” turned out to be — gasp! — the killer.
Though he rarely harms anyone, Dr. Dippy “is crazier than his patients,” Olson said, and his treatments range from the impractical to the wacky. Dr. Wonderful — think Robin Williams’ character in Good Will Hunting — is always available, has endless time to talk and is supernaturally skilled. This portrayal, too, has a downside. For one, clinicians can’t live up to this kind of accessibility, Olson said, or to the idea that they’re “supernaturally skilled, almost able to read minds and immediately give accurate profiles of people they haven’t seen,” Wahl said. In fact, to properly diagnose a patient, practitioners conduct a comprehensive evaluation, which often includes using standardized scales, obtaining a mental health history, administering medical tests, where appropriate, and talking with family members (all of which can take several sessions).
Dr. Wonderful also can breach ethical boundaries, making it difficult for people to know what’s ethical and unethical behavior, Wahl said. Williams’ character violates confidentiality by speaking with his buddies about his patient. Plus, “many of these fictional docs lack boundaries between the personal and professional,” Olson said. Films frequently feature psychiatrists sleeping with patients, an egregious violation. Here’s a closer look at the American Psychological Association’s Ethics Code.
TV and Film: The Boring Defense
“People aren’t interested in watching someone with a minor illness go to a self-help group. Just look at ER–they only show the most extreme cases as well,” Robert Berger, Ph.D, the professional consultant for Wonderland, told Psychology Today.
Does showing an accurate portrayal really sacrifice entertainment value? Lichtenstein doesn’t think so. With so many rich, authentic stories of mental illness, having a character stab a pregnant doctor, because that’s the only drama available, “reveals a lazy, uninquisitive mind that doesn’t go below the surface to find where the real story is,” Lichtenstein said. His company produced the highly-acclaimed West 47th Street, which followed four people struggling with serious mental illness at a NYC mental health center for three years. The stories Lichtenstein found were “far more dramatic” than Wonderland’s stereotype-laden series or other films that feature a “limited palette” with violence and antisocial behavior, Lichtenstein said. Using a filmmaking style called cinéma vérité, which excludes interviews and narration, West 47th Street features heartbreak and humor and all the shades of gray in between that accompany real life.
Children and the Media
Adult programs aren’t the only ones that portray mental illness negatively and inaccurately. “Children’s programs have a surprising amount of stigmatizing content,” Olson said. For instance, Gaston in Beauty and the Beast attempts to prove that Belle’s father is crazy and should be locked up, she said.
When Wahl and colleagues examined the content of children’s TV programs (Wahl, Hanrahan, Karl, Lasher & Swaye, 2007), they found that many used slang or disparaging language (e.g., “crazy,” “nuts,” “mad”). Characters with mental illness were typically depicted “as aggressive and threatening” and other characters feared, disrespected or avoided them. His earlier research also showed that children view mental illness as less desirable than other health conditions (Wahl, 2002).
Wahl offered several suggestions for caregivers to help kids go beyond these images:
- Recognize that others can spread misconceptions, including you.
- Examine your own biases so you don’t unknowingly hand them to your kids.
- Gain an accurate understanding of mental illness.
- Be sensitive in how you talk about and behave toward people with mental illness. For instance, avoid using disparaging language.
- Cultivate critical thinking skills. Instead of saying, “You shouldn’t say that,” talk to your kids about what they see and hear. Ask them: “What would you say if you had a mental illness? Why do you think people with mental illness are portrayed like that? Do you know anyone with a mental illness who isn’t like that?”
Become a Critical Consumer
It can be tough to distinguish between accurate and inaccurate information yourself. Here’s a list of strategies:
- Consider the content producer’s motives. “Are they trying to sell you something, or do they have a vested interest in a particular point of view?” Olson said.
- View the news as something “out of the ordinary,” Olson said. Research has found that a violent crime by a person with mental illness is more likely to get the front page than a crime committed by a person without mental illness, Wahl said. Just as we hear more often about plane crashes than car crashes, we hear more about people with a mental illness being violent, Olson said. When a person with a mental illness is involved, it elicits a kneejerk reaction: The person’s disorder automatically becomes the lead of the story, Lichtenstein said. “Few stories address other aspects of mental illness, or show everyday people who happen to be dealing with a mental illness,” Olson said.It isn’t that newspaper stories are inaccurate; a person with a mental illness might have committed a crime, Wahl said. But people need to avoid making generalizations and understand that the news that’s presented to us is selected. “Everybody’s lives aren’t dominated by fires or crime,” he added.
- Scrutinize studies. If you’re hearing about a new, “breakthrough” study, Olson suggested paying attention to: “who was studied, how many people, for how long and what results were actually measured.” For context, also consider other studies’ findings. The media “very often report a single finding that hasn’t been validated by other studies,” Wahl said.
- Visit reputable websites, such as: Psych Central, NAMI, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Mental Health America, or organizations for specific types of mental illnesses like the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance and the Anxiety Disorders Association of America.
- Seek a variety of sources. If you need information on the economy, it’s doubtful that you’d turn to just one source, Lichtenstein said.
- Check out first-person accounts. Information from individuals with mental illness and their families tends to be more authentic in terms of experience, though it doesn’t mean it’s more fair, accurate or trustworthy, Lichtenstein said.
Finally, remember that the media aren’t the only source of stereotypes and stigma. Prejudice can come even from well-intentioned individuals, people with mental illness, their families or mental health professionals, Wahl said. “We don’t want people to focus only on the media as scapegoats. Yes, we need to recognize that they’re a leading purveyor since they reach so many households, but we have to look at ourselves, as well.”
Resources and Further Reading
Butler, J.R., & Hyler, S.E. (2005). Hollywood portrayals of child and adolescent mental health treatment: Implications for clinical practice. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 14, 509-522.
Elbogen, E.B., & Johnson, S.C. (2009). The intricate link between violence and mental disorder: Results from the national epidemiological survey on alcohol and related conditions. Archives of General Psychiatry, 66, 152-161.
Schnieder, I. (1987). The theory and practice of movie psychiatry. American Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 996-1002.
Wahl, O.F. (2002). Children’s views of mental illness: A review of the literature. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 6, 134–158.
Wahl, O.F., (2004). Stop the presses. Journalistic treatment of mental illness. In L.D. Friedman (Ed.) Cultural Sutures. Medicine and Media (pp. 55-69). Durkheim, NC: Duke University Press.
Wahl, O.F., Hanrahan, E., Karl, K., Lasher, E., & Swaye, J. (2007). The depiction of mental illnesses in children’s television programs. Journal of Community Psychology, 35, 121-133.
Psych Central’s list of Anti-Stigma Sources
Fact sheets, articles and research from SAMHSA
FAQs
How is mental illness represented in the media? ›
Mental illnesses, also known as psychiatric disorders, are often inaccurately portrayed in the media. Films, television programs, books, magazines, and news programs often stereotype the mentally ill as being violent or unpredictable, unlike the great majority of the actual mentally ill.
How does the media stigmatize mental illness? ›The media contribute to mental illness stigma through the exaggerated, inaccurate, and comical images, they use to portray persons with psychiatric disorders as well as providing incorrect information about mental illness.
What are common misrepresentations of mental illness in the media? ›- People with mental illnesses are criminal or violent. ...
- People with mental illness look different than others. ...
- People with mental illnesses are childish and silly. ...
- Mental illnesses are all severe – or all alike.
- Get closer to nature. ...
- Learn to understand and manage your feelings. ...
- Talk to someone you trust for support. ...
- Be aware of using drugs and/or alcohol to cope with difficult feelings. ...
- Try to make the most of your money and get help with debt problems. ...
- Get more from your sleep.
A 2019 study suggested that teenagers who use social media for more than 3 hours daily are more likely to experience mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, aggression, and antisocial behavior.
How does stigma affect people's lives? ›Stigma and discrimination can also make someone's mental health problems worse and delay or stop them from getting help. Social isolation, poor housing, unemployment and poverty are all linked to mental ill health. So stigma and discrimination can trap people in a cycle of illness.
How does social media affect teenagers mental health? ›A 2016 study of more than 450 teens found that greater social media use, nighttime social media use and emotional investment in social media — such as feeling upset when prevented from logging on — were each linked with worse sleep quality and higher levels of anxiety and depression.
How are people influenced by media? ›Media messages can have a negative or unhealthy influence on teenage behaviour and attitudes in certain areas, including body image, health and citizenship. Your child's body image is influenced by social media, other media and advertising.
What are some examples of stigma? ›When someone with a mental illness is called 'dangerous', 'crazy' or 'incompetent' rather than unwell, it is an example of a stigma. It's also stigma when a person with mental illness is mocked or called weak for seeking help. Stigma often involves inaccurate stereotypes.
How social media is good for mental health? ›The anonymity afforded by social media offers a safe space for people to express themselves and reveal their personal experiences with mental illness. In other words, it allows self-expression without the danger of stigma. “It forms connections in a different way, watching strangers talking openly about their lives.
How is mental health portrayed on social media? ›
The media portrayal of what is mental health is often skewed and consistently lends to negative stigmas which only furthers the decline of one's feelings, thoughts, and actions.
Can you prevent mental illness? ›While there is no known way to prevent major psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or autism—which appear to have biological underpinnings—there is much that can be done to reduce the incidence of common mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, and substance use.
Why is it important to take care of your mental health? ›It affects how we think, feel, and act as we cope with life. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood and aging.
What causes mental illness? ›A number of factors can contribute to risk for mental illness, such as: Your genes and family history. Your life experiences, such as stress or a history of abuse, especially if they happen in childhood. Biological factors such as chemical imbalances in the brain.
Why is it important to reduce stigma? ›Stigma hurts everyone by creating more fear or anger toward ordinary people instead of focusing on the disease that is causing the problem. Stigma can also make people more likely to hide symptoms or illness, keep them from seeking health care immediately, and prevent individuals from adopting healthy behaviors.
How can we prevent stigma and discrimination? ›- Rely on and share trusted sources of information.
- Speak up if you hear, see, or read stigmatizing or harassing comments or misinformation.
- Show compassion and support for individuals and communities more closely impacted.
- Avoid stigmatizing people who are in quarantine.
A scientific concept on the stigma of mental disorders was first developed in the middle of the 20th century, first theoretically and eventually empirically in the 1970s.
What are the negative effects of media? ›- Not enough sleep. Media use can interfere with sleep. ...
- Obesity. ...
- Delays in learning & social skills. ...
- Negative effect on school performance. ...
- Behavior problems. ...
- Problematic internet use. ...
- Risky behaviors. ...
- Sexting, loss of privacy & predators.
- Encourage Online Learning:
- Enhances Academic Performance:
- Enhances Creative Element:
- Causes Distraction:
- Impact on Health:
- Reduces learning and research capability:
On the other hand, a growing body of research has demonstrated that social media use is negatively associated with mental health and well-being, particularly among young people—for example, it may contribute to increased risk of depression and anxiety symptoms.
What percentage of mental health is caused by social media? ›
The most common negative mental health impact of social media use is anxiety (64%). More than half of social media users who are adversely affected by apps report depression (56%), dissatisfaction with life (52%), fear of missing out (52%), and body image issues (51%).
What are the negative effects of social media to students? ›It is easy to become addicted, and research shows that students who spend too much time on social media can suffer from poor sleep, eye fatigue, negative body image, depression, anxiety, cyberbullying, and more.
How does media affect your life? ›However, multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts. Social media may promote negative experiences such as: Inadequacy about your life or appearance.
What is the impact of media on individual and society? ›In the individual effect, media information about new norms may persuade individuals to accept them. In the social effect, the information creates common knowledge of a norm and enhances social coordination as individuals more readily accept the information if they believe others have also accepted it.
How does media affect our day to day life? ›They Determine Our Place in the World
They inform people about what is happening. It permeates people's lives by creating their own criteria and opinions. In this way the media moves the masses, creating different social movements. In turn, each member of society indicates the future changes that are coming.
However, most authors agree with Goffman's basic definition, which identified the main elements of stigma such as labeling, stereotyping, social isolation, prejudice, rejection, ignorance, status loss, low self-esteem, low self-efficacy, marginalization, and discrimination [1,2,3].
What are the 2 types of stigma? ›Two main types of stigma occur with mental health problems, social stigma and self-stigma. Social stigma, also called public stigma, refers to negative stereotypes of those with a mental health problem.
How does mental health affect society? ›Unaddressed mental health problems can have a negative influence on homelessness, poverty, employment, safety, and the local economy. They may impact the productivity of local businesses and health care costs, impede the ability of children and youth to succeed in school, and lead to family and community disruption.
Is social media helpful or harmful? ›Although there are important benefits, social media can also provide platforms for bullying and exclusion, unrealistic expectations about body image and sources of popularity, normalization of risk-taking behaviors, and can be detrimental to mental health.
How social media affects our life essay? ›If the use of social media is not monitored, it can lead to grave consequences. It is harmful because it invades your privacy like never before. The oversharing happening on social media makes children a target for predators and hackers. It also leads to cyberbullying which affects any person significantly.
What are the impact of social media on society? ›
Social Media is relatively a newer technology, hence, it is a little difficult to establish its long-term good and bad consequences. However, multiple researchers have concluded a strong relationship between heavy use of social media platforms with an increase in risk of depression, self-harm, anxiety, and loneliness.
How social media changed the way we think? ›Social media changes how we think. It shifts how we reason. What's more, social media can affect our mental health, and there's a good amount of evidence that it makes people more anxious and depressed. For example, studies have found links between social media envy and depression.
How social and cultural attitudes affect individual perceptions of mental health? ›The experience and manifestation of mental illness are influenced by an individual's social and cultural background. It can determine how individuals communicate their symptoms, influence their understanding of their illness, and determine the coping strategies they adopt and the type of interventions they seek.
How does mental health affect confidence? ›Having a mental health problem could also cause you to have low self-esteem. And it might feel harder to cope or take steps to improve your self-esteem if you struggle with your mental health.
How is mental health portrayed on social media? ›The media portrayal of what is mental health is often skewed and consistently lends to negative stigmas which only furthers the decline of one's feelings, thoughts, and actions.
How does the media impact mental health? ›When people look online and see they're excluded from an activity, it can affect thoughts and feelings, and can affect them physically. A 2018 British study tied social media use to decreased, disrupted, and delayed sleep, which is associated with depression, memory loss, and poor academic performance.
How do films portray mental illness? ›Portrayals of mentally ill people as dangerous, violent, and unpredictable dominate the entertainment media as well. According to Stuart (2006), violent representations are becoming more common in films and television—one in four mentally-ill characters kill someone, and half of them inflict harm on another person.
How is bipolar disorder portrayed in the media? ›Bipolar Disorder Inaccurately Portrayed
Like most mental illnesses, the media tends to focus on the dramatic side of Bipolar disorder, ignoring management and treatment. This leaves those who suffer from the disease feeling lost or embarrassed by the misrepresentation.
A 2016 study of more than 450 teens found that greater social media use, nighttime social media use and emotional investment in social media — such as feeling upset when prevented from logging on — were each linked with worse sleep quality and higher levels of anxiety and depression.
How are people influenced by media? ›Media messages can have a negative or unhealthy influence on teenage behaviour and attitudes in certain areas, including body image, health and citizenship. Your child's body image is influenced by social media, other media and advertising.
How social media changed the way we think? ›
Social media changes how we think. It shifts how we reason. What's more, social media can affect our mental health, and there's a good amount of evidence that it makes people more anxious and depressed. For example, studies have found links between social media envy and depression.
What are the negative effects of media? ›- Not enough sleep. Media use can interfere with sleep. ...
- Obesity. ...
- Delays in learning & social skills. ...
- Negative effect on school performance. ...
- Behavior problems. ...
- Problematic internet use. ...
- Risky behaviors. ...
- Sexting, loss of privacy & predators.
If the use of social media is not monitored, it can lead to grave consequences. It is harmful because it invades your privacy like never before. The oversharing happening on social media makes children a target for predators and hackers. It also leads to cyberbullying which affects any person significantly.
Why is mental health representation important? ›Representation matters in mental health because it can interrupt that distrust when underserved communities have access to therapists that struggle and fight the same system through lived experiences.
What mental illness is portrayed in A Beautiful Mind? ›A Beautiful Mind depicts the real-life story of mathematician and noble prize winner John Nash. While navigating the normal course of life, Nash is diagnosed with paranoid Schizophrenia, a mental illness where one experiences a series of splits from reality and paranoia.
What do you understand by mental health? ›Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. 1. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
How does social media impact bipolar disorder? ›Unfortunately, social media use may aggravate mood swings and episodes linked to bipolar disorder. Checking social media before going to bed may worsen sleep issues. A study showed that sleep deprivation may trigger manic episodes, especially among women(3).
Why is it important to advocate for people with bipolar disorder? ›Advocacy Is Important
Advocacy is especially important now because of the many legislative changes made to mental health services, social assistance, and other areas that impact the lives of people who use the mental health system. You don't need special training to be an advocate. Anyone can do it.