Hollywood and The Bigger Picture

[Summer Rose]

My daughter asked me to watch a film with her the other day. It was one of her favourite movies that I had somehow missed called Perks of Being a Wallflower. It was a well scripted, touching, coming of age story that in my opinion dealt sensitively and fairly accurately with mental health and other tricky adolescent issues. My daughter said she loved the film because one of the main characters " is like me".

Like me. The words rolled around in my mind. It occurred to me that there are few film or TV characters that are actually like my beautiful girl, who suffers from anxiety and OCD. It also dawned on me that some of the characters currently on the screen who do have OCD are almost insulting. Take Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory, for example. He is a walking, talking billboard for the lighter side of autism and OCD but, in my opinion, his character does nothing to contribute to the community's greater understanding of what these conditions are really like to live with.

I think it's fair to estimate that the global television and movie industry makes billions of dollars annually telling stories about characters with mental health conditions. Oscar winning blockbusters such as, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ordinary People, Silver Linings Playbook and a Beautiful Mind have certainly played a role in raising awareness, but is that enough?

Given that inaccurate film representations of mental illness can profoundly contribute to stigma and the reinforcement of unhelpful stereotypes, does the industry have a community obligation to inform? Or is just entertainment? Or does anything designed to raise awareness do some good? Love to hear what you think.

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi Summer Rose,

Ohhh this is a good one. I feel like this could be a long discussion! I know at least it has been for me because I've talked about it a lot and always been interested in mental illness portrayals.

Like you said, there are a lot of different portrayals of mental health in the media - Big Bang Theory is one, but there's so many more. Right now I'm binge watching Homeland (Bipolar Disorder), but the other shows I've liked include The Good Doctor (autism spectrum), Jessica Jones (ptsd), Girls (ocd), United States of Tara (dissociative identity disorder) and Parks and Recreation (depression).

Personally, I am a little bit mixed. I do like the fact that there are so many characters with a mental illness - the reality is that there's such a huge majority of population who have one so in a sense it does remove the stigma. Take Jessica Jones for example - showing that people with trauma can be superheroes too. Or even on the Big Bang Theory showing that lacking severe social skills doesn't have to stop you from achieving your dreams of working on string theory.

On the other hand, the realities of mental illness isn't necessarily entertaining - as someone with anxiety and depression I spend a lot of time in my head. That's not interesting! Neither is sobbing on the floor or motivating myself to clean the house. Other things that happen in mental illness that are probably not interesting in film;- struggling with social interactions, talking about how hard things have been, waking up with nightmares, struggling to understand things others might do easily, feeling overwhelmed, ordering food in, not socialising, binge watching TV or reading, taking medications, going to therapy, disrupting relationships because of what you're going through...

So in a sense if you were to think about one condition and what that might realistically look like - chances are a lot of the entertainment would be taken away. The Big Bang Theory is considered entertainment because people laugh at Sheldon's 'quirks' but if we were to show Sheldon's real struggles and how hard it can be, it may potentially take away that humour.

I think the final thing I'll say is that we've got to think about why we watch shows in the first place. I think a lot of these shows try to balance real life with escapism - that's a tricky thing to do. In every episode of any show, it feels like there is always things happening. When in real life, sometimes it's just getting by day to day.

[Summer Rose]

Hi Romantic_thi3f's

Wow! Thank you for your insightful response. So much to unpack ...

I'm like you in that I think it's awesome there are so many characters with mental health conditions on TV and in films. It certainly makes sense given that millions of real people experience mental health conditions, making mental illness something almost everyone can relate to.

What worries me is that I think a lot of people without lived experience are learning about mental health conditions from film and TV. And I think what they are learning about OCD from a character like Sheldon or Emma from Glee is glib and that it means they will take the condition less seriously.

Sometimes I actually feel bad laughing at Sheldon--are we really supposed to laugh at Sheldon because he needs to always sit in his spot or are we supposed to sympathise with a person so constrained? The deeper question is whether or not the humour/entertainment is worth the price of the misinformation?

I think the grim and often inaccurate negative portrayals of people experiencing a mental health condition does great harm. Anyone with psychosis or schizophrenia always seems to be violent and dangerous, and it's almost impossible to empathise with them. How must this make people with these conditions and their families feel?

I am curious to know which of the many programs you are watching are doing a good job of depicting mental illness and why?

[quirkywords]

Summer Rose,

Great thread topic.

About ten years ago I noticed that if there was a character in a show usually a police show , that was very promiscuous or was violent, I knew the character would have bipolar.

I suppose if they portrayed a person who was managing bipolar it would make for quite dull television.

Maybe I am strange I really dont need to see people with mental illness depicted in movies or television shows , but I suppose I don't want to see incorrect descriptions and misleading depictions.

The irony is that many of the actors have bipolar or other mental illnesses and I find that reassuring.

Quirky

[Summer Rose]

Hi Quirky

Thanks for your post. As usual, you have prompted me to stop and think ...This time about why I want to see characters with mental health conditions, particularly someone with OCD, accurately portrayed in roles on TV and the big screen.

I have never met anyone except my daughter who has OCD. My daughter knows no one with OCD. So I think it makes you curious about others. I think seeing a fair portrayal of such a character would be a validation, an acknowledgement that people with OCD are accepted in society-and not just some quirky joke. The same logic applies to people with all types of mental health conditions.

You are quite right, the depictions of people with bipolar have typically been unhelpful. Although I thought Silver Linings Playbook did a good job. Did you see this film? I wonder what you made of it?

I would quite like to be introduced to a character managing bipolar, boring or not. I think it would be progress to have the character exist without the mental illness being the focus.

[blondguy]

Hi Summer Rose

This is a great post. We all know that the producers are there to make a profit...Everything else is secondary to the dollar bill unfortunately. However as the posts above mention there are some producers (scriptwriters) that do show some serious TLC where mental health is concerned and good them

My older brother had schizophrenia in the late 1970's and early 1980's before he committed suicide..that was 36 years ago...may he rest in peace. I find it bizarre when I hear ignorant producers still using the term 'Skitzo' in movies relating to the false belief that schizophrenics have two personalities...The mind boggles

My appreciation goes out to the people who made a movie about anxiety called 'What About Bob' with Bill Murray playing the multi phobic patient panicking when his psychiatrist (Richard Dreyfuss) takes a holiday

The chronic anxiety was treated with respect and dignity even being a comedy.

Great thread topic Summer Rose 🙂

Paul

[Summer Rose]

Hi blondguy

Firstly, let me say that I am very sorry for the loss of your brother. I cannot even imagine how difficult this must have been for you. Peace be with you.

You are quite right, the stories the producers choose to tell and how they tell them are governed by money. TLC and authenticity with regards to mental health themes is evolving and clearly a response to audience demand.

I'm with you about the film What About Bob? Interestingly it was also a commercial success, grossing some $63 million. What I loved about the story was the role reversal.

Despite having a range of mental health conditions, Bob was compassionate, funny and kind. While the good Dr Marvin was tightly wound, had awkward family relationships and eventually unravelled. Makes you wonder what the psych commumity thought of that portrayal!

Another film I enjoyed was The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Walter is an ordinary man who feels life is passing him by. He zones out all the time and goes to an imaginary world. He doesn't have good social skilks and is kind of awkward.

Then circumstances change and he gets to have some amazing real life experiences. Without spoiling the film, he learns to live in the present. The mental health issues aren't the focus or even the story but they are there and it's a film a lot of people can relate to.

[quirkywords]

Summer,

To be honest I thought Silver linings Playbook was ok but it was full of pretty people who talked about problems. I did not know there was a bipolar character or I maybe wrong. Bradley cooper who played the lead male I have now read was bipolar but it made him so violent and gave him so many classic symptoms of bipolar as if ticking off a list. I found him unbelievable and then when he met a beautiful girl , I just lost interest in the movie.

Also what are the chances of two people both so good looking both with a mental illness meeting each other falling in love and living happily ever after ? Only in a movie lets face it.

sorry if I sound sceptical. When I first saw the movie, the start of it was so bleak it nearly was too much but then it became like a soap opera. Only my humble opinion.

I agree with your thoughts Paul. I cringe when I hear educated people in interviews using the term schizophrenic in the wrong way. I have rung up radio stations a few times to educate and complain

Quirky

[MsPurple]

HI everyone. Thought I'd join in

I do like watching shows with people with mental illnesses. Sometimes I watch short clipettes of it on youtube. I like it because althought they may not the exact thing I have, I can relate and it makes me feel less alone in it.

I do think they need to do more thought. I was really annoyed that in an episode of Glee that a girl was suffering from bulimia and had a lot of pressure from her team, she ended up fainting from stage and they all blamed her and made her feel worse. I was annoyed how apparently multiple people know she was struggling yet no one offered support before the comp or after it and they personally blamed her and basically said it was all her fault. I was very disappointing in that story and thought it was terrible making people with bulimia feel it is their fault if things go wrong. I think this is very misinformed because although bulimia and they made it look more like a choice than a mental illness.

I hope they do improve on the mental illness story lines, and they need to show that you can still be successful with it. Not saying they should make it look like sun shine and rainbows, but showing how with support you can get better and live well

[blondguy]

Hey Summer Rose

Thankyou for your kind post...bless your heart x

Its great that you have seen 'What about Bob'...I didnt know that it grossed $68million...I always learn something new everyday 🙂

You can call me Paul if you want..'blondguy' is only a handle that was quickly thought up when I joined back in 2016

Paul