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.

[White_Rose]

Dr Phil can call himself by that name because he has a PhD. He is not a medical doctor.

Having his standing as a psychologist removed mean he is not qualified to talk about psychological matters. He is not a licensed psychologist. There are many people who have degrees in psychology which they gained for their own reasons but are not qualified to give psychological advice. There is a reason people are removed as licenced practitioners, though I have no idea why Dr Phil has lost his standing. As Ms Purple said, he does not engage in professional updating and learning. This is where a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

In fact he is doing what the fraudulent psychologist did and who now has a criminal record. Dr Phil also discussed someone's mental health in public after making a private visit. This is one of the things that happened to me. Just because one person makes psychological and mental health statements in public and implies he is qualified is as bad as someone doing the same thing in private.

Dr Phil is not qualified and Ms Purple made that abundantly clear.

When someone provides entertainment on TV and uses that knowledge to embarrass someone it brings everything he says into question.

I do not believe his show advances the cause of MH because his show trivialises the whole topic.

Mary

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi!

I'm late to the conversation again!

First I just want to say that I'm sorry I wasn't really clear in my post about Dr Phil. I don't think I really emphasised that enough as yes, he has most definitely had practice/experience in psychology. It's just that he doesn't have his credentials anymore.

Also welcome to the conversation MsPurple and blondguy!

White Rose -

I’m so sorry that this has triggered you! I can’t imagine what it must have been like to see a therapist from someone who didn’t have the qualifications. As someone who is training to be a therapist it frustrates me that they would have broken your trust like this. I'm not sure what to add that might in anyway be supportive but know that we're here for you and I wish you the best with your case and psychiatrist.

Yes - sorry if I wasn’t clear in my post. I saw MsPurple updated things so it’s much clearer! (thank you!) There’s always a little disclaimer at the beginning of the show about how it’s just for entertainment. But I have read some things from people who have been on the show and been harmed from his interventions.

Summer Rose -

Oh my post wasn’t very clear was it 😞 Yes - so he is still a psychologist just doesn’t have the license to practice anymore - which he supposedly lost through disciplinary action and not through entering a television show (although I don't fully understand what happened there).

I’d be interested to know what your mum found useful from him! I will admit I have watched the show a few times but I’m more so interested in the people on stage then his ‘approach’ - all the people and their stories are very interesting!

Can I ask where is Dr Joyce Brothers from?

blondguy -

Yes, that's so true. He does have a lot of registered/acting psychologists who do work on his team and worked on his books (which have been bestsellers). I even stumbled across his website and saw that he has a section called 'find a therapist' which is wonderful - and his articles are written by professionals as well.
I do agree with you that there is a lot of benefit there, I think for me personally the bad outweighs the good!

Also I haven't heard of any of these suggestions - which one is your favourite?

[Summer Rose]

Hello all

Thanks to all of you for your wonderful posts.

MsPurple: Your research took us to another level in our evaluation of Dr Phil and I really appreciate your effort. As you've shown, he is certainly a complex man with a lot of credentials. But if I was writing his resume, his key role would be TV personality. And I would give him A+ at his job. He has been able to skilfully use the mass media to create an idealised image of himself as professional psychologist. We just didn't read the fine print.

Mary: By sharing your experience you have encapsulated exactly what is wrong with a TV personality like Dr Phil pretending to be a psychologist. From your perspective, I don't think one could argue that he is dangerous and unhelpful as a mental health advocate.

Paul: I really want to thank you for bringing another view and some balance to the discussion. I can see what you're saying about the provision of much needed parenting advice but I'm still not comfortable with Dr Phil dishing this out under the guise of being a psychologist. Oprah gives lots of advice but she never pretends to be something she's not. If he called himself Papa Phil and if he had a psychologist on the show to correct/balance/enhance his advice, I'd probably be okay with that. Just my view.

In the context of Dr Phil, I think the responsibility on the media to demonstrate a social conscience is far greater because he masquerades as a psychologist--and they let him. My verdict: the networks are failing miserably in the mental health space by airing the program. Happy to hear the counter views!

[White_Rose]

Hello Rose

Do you have a preferred name? Thank you for your comments. I appreciate what you say. In my case the man had never been qualified and never had any training. His PhD was a home made piece of art which was accepted as real. I guess that makes others guilty of not reading the fine print.

Repeating my comment of trivialising MH, I think people like Dr Phil cause more harm than good. But then why do people talk him once they know is a fake. I think I will drop out of this conversation for a little while. My feelings are still pretty raw and the whole case has not yet been wrapped up.

Thank you everyone who has replied to me and keep up the good work (and words). Stealing the comment from another well-known actor, "I'll be back".

Mary

[Summer Rose]

Hi romantic_thi3f

Interesting question about what my mum likes about Dr Phil and it relates directly to Paul's view. Mum likes that Dr Phil helps kids/teens/young adults and their parents. I think mum really cares about the guests, if that makes sense.

MsPurple did you find anything in your research to suggest why people like the show? I had a quick look and found some articles suggesting fans may enjoy the program because it helps them to feel better about themselves knowing that other people are worse off than them. Or because it gives them ideas on how to solve problems in their own lives. However, I'm not sure the source was credible.

Dr Joyce Brothers was an American psychologist, columnist, author, journalist and TV personality. She was once quoted as saying, "I invented media psychology. I was the first. The founding mother." I read somewhere that she inspired Dr Phil. The key difference being that Dr Joyce Brothers was properly accredited and therefore carried professional obligations when giving out advice. She received many accolades from the American Psychological Association.

As a Canadian, I grew up surrounded by Dr Joyce Brothers' views via the media. Does anybody know ... is there, or was there ever, a similar TV psychologist in Australia?

[quirkywords]

Wow,I miss this thread for a title while I come into an interesting discussion.

It is funny that people may not like Dr Phil but many people watch him.

I thought he lost his psychological credentials over improper conduct with a patient but I may be wrong.

I am amazed that people agree to go on TV be humiliated and exploited. I hope they get paid well.

So if no one went on the to shows like Dr Phil and no one watched it, he would go away.

So why do people go on the show and why people watch it??

Also Dr Phil goes on about his wonderful marriage but he never admits he was married before and played around- he was a lot younger of course.

I am not sure what the program was but it was during metal health week in October on ABC and the show was filmed inside a psych unit in Sydney, with this very charismatic doctor.

Does anyone remember the name or having seen the show.

I think well made reality shows about mental health can be be educational and helpful. Just my opinion.

Quirky

[Summer Rose]

Hi Mary

If you're still around, thank you for posting. You have been through the worst of experiences and I am very sorry. I totally understand why you might like to avoid this thread at this particular time.

I'm not an experienced thread leader, this is really my first. Not sure if this is right or wrong, but how about I let this play out a bit for the others and change course on the weekend. Hope that's okay. Please come back when you're ready.

[Summer Rose]

Hi Quirky

I think I saw the ABC show you're thinking of. It was a three part series called Changing Minds and I believe it was filmed in Campbelltown. It was excellent. Real people, families, issues and treatment plans.

I found it really insightful and could imagine it helpful as a learning tool in an academic setting. I reckon it wouldn't hurt for teachers, GPs and police officers to sit through the series.

I think the mental health community really benefits from our ABC. Thankfully it has a social conscience, unlike the commercial networks, and an interest in mental health and helping to reduce stigma.

[Summer Rose]

Hi all

For anyone new to this thread we are talking about films and TV and mental health.

Given that inaccurate film representations of mental illness can profoundly contribute to stigma and the reinforcement of unhelpful stereotypes, we have been discussing if the industry has a community obligation to inform? Or is just entertainment? Or does anything designed to raise awareness do some good? Let us know your thoughts.

I want to also now consider films that aren't specifically about mental health but that can help us with our mental health. Forrest Gump is an excellent example of a story about personal triumph. About a Boy told a useful tale for anyone searching for meaning in life. And you can't beat Shawshank Redemption for a reminder of the power of hope. Is there a special film in your life that helped you heal and why?

[quirkywords]

Summer rose and everyone reading,

This a great thread. Summer Rose yes Chnaging minds thanks for reminding me. I wish I had had a doctor like that when I was first diagnosed.

I never thought of Forest Gump as being anything than superficial and frivolous as it was so unrealistic with all the things Forest was supposed to have achieved. I know it was fiction but personally I did not get any message from it other than the line abut life is like a box of chocolates.

It is interesting when reading the posts on the thread that people react to different movies in a different way.

I will try to think of a movie . I really liked Awakenings with Robin Williams , I felt it was about how we see people who are different and to realise just because someone cant talk they still have a soul.

Dead Poets Society with Robin Williams ( see a theme here) is about being true to who you are even if it means going against the grain. Now I think about there are more Robin Williams movies that have a message but I ill save them for another post.

Quirky