The problem of mental health has become increasingly acknowledged in today's society, yet there still exists a stigma that prevents people from speaking openly and freely about it without fear of judgment and shame. This stigma dates back since the beginning of time, but more and more we are beginning to see the progression of mentally ill people hiding in the shadows to being more honest and brave. And the more prevalent it is becoming, the better representation we are seeing in media and entertainment.
When we talk about representation, we mean an accurate representation that conveys the realities of mental illnesses/disorders without glorification or romanticization. In other words, we're not talking about 13 Reasons Why or Split, which completely misrepresents mental illnesses and suicide. We're talking shows, movies, books, and songs that people who struggle with mental health problems can actually identify with without made to feel misunderstood.
Here are some of the best representations of mental health for young adults:

1.) Euphoria

Though the new HBO show premiered just this past summer, fans with mental illnesses have already identified with and praised the main character, Rue Bennett. The 17-year-old's plot line is centric around her substance abuse disorder, which originally stemmed from her diagnoses of depression, anxiety, and ADHD. Through the show's first season, we watch as Rue struggles with her mental illnesses' affect on her relationships with those she cares about, including her mother, her sister, her best friend, and her love interest. Her journey of coming to terms with her bipolar I disorder is different from most representations because it is raw and unglorified, with one episode being dedicated to her, in a depressive episode, not being able to get herself out of bed to pee versus her, in a manic episode, not being able to stop her mind from racing.

Euphoria S01E07| Rue's manic episode at Fez's (HD)youtu.be

2.) The Perks of Being a Wallflower

It is a pretty well-known story, mainly because of the hit movie and the popular book before it, but it is one that deserves to be told again and again. For myself personally, The Perks of Being a Wallflower was the first source of media that made me feel less alone in my struggles with mental health. It follows a socially awkward boy, Charlie, who is navigating his way around his freshman year of high school after his best friend committed suicide in the summer before. At the climax of the movie, Charlie breaks down, as his friends leave for college and he comes to terms with the trauma in his life he had been suppressing. Once more, this story is a raw presentation-- hard to watch at moments, but accurately representing the severity of mental health. It's also a great movie for those who are mentally ill because it has a relatively "happy" ending, where the protagonist expresses his hope towards his life and his story.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Charlies Last Letter [FULL SCENE]youtu.be

3.) It's Kind of a Funny Story

Like the latter, It's Kind of a Funny Story is a film adaptation from the book originally written by Ned Vizzini, an author whose own mental illnesses heavily influenced his works. It tells of a 15-year-old boy who, as a last measure, checks himself into a psychiatric hospital after his depression led to lack of sleep, eating, and a plan to kill himself. While he feels wrong and alone for struggling the way he does, he meets others who have the same problems as him and who, eventually, change his life for the better and upon his discharge, he has a new perspective on life itself-- not without mental illnesses, but, once more, with a certain kind of hope. The story has a positive spin on mental health problems while, at the same time, not ignoring the hardships that come with it.

Its Kind Of a Funny Story- Last Sceneyoutu.be

4.) Skam

This popular Norwegian show, which was so universally spread that it lead to adaptations in eight different countries including Italy, France, and the United States, garnered attention for the way that it honestly portrays real struggles that modern-day teenagers go through, including sexual assault, being a Muslim teenager, homosexuality, and, of course, having a mental illness. The show's third season follows Isak, a gay teenager, who falls in love with Even. All is well for the two until Even's bipolar I disorder begins to show itself. The couple goes through problems as Isak struggles with finding the right way to help Even, with accurate portrayals of the mental health stigma in various interactions, coming to the conclusion that people don't necessarily save people, but being unconditionally there for someone who is mentally ill is the best thing you could do for them.

Isak og Even | O Helga Nattyoutu.be

5.) One Day at a Time

Netflix's adaptation of the hit sit-com One Day at a Time has been acclaimed for its laugh-out-loud jokes and relatability to everyday problems within the Latinx family. Some of these problems include serious topics including racism, sexuality, and mental illness. The rambunctious and headstrong single mother, Penelope, is also a war veteran and, after coming back from service, joins a support group for depression and anxiety. The plot of Penelope's mental illnesses touched many fans, as she deals with telling her family that she has been struggling and abruptly stopping her antidepressants after "feeling good"-- a relatively common problem for those who are on mental health medicine. Penelope's problems aren't "solved," but the display of love and support that her family provides her with leaves viewers feeling fulfilled.

Penelope's message to herselfyoutu.be

These might not be the only good representations of mental health, and the reality is that they continue to become more and more popular as time goes on-- which is amazing. Giving mentally ill people the representation they need can fight against the stigma and improve the isolation that many people struggling feel. I look forward to discovering more forms of accurate representation and anticipate where the entertainment industry takes the topic of mental health next.