Many ways that mental disorders such as anxiety and depression are portrayed come from popular media sources including television, movies, and magazines. Entertainment provides us an opportunity to escape from our own issues for a bit, which is not necessarily a bad thing. However, the problem occurs because media portrayals of mental illnesses generally show stereotypical and negative representations that make all forms of mental issues look similar.

These negative depictions serve to distance those with these diseases from the rest of us.

1 in 5 adults struggle with a mental disorder of some type. Considering this is an issue that affects so many people, it makes sense that there is so much attention given to it in the media. There’s nothing wrong with depicting mental health in the media since realistic portrayals can actually help to counter negative stigmas as well as raise awareness for these diseases; yet, I’ve noticed that some representations, such as Netflix’s show "13 Reasons Why," romanticize some features of graphic acts of violence, especially self-harm and suicide which could potentially trigger people who struggle with severe forms of depression.

Now, let me be very clear, these disorders are not fun, they’re not cool, and they’re not something that’s easy to struggle with.

No matter what it looks like on television, or in the movies, it’s not easy to cope with a mental disability. Struggling with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse or anything else causes you to push your closest friends and family away. The negative impacts cause people to isolate themselves and truly feel alone even when they’re not, as well as causing issues to their physical wellbeing.

These illnesses are overwhelming, and everyone deals with their pain differently, but struggling with mental disorders makes it extremely difficult to focus on the positives.

Finally, if you are struggling with anything at all, please reach out to someone. There are so many resources available, and the first (and hardest) step is asking for help. It’s okay not to be okay.It’s okay to lean on those around you, but you need to be the one who decides you’re going to try and work on yourself. You’re not alone.