People are often unhappy with the way mental illness is portrayed in the media, and rightfully so. From news segments about people with mental illness committing violent crimes, to crime television shows in which the perpetrators of crime are often diagnosed with mental conditions, to movies which portray mentally ill individuals as helpless and unable to control their disorders, a number of negative stereotypes about mental illness are perpetuated through the media in various forms. Possibly the two most pervasive stereotypes reinforced through the media are the ideas that mentally ill people are (1) dangerous and (2) helpless.
The stereotype that mentally ill people are dangerous is made visible in a number of ways. For example, when a violent crime, such as a mass shooting, occurs and is covered by news sources, these sources often emphasize the mentally ill condition of the perpetrator. This is problematic for several reasons. First of all, it downplays the severity of the crime by making an excuse for why the crime occurred. The underlying message of this type of coverage is "well, what did you expect from someone who is mentally ill? This is just what mentally ill people do." Of course, this message is incredibly damaging to the societal view of mentally ill individuals because it perpetuates the idea mentally ill people have violent tendencies they cannot control.
I am not saying these people are not mentally ill, because they could be in all likelihood. Nonetheless, in reality, a very small subset of mentally ill people become violent. In fact, some of the most common disorders in the United States are anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder, which affect 18.1% and 12.5% of the U.S. population in any given year, respectively, and do not typically include violent tendencies. This is compared to disorders in which violent tendencies are more common, such as antisocial personality disorder and borderline personality disorder, which only affect 1.0% and 1.6% of the U.S. adult population in any given year, respectively. Moreover, it is important to note even among disorders in which violence is a more common symptom, it will not be displayed by everyone who suffers from the disorder and usually can be managed with treatment.
The idea that mentally ill individuals are violent is perpetuated in crime television shows as well. A very popular crime show, Criminal Minds, often provides mental health diagnoses for its perpetrators. Whether or not these diagnoses are accurate, TV shows like this also reinforce the stereotype that mentally ill people are dangerous.
Another stereotype which is often sustained through the media is mentally ill individuals are helpless and cannot control their disorders. This is seen through the classic movie trope in which individuals suffering from a mental illness are either overly dependent on others in order to maintain stability in their lives or need others to force them into treatment. This stereotype is evident in films in which the main character enters a mental hospital for treatment. Rarely does this character admit him/herself into the hospital without some sort of coercion or event which makes admittance necessary. Movies such as Girl Interrupted, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest are examples of this phenomenon. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the main character only enters treatment because it is court mandated, and in Girl Interrupted and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the main characters enter treatment only after suicide attempts lead hospitalization to seem like the only option.
This trope has a number of negative consequences. First of all, it perpetuates the idea mentally ill individuals rarely seek treatment out of their own volition. This leads to the belief these people do not wish to be "fixed" and curing is out of reach (click here for a more detailed discussion on the curability of mental illness). This guides us, as viewers, to place a heavier stigma on mental illness because we consider it to be a fixed part of an individual's personality rather than something which can improve with treatment. Secondly, this trope leads us to believe mentally ill individuals are helpless and must rely on others for guidance. As a result, we see these individuals as lacking rationality and being unable to make their own decisions, culminating in us treating mentally ill people as somehow lesser than we are (find a more detailed discussion of enabling here).
As depicted, the media reinforces several negative stereotypes about mental illness. Nonetheless, the portrayal of mental illness in the media could have a positive quality: it provides for greater visibility. While visibility is certainly a positive concept overall, the sustaining of negative stereotypes through visibility has negative consequences. Therefore, several things can be done for mental illness to receive the visibility it requires while also limiting the continuation of negative stereotypes. First of all, the media should focus on portraying mental illness accurately. Secondly, specific symptoms or behaviors associated with certain disorders should not be made obvious, because this can lead us to believe the disorder in questiononly manifests itself in the fashion portrayed, when in reality, there is great variability in the ways disorders manifest.
Finally, we, as viewers (since it is unlikely the media will change its portrayal), can be aware the ways mental illnesses are depicted in the media are likely over-exaggerations and not circumscribed definitions of mental illness. We must recognize the heterogeneity of mental disorders, as well as the diversity of symptoms that characterize each mental disorder. If we do this, we can begin to recognize negative stereotypes and cultivate more fluid perceptions of the nature of mental illness, which will ultimately result in a decreased stigma and better treatment of mentally ill individuals.
