I'm not too sure if I am going to be able to explain myself properly.
I've been thinking recently about the portrayal of mental illness on TV and in the media, for example, bpd in Doctors, bipolar in Eastenders and also apparently schizophrenia in Hollyoaks (although I haven't seen the latter).
Do you think that the portrayal of mental illness is generally poor and even if it is not accurate or that great, can it be of help to society having a greater understanding of mental illness or does it perpetuate the stereotypes and create fear?
In addition, having seen a few threads around here where people (especially youngsters) have seen such shows and then decided that they have such a condition, I was wondering what people think about it. Depression/anxiety etc do not seem to be enough and there is a greater and greater number of youngsters thinking they have psychotic illnesses.
Sorry, that was a bit of a ramble but I am just interested as to people's views.
"Everything is possible through Christ, who gives me strength". Phillipians 4:13
Popular media can't really be expected to give an accurate portrayal of such complex disorders as bpd, schizophrenia etc.
I think it's great that they're trying to fight the stigma of mental illness and such, but obviously such portrayals cannot be relied on, and the public should be aware of that.
The way that mental conditions are portrayed also has a lot to do with common misconceptions. For example, in the film 'A beautiful mind', the protaginist's hallucinations were portrayed as visual, although that is usually associated more with ideopathic occipital epilepsy and such, according to diagnostic criteria.
Some parts of the storylines work and are good, where as others are over reacted/not shown properly.
Hollyoaks and Easteners have probably done the best jobs of portraying the illnesses.
"People have abused you lots in the past? Why do you then abuse yourself more?" - Quote
Sometimes I feel like I'm alone, Sometimes I feel like I'm not that strong, Sometimes I feel nothing at all, Sometimes I feel vulnerable, Sometimes I feel a little fragile
I think Eastenders has done a really good job of potraying it.
Although, I do believe it can have a negative effect on young people (they think they have such a condition), I don't think it should ever be stopped because it's raising awareness of mental health. I think the more that people understand mental health issues, the more help people with mental illnesses will be able to recieve, as people will have more understanding.
^ agreed. Awareness is positive for the most part.
The thing with shows like Eastenders and Hollyoaks is that they are going to over dramatize it, because they obviously have to make it a good storyline.
I don't watch Eastenders but Hollyoaks is often on in the background and whilst I don't know a lot aobut schizophrenia I think they over did it a bit.
I'm sure it can get that bad in some people but I think these shows are better off depicting it in a more day-to-day way. It seemed quite real-to-life for a while then last week it seemed to go a bit dramatic. Like I said, I'm sure it happens but I don't think it's necessary if you're trying to tackle a serious subject like that, you know?
Initially with Newt (Hollyoaks) they had him with his alter-ego type person and then the diagnosis and then him taking his medication and not really liking it and that whole battle. That, I think, is more positive in the long run becuase it's demonstrating the bad side of the illness and how to cope with it.
It also tackled some of the discrimination aspect of it.
A few years ago Hollyoaks did a SH storyline with a girl called Lisa. What I loved about that was that she was a cute, blonde girl who had a nice family and such like. She wasn't the stereotypical "emo" character who is all "messed up". I think the more real to life it is, then the more positive it can be in educating viewers and helping those who are also struggling to come forward and get the help they need.
Hollyoaks usually do the best job with these issues, much better than the over-dramatised Eastenders, Corrie, etc. Obviously all drama shows are going to try and make some accessible, yet interesting to watch otherwise they'd lose viewers. Their purpose isn't really to educate the masses.
I think it's good to raise the issues of mental illness, especially among teenagers, and try to fight some of the stigma that is still firmly attached to sufferers.
^
Yep, I've noticed the above in Hollyoaks. I've also noticed in Doctors that there seems to a be a mixed diagnosis where they are saying it's BPD but parts of it don't seem to be BPD at all.
However, I think at times these soaps/dramas do have really accurate portrayal :) Stacey's portrayal of Bipolar in Eastenders I think is done really well.
I'm glad they raise mental health issues in tv shows, even if they aren't always accurate they at least raise awareness.
Their purpose isn't really to educate the masses..
Interesting. I feel a bit uneducated on this topic, I've only seen Eastenders, and only briefly..
But it makes me wonder about the writers and what they want to portray. It must be a very difficult and unique job, out of all the storylines about MH they could write - how do they 'please people', take into mind the real life people suffering, and make a good gripping storyline.
I really up for raising awareness, but I also think personal stories/experiences might have more 'power' over people, than dramatised TV storylines. The reason is I still come across people who seem to have a fear of mental illness (one woman I know vaguely referring to 'people like that') and very much involved in this culture. To know someone on a personal level is quite different.
I agree there is that danger of sensitive or vunerable people who are experiencing things in their life to self diagnose.
At the end of the day, I do think the material should be out there and that it most likely does do some good (not really formed my ideas about that though!).
The Mole was bewitched, entranced, fascinated. By the side of the river he trotted as one trots, when very small, by the side of a man who holds one spell-bound by exciting stories; and when tired at last, he sat on the bank, while the river still chattered on to him, a babbling procession of the best stories in the world, sent from the heart of the earth to be told at last to the insatiable sea.
Wind in the Willows.
everybody loves a drama, misery loves company, people find things like mental illness fascinating, they find a certain joy in watching someone else's' demise (think bout all the times eastenders has been high in the ratings).
think of the great new section of waterstones "tragic life stories", things like this sell, there's a sick sense of voyeurism in watching someone else fall apart, it makes other feel better about their lives.
i think it's disgusting that these things get viewed so much & i think to be honest the writers of these plot lines don't think "lets raise awareness" they think about whats going to pull in the viewers & then as an after thought they think about awareness.
think about it, who hasn't ever rubbernecked over something, be it a car crash or someone being thrown out a nightclub or a street brawl. many people don't look away but get a closer look, we don't look immediately to find out why or how, it's something interesting, it' something that makes our heart race & i do think there is part of that mentality in programs like this.
& i think chuck palahnuik put it best.
"People don't want their lives fixed. Nobody wants their problems solved. Their dramas. Their distractions. Their stories resolved. Their messed cleaned up. Because what would they have left? Just the big scary unknown."
I don't think it's particularly good to 'raise awareness' if it just means that people are seeing the characters with various MH issues and all of a sudden saying 'oh I think I've got (x,y or z) because I behave just like *****
Its a bit embarrassing really.
Last edited by Bitter_Angel : 11-10-2009 at 08:02 PM.
Reason: Im going to pm you now.
I don't think it's particularly good to 'raise awareness' if it just means that people are seeing the characters with various MH issues and all of a sudden saying 'oh I think I've got (x,y or z) because I behave just like *****'
Its a bit embarrassing really.
i doubt the plot writers for eastenders thought "oh we'll raise some mental health awareness" it was more "****, corrie have better ratings than us, we need the drama-llama".
documentaries are normally their for awareness. & i'd worry about the maturity of anyone that took the plot lines on eastenders/corrie/hollyoaks as an accurate betrayal.
Last edited by Bitter_Angel : 11-10-2009 at 08:08 PM.
Reason: Removing ref to a deleted comment
I think it's kinda coincidental that both Hollyoaks and Eastenders have big mental health related plots in world mental health weeks. So it could be that they had good intentions of raising awareness, wether it actually was in a positive way.
I think Eastenders & Hollyoaks were the best at showing how severe and complex mental health illnesses can be. But it does mean that the younger one watching it will see traits of them in that character, and they'll then start to self diagnose... Which is... well, not really a wise thing to do in the first place. Everyone has some sort of traits from mental health illnesses, it doesn't mean you have the illness though. If it intereferes with your life though, to an extent, then get it checked out.
I haven't watched Eastenders or Hollyoaks but the shows I have seen that have included mental illnesses seem to be there to pull an audience, like The Hierophant said.
I think it contributes to the stereotype. Like all the 'same' people have mental illnesses on TV shows leaving me thinking I shouldn't have a problem at all and feeling bad because people look down a little upon these illnesses, if that makes sense.
It can be to do with awareness but I do agree this is more of an afterthought but the fact that these topics are being openly shown might make people more able to talk about them? And that cannot be a bad thing. The bad thing is, like people have said, when others think that they have that particular illness and it leads to misdiagnosis and stuff like that. That needs to be discouraged.
Don't think they should be stopped because it lets the public talk about them... even though sometimes it is negative. More awareness shows need to be aired in the right frame. No show is ever going to go into the whole depth of the issues though because they are too complicated and too deep for the public.
What I didn't like about Eastenders storyline is the use of violence. Stacy threatening Archie and biting the copper. OK it is all done in fear. But it does link violence to MH when it isn't always the case.
I mean yes violence can happen but it isn't a common thing. To be honest you get more violence on a night out drinking in town than in MH sufferers.
I want to kiss the bottom of the ocean before I burst through its surface into the sunlight, otherwise I will always be wondering about what was left unseen at the bottom
i'm tired of chasing my dreams. i'm just gonna ask where they're going, and hook up with them later.
