How Media is Perpetuating Mental Illness
- Raini Singleton
- Feb 12, 2020
- 12 min read
In a technological and media-based age, America’s young people are being subjected to inaccurate depictions of mental illness. When coupled with a stagnant and ineffective approach to treating those who suffer from mental illness, we are left with a society that is indifferent to the roots of these problems and what must be done to resolve them.
In March of 2017, Netflix premiered a new show entitled 13 Reasons Why. Based on the book series by Jay Asher that was released ten years prior, the now three-season long series follows the story of Hannah Baker, a seventeen year-old student at Liberty High School who chooses to take her own life after subjection to bullying, isolation from her friend group, and rape that caused her mental health to diminish. In the wake of her sudden death, Hannah leaves behind a series of tapes, each detailing incidents and certain individuals who played a part in her suicide.
While the culmination of episodes provided insight into some of the struggles faced by modern-day high school students such as bullying, depression, and eating disorders, other scenes exhibited forthright, disturbing, and unwavering scenes of graphic rape, sexual assault, and suicide. One scene of particular controversy was in the last episode of Season 1 in which the viewers were subjected to the sight of the main character slitting her wrists in a tub before being found by her mother.
The responses were immediate and overwhelmingly mixed. While the show received numerous praises for its marvelous acting and relatable storyline, others were not so quick to acclaim, with several publications and mental health groups coming forward to express the dangers in such raw, uncensored scenes. In an article written by Alexa Curtis for Rolling Stone magazine, Curtis presented a dichotomy the show attempted to address, though not in complete success:
“However, there are some ways that 13 Reasons Why succeeded in portraying what it’s like to be a teen in 2017,” Curtis wrote. “While it may have glamorized suicide, it doesn’t glamorize the very serious downside the Internet can have on teenagers” (Rolling Stone, 2018).
This statement alone presents a series of issues relevant to the current status of student mental health in the United States, not only with the struggles young people and students are facing, but also in the ways it is presented to the general public. While 13 Reasons Why had tried to open up a dialogue about topics pertaining to mental illness and suicide, it seemed to fail to provide meaningful context or relevant information for the younger viewers.
In an article written by Katherine Rosman for The New York Times, Rosman quotes Brian Yorkey, the playwright who adapted the book for the Netflix series, saying, “We knew when we were making Season 1 that we were telling a challenging and suspenseful story in a pretty unflinching way,” said Brian Yorkey. “We suspected that there would be some strong conversation. What we didn’t expect was the amount of the conversation” (Rosman, 2018).
The debate, which therein arose, was more centered around the effectiveness of those conversations. In a study conducted by the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, scientist Jeffrey A. Bridge and a collection of others performed research to find a possible association between the release of 13 Reasons Why and the spike in suicide rates in the United States which followed. The results ultimately found that “after accounting for seasonal effects and an underlying increasing trend in monthly suicide rates, the overall suicide rate among 10-to-17 year-olds increased significantly in the month immediately following the release” of the show. Bridge concluded that there was, in fact, an association between the show and the spike in suicide rates among youth between the ages of ten and seventeen (Bridge, 2019).
Whether or not this particular research was recognized by the show’s creators, the release of Season 2 in May of 2019 looked a little different than the first. This time, the cast members addressed the viewers directly, imploring those watching to not only understand the fiction of it all, but also offering up a website which could be visited that included links to nonprofits such as the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the American School Counselor Association. Additionally, a statement was displayed before each episode warning viewers of the triggering elements that would soon show up on their screens.
The show now faced a rather dark dilemma. The series was undoubtedly popular, particularly with audiences under the age of 35, but there was now a burden of responsibility for the wellbeing of those watching at home, especially the ones who were suffering from mental illness or suicidal tendencies.
The public service announcements now being aired before each episode seemed more robotic and reactive, however. While the faces of these actors were recognizable, they were detached from the characters they played and, in a way, indifferent to the major issue at hand.
Alexa Curtis, CEO of Be Fearless Summit and founder of the blog Life Unfiltered with Alexa Curtis, addressed this issue directly.
“After 13 Reasons Why came out, Netflix acknowledged that there should have been more disclaimers throughout the show,” said Curtis. “I agree. If every show that spoke about these sensitive topics gave people free resources to call or text throughout watching, that would be a step in the right direction.”
We could even raise a quizzical brow to the messages sent by the show in regards to how the public seems to treat the mental illness of others. In one particular episode, Hannah Baker goes to her guidance counselor, Mr. Porter, to open up about her state of mental health. Feelings of being lost and empty were explicitly mentioned –– “clear signs of depression” as Curtis said in her article.
How does the counselor respond? By passing her a box of tissues and asking a series of questions that could only be identified as victim-blaming.
While the mind of the viewer would recognize the actions of Mr. Porter as being inherently blind and ignorant to the true nature of the problem, perhaps it plays a part in representing how a great deal of people perceive and handle cases of mental illness.
It could be argued that if young people suffering from mental illness weren’t as ostracized or disregarded once they open up about their struggles, more productive measures could be taken to combat ever-increasing suicide rates.
This includes what sort of outside factors can play a role in what has been coined as America’s “mental health crisis.” Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States overall and the second leading cause of death for people 10 to 34 years of age behind unintentional injury (Suicide, 2017). While this statistic in itself is one of considerable concern, it has been traced back to issues surrounding mental illness and the way it is addressed in modern America, particularly among the nation’s young people. 46 percent of people who die by suicide have a diagnosed mental health condition while 90% of people who die by suicide have experienced symptoms of a mental health condition. This leaves many to wonder if the fault is not in the notion of mental illness itself, but rather in its lack of preventative or managerial measures.
Perhaps a shred of this comes from the way we perceive or understand mental illness; after all, the way it is portrayed in the media doesn’t always produce an accurate representation of the realities behind mental disorders such as anxiety disorders, depression, and personality disorders. From shows such as 13 Reasons Why to movies like Joker, mental health seems to be an enigma presented behind a veil of either romanticism or fear, and plays into a larger trend of viewers watching on in either fixated awe or uncomfortable and fearful caution.
Even more importantly than public perception, however, is the fact that the young people who are experiencing increased reports of struggles with mental illness are the same young people who are being exposed to the film industry the most, and as a result, the ways in which mental illness is presented. In a society that already seems to turn a deaf ear to the conversations around and needs of those suffering, it begs the question of whether or not inaccurate portrayals of mental illness lend a hand to the struggles of those suffering from it.
“I’d love to see more online personalities also talking about mental health if they face their own struggles, and less people talking about it as if they have dealt with depression or anxiety if they never have,” said Curtis. “Stick to what you know: this topic is too touchy to jump on the bandwagon and attempt to get attention for talking about it.”
Joker has been another topic of much division and debate in recent months. Since its release in early October last year, the worldwide revenue for the film has surpassed $737 million. Despite its undeniable success, including hitting the number seven spot in highest grossing DC Comics film lineup, its fervent popularity was suddenly interrupted. Within the first three weeks of its debut in theaters, the U.S. military released a memo warning service members about the increased risk of mass shootings at theaters screening the film. This included a list of safety notices, together with a list of tips and guidelines of what to do in the event of a shooting:
Run, hide, fight. In that order.
Why? Because conversations began to emerge on the dark web regarding threats against particular theaters which planned to screen the movie. The Army officials included in the memo the reasoning that troubled individuals seemed to idolize the Joker’s character, portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, as he depicted the nature of an individual struggling with mental illness, attempting to wear a mask of happiness, but ultimately deciding to fight back against his oppressors with acts of severe violence (Cameron, 2019).
Phoenix’s character was, in a sense, revered and admired to a certain population. The Joker was no longer a character formed by a shocking fall into a vat of acid, but rather, a fall from grace. In this instance, a man struggling with mental health is attending therapy and attempting to maintain a grasp on his mental disorders, only for certain events to act as a catalyst which causes his sudden character arc. In the weeks following the movie’s release, praise for the marvelous acting and superb cinematography was interrupted by public concerns that at any given moment, an individual struggling with mental illness would become similarly violent.
Fortunately, no acts of this sort were committed and no mass shootings occurred, but such precautions by the Army raises another important conversation around the perceptions of mental illness in today’s society. In a statement addressing the concerns of controversy in the film, Warner Bros. called gun violence a “critical issue” and openly discussed their recent calls to policymakers to enact legislation to address an epidemic of violence. The company went on to insist that “it is not the intention of the film, the filmmakers or the studio to hold this character up as a hero” (Dickson, 2019).
One major misconception is that mental illness is something that can be inevitably controlled. Rather than being an actual illness ingrained within the behavioral, emotional, or intellectual workings of an individual, common misunderstandings lead many to believe that it is a temporary state of being that can be easily managed or manipulated. People don’t view it for what it is: a medical problem that can heavily influence someone’s life, from maintaining employment, to performing social interactions, to simply getting out of bed in the morning.
These struggles can be exacerbated by lack of proper treatment or management, and given current standards and practices in American society, a great deal of improvement needs to be made in addressing mental illness holistically. While 10% of children and young people between the ages of five and 16 “have a clinically diagnosable mental problem, 70% of children and adolescents who experience mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age” (Mental Health Statistics, 2016).
The World Health Organization (WHO) released a programme in 2003 outlining the problems surrounding mental health, particularly in the areas of child and adolescent psychiatry. WHO also presented two ends of the same spectrum and each with vastly different results: while improving mental health on an individual basis leads to improved physical health, enhanced productivity, and increased stability, the failure to improve mental health could lead to increased crime, unemployment, violence, and other risk-related behaviors.
While certain measures outlined in the program have evolved over the last 17 years, the barriers to achieving care have not budged. Barriers include lack of resources, whether it be financial, human resources, or facilities, the social stigma surrounding mental illness, and lack of public knowledge about mental disorders (Caring for Children and Adolescents with Mental Disorders, 2003).
This raises another important point of consideration: if there is a mental health crisis in America stemming from hurdles that have not been resolved in over a decade, what sort of dangers could be perpetuated by the rise of media, particularly in shows like 13 Reasons Why and movies like the Joker?
The scary part is that there is perhaps no clear-cut solution to this problem, but there are measures that could and should be taken in order to ensure mental illness is addressed in a way that is more rooted in accuracy and sensitivity towards those suffering from mental illness.
Firstly, conversations surrounding mental illness should become normalized, and this starts both in the home and in school systems. Because early onsets for mental illness can begin at ages as young as two, teachers, faculty, and instructors need to be prepared to not only interact with children suffering from illnesses such as anxiety and depression, but to do so in a way that educates and prepares those students so they can identify warning signs in themselves and in others.
The lessons should not stop there, however. These conversations also need to include the means and methods of seeking out the resources these children may need, thereby turning the tables from reactive to proactive. If we were to imagine a community of school systems, aligned in a common goal to tend to the needs of young people suffering from mental illness, we would achieve a degree of normalcy and acceptance that allows individuals to feel comfortable coming forward about their struggles with mental illness.
Patty Cosey, a National Certified Counselor who owns and operates Therapy Center Valdosta in Valdosta, Georgia, specializes in the treatment of children and adolescents. According to Cosey, one wrench in the system lies within school systems specifically.
“A lack of resources and funding for mental health programs in our schools allows the mental health stigma to continue from one generation to the next,” said Cosey.
Early exposure would ultimately lead to earlier strides in finding the help that young people need to treat their mental health on an individual basis. Additionally, with the proper training and attention being provided to staff within school systems, we can be sure that once a student or child comes forward with concerns of mental illness, they can gain the help and support they need.
Secondly, whether media is portraying mental illness in television or movies, it needs to be done in a way that is true and accurate –– not at the expense of alienating those who suffer from it. This includes prioritizing the welfare of those watching, as well as utilizing the platform in a way that is helpful in furthering the conversations surrounding mental illness productively and safely.
A part of this comes with platforms recognizing the immense amount of influence they hold on public perception of mental illness, even if it does not target one viewer in particular. By attempting to showcase mental illness in a public forum, the responsibility of representing such a cardinal issue in modern society falls upon those involved in the making and distribution of that media.
Cosey recognizes the major influence media has on America’s young people, especially in an age of increased technological exposure.
“Media is such a powerful venue and often times we as a society don’t recognize the strong negative messages and how they affect the general public,” said Cosey. “13 Reasons Why was controversial as there were concerns that it glamorized suicide. There aren’t enough documentaries highlighting the aftermath of suicide, or even those who attempt suicide and their thoughts afterward.”
Finally, conversations must turn into actions, which is where the political thread must be woven in. Currently, America faces not only a shortage of healthcare providers prepared to make a stand against the mental health crisis, but also a shortage of services to those suffering from it to begin with.
“Until our government decides that mental health is important, the mental health crisis will continue to grow,” added Cosey. “The government continues to ignore the shortage of providers, cuts funds to mental health and social services, and does nothing to incentivize young people to choose Counseling as a profession.”
With the combined efforts of a new and aware generation of young people and proper policy, the tides of mental illness and how it is both discussed and treated could change entirely.
We have to stop looking at mental illness as a hot topic that, if acknowledged in a public format, becomes worthy of gold-star status. While meager depictions on-screen only go skin-deep, the lack of truth in its representation of mental illness may be playing into a much bigger problem.
Let’s leave the Hannahs and the Jokers to the big screen. It’s time for a reality check, Hollywood.
Source List
Alexa Curtis, Founder of Life Unfiltered with Alexa Curtis and CEO of Be Fearless Summit.
Patty Cosey, MS/LPC, Owner and Therapist at Therapy Center Valdosta and licensed Professional Counselor. Specializes in the treatment of children, marriage and family issues, mood disorders, and borderline personality disorder.
Works Cited
Cameron, Dell. “U.S. Military Issues Warning to Troops About Incel Violence at Joker
Screenings [Updated].” io9, io9, 26 Sept. 2019, io9.gizmodo.com/u-s-military-issues-warning-to-troops-about-incel-viol-1838412331.
“Caring for Children and Adolescents with Mental Disorders.” World Health Organization,
2003.
Curtis, Alexa. “Does '13 Reasons Why' Glamorize Teen Suicide?” Rolling Stone, 25 June 2018,
Dickson, EJ. “Why Everyone Is Freaking Out About 'Joker'.” Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2019,
“Mental Health Statistics: Children and Young People.” Mental Health Foundation, 7 June 2016,
Rosman, Katherine. “Netflix Counts the Reasons Teens Should Watch '13 Reasons Why'.” The
New York Times, The New York Times, 17 May 2018,
“Suicide.” National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide.shtml.
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