Abstract:
Film, television, and other sources of media often serve as a spotlight on the world, highlighting both the good and bad sides of human nature. One concept that is often explored in films and television is mental illness. While some media portrayals show mental illness in a sympathetic light, other portrayals show those with mental disorders as violent and criminal (Diefenbach, 1997; Kondo, 2008), as well as frightening and dangerous (Wahl & Roth, 1982). These negative media portrayals of mental illness could potentially lead to less tolerance for the mentally ill (Granello, Pauley, & Carmichael, 1999) and encourage negative reactions toward those with mental disorders (Stuart, 2006). These negative perceptions of those with mental illness could potentially impact their self-esteem, make them less likely to seek treatment, and make them less likely to continue their medication (Stuart, 2006). However, there are ways to combat the negative effects of distorted portrayals of mental illness in the media including using the media to show realistic depictions of mental illness (Penn, Chamberlin, & Mueser, 2003), discussing portrayals of mental illness in film (Petkari, 2017), and interacting with real people who have mental disorders and taking informational classes (Granello, Pauley, & Carmichael, 1999). While these findings do not provide a perfect solution to counteract negative media portrayals of mental illness, they show how accurate knowledge about mental disorders can increase tolerance and reduce the stigma.
Keywords: mental illness portrayals, film, television, media, perceptions, stigma
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