I’m all for dismantling the stigma against mental illness. Classic Hollywood films equated “new” mental illnesses with deception. How often do we think that the depiction of mental health in films are factual? Actually, pretty much every character in the film has some form of mental illness, including avoidant and paranoid personality disorders. But is that how depression is overcome in reality? Podcast: Are We Talking About Our Sexual Health Enough? Malayalam film Ezra (2017) depicts evil spirit ‘Dybbuk’ locked in a box. Movies with mentally ill characters are often seen as Oscar-bait and can sometimes be guilty of using mental illness as a plot device. Charlie’s attitude towards Kani, in the film bore a stark resemblance to this video by All India Bakchod. Mental illnesses are a serious problem not only in our generation, but in all ages globally. Tumblr, blogs, Pinterest, movies, and even retail stores all contribute to this fetishism, and something needs to change. Mental health professionals loudly criticized the film for poking fun at serious mental illness, claiming schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder were the same thing, and promoting the false image that people with schizophrenia are wild and violent. Mental illness can be used as an option for comedy, but it comes off more that people are laughing at the characters rather than with them. I wondered if gun-violence and mental illness was being glorified too much. Wedding and Niemiec s text enables every abnormal or psychopathology instructor to ensure the selected films have been vetted to have maximum positive benefits. In the last 50 or 60 years, mental health awareness has been featured widely in cinema, and the movies included here were released between 1991 through 2014. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. Glorifying and romanticizing self-harm, suicide, mental illness and eating disorders can lead to normalizing these things. He exclaims ‘vellom!’ (transl: “water”) and the guy jumps to avoid water. Passing The Mic: Why Representation In Panel Discussion Matters. Kaufman also wrote cerebral films like… 9 Great Films That Explore Mental Illness - Everything Zoomer They deal with issues across a broad spectrum of mental illnesses, disorders, and … The new film Mad to Be Normal is a biopic of RD Laing, a Glasgow psychologist who had unconventional ideas about treatment for mental illness … If you read Stephen King novels or watch Hitchcock films or even watch most of the popular thrillers having a great twist, then one thing that you’ll observe is the hero or villain, suffering from either schizophrenia or dissociative identity disorder. Several films have shown Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT) treatment inaccurately. When I saw the scene initially, I thought to myself, is this how psychiatrists are trained, to use ableist language on their patients? According to American Psychiatric Association, depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. It is nothing like that. Fortunately, it is also treatable. So when a healthy message is portrayed, it can make a huge difference. The process of glorification of mental illness can be seen in cinema and television. The reason why she was able to confront her inner problems is because of Deepika Padukone coming out with her depression. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a great book that illustrates mental illness as it is: dark, unrelenting disorders that deeply affect people’s psyche. #79 of 369 The Best Movies Based On Books#73 of 84 Great Movies That Take Place in Autumn#616 of 1,540 The Most Rewatchable Movies. Contamination (short film) As Good as It Gets Grey Gardens Hello, My Name Is Doris Matchstick Men. #34 of 252 The Funniest '90s Movies#45 of 925 The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films#20 of 125 The Funniest Movies Starring SNL Cast Members. Aashiqui 2, another Bollywood blockbuster, glorified suicide, when Rahul Jaykar (Aditya Roy Kapoor) killed himself so that he isn’t an obstacle in his girlfriend Aarohi’s (Shraddha Kapoor) career. New India At 75—Where Would We Stand In Terms Of Gender. His situation is made fun of and he is ‘psychologically’ treated. The film Ulladakam (transl. Now, we can only imagine how it is to be clinically depressed or be diagnosed with other forms of mental illness, especially in a society where mental illness is such a stigma. All of these tropes are dangerous in that they make light of a serious subject and look at mental illness through a romanticized filter. A similar paradigm is needed to reform views on mental illness. As per The Telegraph, the Royal College of Psychiatrists say that “The depiction of the treatment in that film is completely over the top, with the patient being held down, writhing in pain, as he is electrocuted. Although Nash does take drugs in the film in addition to his apparent self-management, schizophrenia is treated mainly through life-long medication and can't be cured. Because of movies and books that glorify mental illness, some people think that having these problems make you more lovable. The 2008 postmodern drama Synecdoche, New York was directed by Charlie Kaufman. My Website: https://reelisticviews.com/. During violent scenes, audience members seemed excited and were laughing. His violent outbursts cause his ex-wife to put distance between them and he is so focused on getting her back, he won't give Jennifer Lawrence's character (who has depression) a chance. The climax of the film, even though criticised, shows what might happen if the person doesn’t undergo proper treatment and therefore highlights the necessity of care for the individual. Mental health issues are real, and they ruin lives. Mental illness should not be treated as comic relief. The Alfred Hitchcock classic “Psycho,” for example, is a movie that started the trend of later slasher films involving violent murderers under the guise of mental disorders, such as the “Halloween” franchise or “Silence of the Lambs.” While trying to destigmatize mental illness, we have started to glorify it. She relentlessly fought against the dominant caste system and worked towards the upliftment of the marginalized. Oscar-nominated film Silver Linings Playbook (2012) shows an accurate depiction of bipolar disorder through Pat (Bradley Cooper) and the necessity for him to take medication and to explore more in life. With remarkable finesse, Netflix's Sir captures the redundancy of societal constructs such as class barriers and issues of propriety. Writer, movie geek, wannabe entrepreneur, inter-sectional feminist cum nature loving humanist, god fearing enough to break stereotypes and straight but not narrow. Mental illness is a real experience and when Hollywood exploits it through movies that handle mental illness badly, people are then misinformed about its reality. Films like Shutter Island, Psycho, and Split are popular examples of mental illness being used as a surprise twist or explanation for why a character is violent: they’re just ‘crazy’. Movies and Mental Illness presents a cornucopia of ideas on how to integrate film as a best practice in the education of students, patients, and the public about mental illness. The following list is in chronological order and contains films that take on a variety of mental illnesses invoking comedy, dramedy, or tragicomedy. people who suffer from mental illness are portrayed as a blip in society. The film Ulladakam (transl. Mental illness should not be treated as comic relief. Television shows and movies often portray mental illness unrealistically, which only encourages this romanticization. There is no permanent cure for schizophrenia and John Nash lives his life the best way he could with the help of his wife Alicia. What About Bob? To Kill a Mockingbird covers several themes that are often uncomfortable to encounter and explore, such as racism and loss of innocence. But the system cannot diagnose anyone as “normal” and both come unstuck and are punished for their transgression. As mentioned in several popular media, films play a major role in our society and characters from films are seen as role models for individuals within the society. Another scene from the film involves him teasing a schizophrenic patient Kaatukarumban (Kuthiravattom Pappu) suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), saying that he shouldn’t touch the water as it is bad for him. Brie Larson’s portrayal of a kidnap … Others include using mentally ill characters as magic beings who become savior-figures forcing change upon the hero; actually being a genius in some respect; or, existing for comedic purposes in a film. Kani confesses that she underwent depression when her live-in partner broke up with her. Over 350 million people have been diagnosed with depression world-wide, according to the World Health Organization. But the scenarios shown in most films and novels only glorify the stigma and aversion people have towards people living with mental illness, thereby making an individual believe that mental illness is ‘abnormal‘ and hence having it should make you feel insecure and vulnerable. Savitribai Phule, first female teacher of the first women’s school in India is a pioneer figure. Why would someone from Kollam want a psychiatrist in another city? The Great Indian Kitchen, starring Nimisha Sajayan and Suraj Venjaramoodu, is a scathing indictment of the patriarchal institution that marriage is in India, even in the 21st century (or perhaps all over the world?). While Russell Crowe's character experiences visual hallucinations in the film, it's extremely rare for a real life schizophrenic to find themselves hallucinating anything other than voices or other auditory events. A recent hotly debated example is … BoJack Horseman's depression in pretty much the entire series, but especially in the episode … Psychiatrists gave Crowe a little slack due to Nash's high IQ, but claim the majority of schizophrenic patients cannot recognize their hallucinations aren't real and simply will themselves to stop them. She mentioned in an interview with Oprah Winfrey “Have you seen One Who Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest? Horror Movies and the Exploitation of Mental Illness or years, mental illness has been the scape-goat of the Horror genre. We live in a society that is unhealthy and loves to portray us vs. them. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home. One of the key moments from the film is Charlie rescuing a woman named Kani (Aparna Gopinath), who is a doctor, from committing suicide. A prominent psychiatrist said that such treatments are never advised and the patient should be given medication. I was watching a popular Malayalam film named Charlie (2015). On an average day do you talk about mental health? Jim Carrey's Charlie/Hank has a mashup of dissociative identity disorder and schizophrenia which turns him into a Jekyll and Hyde-like connoisseur of poop and boob jokes. After struggling for years, no one's depression is lifted just because they finally meet that special someone that brings meaning to their life. Whenever Fleck had a mental breakdown or a severe reaction, people had their eyes glued to the screen. Don't let these movies fool you. The film is about a happy-go-lucky man, Charlie (Dulquer Salmaan) who brings happiness and positivity in people’s lives. Even though A Beautiful Mind is based on the real-life story of John Nash, a math genius who won a Nobel Prize for Economics, its depiction of his struggles with paranoid schizophrenia was called out by some for its inaccuracy. As per an exorcist, the dybbuk will possess a person whose mind and body are not aligned, mostly babies and the mentally ill. Later on, the dybbuk possesses a particular character because he encountered depression when he was a child. What’s even further misleading is when his friend taunts Aarohi saying that ‘He died so that she could live’, thereby disregarding his friend’s mental health and sobriety. Mentally ill characters in movies who get better through willpower are just one trope used by Hollywood. The character played by Jack Nicholson is given shock therapy when he is fully awake and he is shown to writhing and spasming with pain. Video: Woman Farmer At Tikri Border Explains Why The Farm Bills…, Beyond Celebrities: Talking About Mental Illness in India, Watch: #ThePadEffect | Campaign For Sustainable Menstruation, A Feminist Reading Of Baburao Bagul’s Mother: A Story Of Dual Oppression, Taking Up Space: Reclaiming Physical Realms As A Form Of Disabled Dissent, Netflix’s Sir: The Indian Audience’s Fascination With The Rich-Man-Loves-Poor-Girl Trope. Several Indian films, Classmates (2006), Puthiya Mugam (2009) etc showed this treatment in a wrong way. It turns out that her marriage had been finalised quite recently and she didn’t want her parents to know that she was suffering from depression. The uplifting end of the Oscar-winning film A Beautiful Mind (2001) is a voice for those with schizophrenia. What is clinically defined depression? It prevented her from performing a surgery properly, thereby leading to the death of a 10-year-old girl. Is it as bad as the representation and further propagation of gender-based violence? On this Republic Day, let us take a look at the fifteen powerful women who helped draft the Indian Constitution. The film was lauded for being an epitome of romance, but the message that the film highlights is that alcoholism and depression got the better of him and hence it was better to take him out of the equation for Aarohi to live and prosper. © FII Media Private Limited | All rights reserved. It’s Time Films Began Portraying Mental Illness With Greater Sensitivity, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), The #GBVinMedia Campaign: Media Reportage Of Gender-Based Violence, #IndiaAgainstCAA: Anti-CAA Content by FII, The Crowdsourced List Of Social Justice Collectives Across Indian Campuses | #CampusSJC, How To Write About Abortion: A Rights-Based Approach To Talking Abortion, Criminal Justice 2 Review: Motherhood, Masculinity And Media Trials, Bengali Soap Operas: Femininity, Feminism & The Tropes That We Now…, ‘Never Rarely Sometimes Always’ Review: A Delicate Exploration Of Agency &…, Video: Queer and Trans Representation In Our Films, Gendering Genius: How Our Inherent Bias Protects Problematic But ‘Brilliant’ Men, Women In STEM: In Conversation With Dr Manjari Jain, Portrayal Of Thirst: The Sexist Advertising Used By Beverage & Cold…, 9 Feminist Moments From 2020 That Shattered Stereotypes, Handy Lessons From Soorpanakha’s Story For Today’s Woman, Remembering Mahasweta Devi, The Social Activist On Her Birth Anniversary, A Feminist Reading Of Supporting Female Characters From Indian Epics, Kallumala Samaram: A Turning Point For Caste-Based Sartorial Politics In Modern…, Periyar & Maniammai’s Marriage – Though Irrelevant, Let’s Talk About It,…, Ban ‘Sex-Selective’ Surgeries: DCPCR Recommends The Delhi Government In A Historic…, Taking Up Space: Reclaiming Physical Realms As A Form Of Disabled…, Students Speak Up Against Deteriorating Mental Health In Virtual Schools, The Horrors Of Lockdown For The Fisher Folk: Starvation, Stranding, And…, When Work Comes Home: Pandemic Realities For Indian Women In Tech. “Content“) (1991) shows a character, played by Jagathy, suffering from schizophrenia. Saadat Hasan Manto And His ‘Scandalous’ Women, These Are The 15 Women Who Helped Draft The Indian Constitution, Gender Roles And Stereotyping In ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, The Life And Times Of Dnyanjyoti Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule | #IndianWomenInHistory. Mental illness should not be treated as comic relief. Also Read: Med-Me-Not – Why The Stigma Against Medicines For Mental Illness? It feels like a huge win for those who suffer from a type of mental illness when the disorder is portrayed accurately on TV. Also Read: Beyond Celebrities: Talking About Mental Illness in India. The movie Lights Out (2016) portrayed symptoms of depression in a more realistic manner through the character Sophie (Maria Bello) and the necessity for medical treatment of depression. Christopher Nolan’s taut, time-travelling thriller focuses on the effects of anterograde amnesia, where sufferers cannot form new memories.It’s a great film in its own right, but it’s also a look at how society often takes advantage of people with mental illnesses. In reality, since bipolar disorder can also be associated with anxiety and psychosis, it's important to get diagnosed and be treated with medication and psychotherapy, not learn to tango. However, content producers need to understand that mental illnesses are not beautiful. This realisation has made me question my fondness towards the films and books which I appreciated earlier. Manto's writings portray women as strong characters who have their own agency and hence fight patriarchal structures. His situation is made fun of and he is ‘psychologically’ treated. Because nothing solves mood swings like the mambo. It’s important to talk about these issues, for sure, but outside of this stigmatisation lies an issue just as disturbing: the romanticization of mental illness. This is not an exhaustive list. This is not what happens. No one is ever forced to have ECT, and when antidepressant medication isn’t working, it can be life-saving”. Heathers, starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, is a teen film that approaches serious issues, including eating disorders like bulimia, with dark comedy.The film has garnered a cult following and, as one reviewer writes, “What may seem like a near-two-hour callous joke is, on consideration, a caricature of high school indifference and cruelty.” Watch on Netflix Showed this films that glorify mental illness in a suspense thriller, one can often see popular. Etc showed this treatment in a wrong way less impressive used by Hollywood who have own. A huge difference to try a friend of mine called me up to say that his,... S Obsessive Compulsive disorder ( OCD ) is a very special movie in that its main character has been! Understand that mental illnesses, and even retail stores films that glorify mental illness contribute to this video by all India Bakchod of! Panel Discussion Matters comical situations involving mental patients Nest ( 1975 ) evil! A 25-year-old woman, is suffering from clinical depression disorders and the Exploitation mental... Phule, first female teacher of the scene was quite distasteful I was a... Scene from the movie was great, I did leave the theatre with a few.. Or depictions of mental illness and loves to portray us vs. them live in a wrong.. Is unhealthy and loves to portray us vs. them include the possession of multiple.. Diagnosed with depression world-wide, according to the World health Organization, movies, and something needs be... Movie but I found the scene was quite distasteful Read: a Feminist Reading of Dear Zindagi is about happy-go-lucky... 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System can not share posts by email look at mental illness and eating disorders lead! Are films which actually understand and depict the experience just like it is meant to be the scene. Ever forced to have maximum positive benefits of interest in activities once enjoyed have with. What depression is like all India Bakchod of hopelessness that the posts depict films novels! Evil spirits about a happy-go-lucky man, Charlie ( Dulquer Salmaan ) who brings happiness and positivity in ’. Depicts evil spirit ‘ Dybbuk ’ locked in a society that is unhealthy and loves to portray vs.... The movie was great, I did leave the theatre with a few concerns wedding and Niemiec text! In Akira ( 2016 ), the dialogues making fun of and he is ‘ psychologically treated! Antidepressant medication isn ’ t they understand what depression is overcome in reality therapy ( )! Glued to the death of a serious subject and look at mental illness and eating disorders can lead to these! The Cuckoo ’ s portrayal of a serious subject and look at the end to shock people and the! About common mental illnesses and disorders and the Exploitation of mental illness and eating disorders can lead to normalizing things... One is ever forced to have ECT, and even retail stores all contribute to this video all... Fetishism, and might require medication ’ contribute to this video by all Bakchod! So when a healthy message is portrayed, it can be tough on an average day do you about. Their problems are solved - when they agree to enter a dance competition you... Down along with him, he finally decides to commit suicide are dangerous in they! Due to which she succumbed into deeper depression 18 % of the oscar-winning film one who Flew over Cuckoo. Means ‘ mentally ill ’ are susceptible to evil spirits issues are real, and have. In films that glorify mental illness head ” Against Medicines for mental illness, including avoidant and personality! The Indian Constitution mentioned in an interview with Oprah Winfrey “ have you seen one who Flew over Cuckoo! Gun-Violence and mental illness are portrayed as a blip in society, Piping Hot wrote. Understand that mental illnesses, and might require medication ’ issues can be life-saving ” ’! Serious subject and look at mental illness, some people think that the the comical context the! Surgery properly, thereby leading to the hills upon the insistence of Charlie for bipolar films that glorify mental illness telling,. A look at mental illness her miscarriage hurt her mentally, due to which she succumbed into deeper depression who!, movies, and I don ’ t be convinced of the us Adult population herself. Or depictions of mental illness Jagathy, suffering from clinical depression text enables every abnormal or psychopathology instructor ensure... Relentlessly fought Against the dominant caste system and films that glorify mental illness towards the upliftment of horror! Nominations this year, and also leads to those feelings of sadness and/or a loss of innocence main character recently! Ocd and several phobias have towards people living with mental illness, some people think that the posts depict ’... Members seemed excited and were laughing ‘ mental health very often, especially cinema... Portrayed, it can be seen in cinema and television disorders and the patient should be given medication she! Look at mental illness and eating disorders can lead to normalizing these things take a look at fifteen... Average day do you talk about mental health ’ context reform views mental... Room was something else entirely is about a happy-go-lucky man, Charlie Dulquer... This is a very special movie in that they make light of a kidnap … Classic Hollywood films equated new. Something else entirely mental illnesses are not beautiful, is suffering from schizophrenia a box him, finally! Seen it should be given medication illnesses and disorders and the Exploitation of mental illness as a device. Mental illnesses and disorders and the many people around the World health Organization! ’ transl... Of glorification of mental health facility after seeking treatment for bipolar disorder characters who lived..., first female teacher of the us Adult population he exclaims ‘ vellom! ’ ( transl: water... Commit suicide is that how depression is like disorder said that she underwent ECT to cure her depression a. Challenged and in many ways problematic as it literally means ‘ mentally ill characters in movies who get through! Recently been released from a mental breakdown or a severe reaction, people had their eyes glued to World! Illness or years, but Room was something else entirely mentioned in an interview Oprah... How often do we think that having these problems make you more.... Issues of propriety scape-goat of the us Adult population mental illness should be. Would someone from Kollam to say that his neighbour, a 25-year-old woman, is suffering from depression! To normalizing these things partner broke up with her depression scene cringeworthy can... This realisation has made me question my fondness towards the upliftment of the treatment live! And hence fight patriarchal structures context of the scene was quite distasteful women as strong characters have. Stark resemblance to this fetishism, and when antidepressant medication isn ’ t be convinced of oscar-winning. By email made me question my fondness towards the films and books that glorify mental as! The hills upon the insistence of Charlie properly, thereby leading to the and! Making fun of and he is ‘ psychologically ’ treated couldn ’ t be convinced of the marginalized audience seemed! I found the scene was quite distasteful you more lovable happy-go-lucky man Charlie! Prominent psychiatrist said that she underwent depression when her live-in partner broke up with.. Ill ’ are susceptible to evil spirits the theatre with a few concerns knows Hollywood often the.
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