Portrayal of Mental Health Issues in American Movies and TV Shows : From Stigmatized to Sensationalized

master's thesis

• Title (croatian): Prikaz mentalnih zdravstvenih poteškoća u američkim filmovima i TV serijama : Od stigmatiziranog do senzacionaliziranog
• Author: Lara Krivačić
• Mentor: Sven Cvek (mentor)
• Committee member: Jelena Šesnić (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Hrvoje Tutek (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Sven Cvek (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of English language and literature); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2023-09-27, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics

Abstract

This master’s thesis explores the portrayal of mental disorders in American movies and TV shows, examining how they utilize mental disorders to shape the narrative and the perception of the disorders themselves. While the visual arts have the potential to educate, destigmatize, and foster empathy towards individuals with mental health issues, it also has the capacity to perpetuate stereotypes, sensationalize these issues, and inadvertently romanticize them.
Through the detailing of the historical context pertinent to the perception of mental disorders by the general public, this thesis sheds light on the power of the trends, medical advancements, and societal shifts in shaping societal attitudes towards mental health and mental disorders. It underscores the connection between the depictions of mental disorders and the historical context that shaped and shifted the perceptions of them.
An analysis of three mental disorders via recent American movies and TV shows details the tropes that characterize their portrayals. The examples of Please Stand By and The Good Doctor show that the “othering” of characters with disorders happens perhaps nowhere as frequently as in terms of ASD. The trope of “softening” or “overcoming” the disorder through love and perseverance is used at its fullest when depicting characters with ASD. That young people are a disheveled version of adults who are in constant battle with the world around them and that that is something admirable, is a trope best portrayed by the depiction of depression and anxiety in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and 13 Reasons Why. Romanticizing suicide as revenge and revenge out of love that leads to mental deterioration, as well as finding solace solely in other people who also have mental health issues can make depression seem desirable despite the pain it brings with it. Finally, equalizing mental disorders with being evil, violent, or monstrous, as can be seen with the DID portrayal in Split and Moon Knight, further stigmatizes the disorder, especially when purposefully used to create interest around the film or show.
While Hollywood profits off of sensationalized portrayals of mental health issues, it is important to keep in mind that it can only do so thanks to the interaction between the audience and the medium. The fear of the unknown, the romantic view of suffering, and the division between “us” and “them” are themes that should be explored artistically, as they have been explored for a long time, however, with a less stigmatizing approach.

Abstract (croatian)

Ovaj diplomski rad istražuje prikaz mentalnih poremećaja u američkim filmovima i TV serijama, ispitujući kako oni koriste mentalne poremećaje za oblikovanje narativa i percepcije samih poremećaja. Dok vizualna umjetnost ima potencijal educirati, destigmatizirati i poticati empatiju prema osobama s mentalnim zdravtsvenim poteškoćama, ona također ima sposobnost poticati stereotipe, senzacionalizirati te probleme i nenamjerno ih romantizirati.
Kroz detaljni prikaz povijesnog konteksta relevantnog za percepciju mentalnih poremećaja u široj javnosti, ovaj rad ističe snagu trendova, medicinski napredak i društvene promjene u oblikovanju društvenih stavova prema mentalnom zdravlju i mentalnim poremećajima te naglašava vezu između prikaza mentalnih poremećaja i povijesnog konteksta koji je oblikovao i promijenio percepciju o njima.
Analiza triju mentalnih poremećaja u nedavnim američkim filmovima i TV emisijama prikazuje detalje koji karakteriziraju njihove prikaze. Please Stand By i The Good Doctor pokazuju da se “otuđenje” likova s ​​poremećajima možda nigdje ne događa tako često kao u slučaju spektra autizma. Trop "omekšavanja" ili "savladavanja" poremećaja kroz ljubav i ustrajnost koristi se u najvećoj mogućoj mjeri kada se prikazuju likovi sa spektrom autizma. Da su mladi razbarušena verzija odraslih koji su u stalnoj borbi sa svijetom oko sebe i da je to nešto vrijedno divljenja, trop je koji najbolje oslikava prikaz depresije i anksioznosti u The Perks of Being a Wallflower and 13 Reasons Why. Romantiziranje samoubojstva kao osvete i osvete iz ljubavi koja dovodi do mentalnog propadanja, kao i pronalaženje utjehe isključivo u drugim ljudima koji također imaju problema s mentalnim zdravljem može rezultirati romantiziranom verzijom depresije unatoč boli koju nosi sa sobom. Konačno, izjednačavanje mentalnih poremećaja sa zlim, nasilnim ili monstruoznim, kao što se može vidjeti s prikazom disocijativnog poremećaja u filmu Split i TV seriji Moon Knight, dodatno stigmatizira poremećaj, osobito kada se namjerno koristi za stvaranje interesa oko filma ili serije.
Iako Hollywood profitira od senzacionaliziranih prikaza mentalnih zdravstvenih poteškoća, važno je imati na umu da to može učiniti samo zahvaljujući interakciji između publike i medija. Strah od nepoznatog, romantični pogled na patnju i podjela na „mi“ i „oni“ teme su koje treba umjetnički istražiti, jer se već dugo istražuju, ali s manje stigmatizirajućim pristupom.

• Keywords: American Movies and TV Shows; Media; Mental Health
• Keywords (croatian): američki filmovi i TV serije; mediji; mentalno zdravlje
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:905861
• Study programme: Title: English Language and Literature (double major); specializations in: Linguistics, Literature and Culture, Translation, TEFL; Course: Literature and Culture; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti (magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2023-09-27 10:52:16