Romanticization of mental illness in media: Difference between revisions
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#REDIRECT [[Mental illness in media]] {{R with history}} |
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{{Tone|date=April 2022}} |
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'''Romanticization of mental illness in media''' includes sensationalization and misrepresentation of such illnesses.<ref name = NAMI>{{Cite web |title=From Stigmatized to Sensationalized {{!}} NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness |url=https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/May-2019/From-Stigmatized-to-Sensationalized |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=www.nami.org}}</ref> |
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== Romanticization in Technology == |
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=== Television === |
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Both TV shows and movies have a history of including characters struggling with some sort of mental illness. In the past, many of these characters seem to be depicted as either highly dangerous or as comedic relief, and as a result, some viewers see this as a very incorrect visualization of a real-life, authentic and true experience.<ref name = NAMI/> |
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For example, movies such as Psycho, The Boston Strangler, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Silence of The Lambs all have villains portrayed as suffering from mental illness.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-23 |title=From vilification to romanticization: Viewing mental disorders from the lens of media |url=https://www.sociologygroup.com/from-vilification-to-romanticization-viewing-mental-disorders-from-the-lens-of-media/ |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=Sociology Group: Sociology and Other Social Sciences Blog |language=en-gb}}</ref> |
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==== 13 Reasons Why ==== |
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"13 Reasons Why" is a Netflix original<ref>{{Cite web |title=Watch 13 Reasons Why {{!}} Netflix Official Site |url=https://www.netflix.com/title/80117470 |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=www.netflix.com |language=en}}</ref> with the plot surrounding a high school female, Hannah Baker, who committed suicide. Controversy around this TV show has arisen for a while ever since it was released, and many articles and postings have been uploaded online, especially around the idea of connecting the female's suicide to a form of anger and revenge.<ref name = NAMI/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mental Illness Depiction in TV Shows |url=https://www.wethegenesis.id/culture/mental-illness-depiction-in-tv-shows |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=www.wethegenesis.id}}</ref> Some argue that there is too much of an emphasis on how Hannah committed suicide, including the gory visuals and details as well as the idea of revenge, and not enough focus on the true reasons behind ending one's life.<ref name = Bloggers>{{Cite web |last=Bloggers |first=Guest |date=2021-04-20 |title=Harmful Romanticization in 13 Reasons Why |url=https://bringchange2mind.org/2021/04/20/harmful-romanticization-in-13-reasons-why/ |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=Bring Change to Mind |language=en-US}}</ref> Other's also emphasize how shows such as "13 Reasons Why" normally just skim over and cover only the surface of these issues, and thus somehow desensitize something as important as suicide.<ref name = Bloggers/> For example, this specific show was accused of not talking much about mental health in its first season (besides the suicide itself).<ref name = NAMI/> |
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The National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) additionally argues that the depiction of a "planned out suicide" is damaging, as suicides are rarely planned.<ref name = NAMI/> |
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=== Social Media === |
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Social media is a prevalent presence in many people’s lives, especially for younger generations. As a result, these platforms have also become used more and more to address mental health issues in different ways. |
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==== TikTok ==== |
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TikTok has especially become a social media platform where mental health and illnesses are talked about more freely. The National institutes of Health (NIH) released in 2015 that more than 1/3 of Americans use the internet to help "diagnose their ailments", including mental illnesses.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-08-14 |title=Checking the Symptom Checkers |url=https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/checking-symptom-checkers |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=National Institutes of Health (NIH) |language=EN}}</ref> TikTok videos promoting either self-diagnosis or possible symptoms of different illnesses has caused an increase of internet users to believe they have a disorder, when in reality they may or may not.<ref name = Philly>{{Cite web |date=2021-03-11 |title=Real Philly Therapists on the Worst Mental Health Advice and Trends They've Seen on TikTok |url=https://www.phillymag.com/be-well-philly/2021/03/11/tiktok-mental-health-advice-trends/ |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=Philadelphia Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> Additionally, TikTok keeps up with the latest trends, and some trends touch upon mental health (positively or negatively, depending on the point of view). One trend, as explained by the Philadelphia Magazine, uses [[intermittent fasting]] to heal anxiety. However, some individuals, including licensed counselors such as Akua K. Boateng<ref>{{Cite web |title=Akua K. Boateng, Ph.D. |url=https://www.akuakboateng.com/ |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=Akua K. Boateng, Ph.D. |language=en-US}}</ref> argue that this advice is actually very detrimental in actually promoting bad mental habits instead, including the possible development of eating disorders.<ref name = Philly/> |
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Other trends, including "What I Eat in a Day" Tiktoks, have been also labeled as harmful by health professionals, since these videos may lead viewers to habits of unhealthy comparison and goals of developing the "societal accepted body".<ref name = NAMI/> With a majority of these videos reaching women especially, many believe that viewers may become more vulnerable, leading to unhealthy eating habits.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-04-23 |title=The Dangers of Tik Tok's 'What I Eat in a Day' Trend |url=https://www.hopeseds.org/the-dangers-of-tik-tok-s-what-i-eat-in-a-day-trend609b743a |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=www.hopeseds.org |language=en}}</ref> |
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====Tumblr ==== |
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There exists a large population of self-identified mentally ill users on Tumblr, where the ability to post more unfiltered content led to individuals arguably sensationalizing and glamorizing mental illnesses and suicide.<ref name = NAMI/> A thesis on Tumblr poetry explains how "[t]he site serves as both a place of relief for people with mental health disorders, or even just every day growing pains, but it can also act as an enabling source for users who use the site as an echo chamber for their own problematic coping mechanisms, implying a groupthink problem that can exist in this kind of digital space."<ref>{{cite thesis |last= Cotte |first= Selena |date=20 March 2020|title= #does this count as poetry?": A genre analysis of Tumblr poetry |type= Master of Arts|url=https://via.library.depaul.edu/cmnt/33/ |access-date= 18 April 2022}}</ref> Tumblr staff attempted to prevent the use of their platform for romanticizing mental illness by changing their policies in 2012 to prohibit content actively promoting or depicting self harm and showing [[Public Service Announcement]]s instead of results when users search keywords related to self-harm, such as "[[proana]]," "thinspo," "thinspiration," "purge," "bulimia," "anorexic," and more.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tumblr Revises Policy On Self-Harm Content, Bans 'Hunger Blogs' |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tumblr-issues-statement-r_n_1296857 |access-date=18 April 2022 |work=HuffPost |publisher=HuffPost |date=23 February 2012 |language=en}}</ref> |
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== Romanticization and Portrayal in the News == |
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=== Celebrity Suicides === |
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An abundance of media and news coverage occurs follow the celebrity suicides, such as the pretty recent deaths of Kate Spade and Robin Williams. A Columbia University study<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Fink |first1=David S. |last2=Santaella-Tenorio |first2=Julian |last3=Keyes |first3=Katherine M. |date=2018-02-07 |title=Increase in suicides the months after the death of Robin Williams in the US |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=e0191405 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0191405 |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=5802858 |pmid=29415016|bibcode=2018PLoSO..1391405F |doi-access=free }}</ref> revealed that "suicides rose nearly 10% higher than expected in the months following Robin Williams' death in August 2014", especially involving the method used by Robin Williams himself (a 32% increase).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dastagir |first=Alia E. |title=Kate Spade's death and the unintentional consequences of suicide coverage |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/06/06/kate-spades-death-and-suicide-contagion-how-media-got-wrong-again/678314002/ |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hafner |first=Josh Hafner and Josh |title=Suicides increased 10% after Robin Williams' death, study finds |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/nation-now/2018/02/08/suicides-increased-10-after-robin-williams-death-study-finds/320809002/ |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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These results support the idea of suicide contagion, which the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) defines as "the exposure to suicide or suicidal behaviors within one's family, one's peer group, or through media reports of suicide and can result in an increase in suicide and suicidal behaviors."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Division (DCD) |first=Digital Communications |title=What does "suicide contagion" mean, and what can be done to prevent it? |url=https://www.hhs.gov/answers/mental-health-and-substance-abuse/what-does-suicide-contagion-mean/index.html |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=HHS.gov |language=en}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
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*[[Copycat suicide]] |
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*[[Mass shooting contagion]] |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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[[Category:Digital media use and mental health]] |
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[[Category:Journalism ethics]] |
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[[Category:Influence of mass media]] |
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Latest revision as of 21:28, 20 December 2023
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