Mental disorders in film and television
Cinema is not only an artistic or entertainment phenomenon: it can also be a "powerhouse of thought," that is, a possibility for thinking.
It is the French philosopher Alain Badiou (2004) who proposes the action of "thinking about cinema" and understanding it not only as art but also as "experimentation of thought".
There are many fields of study about film, from the areas of audiovisual communication, philosophy, psychology… But, in addition, intuitively, we can all affirm that we think about our lives and feel differently after encountering audiovisual media.
In recent decades, thanks to streaming platforms such as Netflix, HBO and Amazon, series are beginning to replace cinema, just as cinema has replaced 19th and 20th century literature as the predominant form of storytelling in terms of consumption (Carrión, 2014).
In each and every one of these narrative forms—literature, film, television series—there is a story about the world. Human beings are narrative beings; we tell stories, and in these stories, what are known as "social imaginaries" are produced and reproduced.
Imaginaries are socially constructed frameworks (Pintos, 1995) that allow us to understand the world, explain it, and act within it. There are imaginaries about what a family, a country, humanity, etc., is and how it is represented.
Other social imaginaries concern mental health problems. What are the forms of mental suffering, and how are they represented?
Much has been said about the representation of mental disorders in literature, film, and television series. Although the concept of mental disorder as it is currently known only emerged in the 19th century, the fact is that highlighting what is different or "abnormal" (Foucault, 2006) has generated great interest and curiosity since time immemorial.
Specifically, in the book "Imaginaries of mental disorders in series" (Martínez Lucena and Cambra Badii, 2020) ask ourselves: What does a mental health problem mean in the current era? What mental disorders are shown to us in the everyday imagination? How are mental disorders represented in the audiovisual world, particularly in television series? Is their representation faithful according to the diagnoses proposed by the various health sciences? What new insights do the series offer in this regard?
The basic idea is that in recent years we are noticing an overabundance of main characters in television series affected by some psychological or psychiatric disorder.
Through the prominence of mental illness in television series, different diagnoses are disseminated, and, moreover, the social imaginaries of new societies are "negotiated" with the viewer. We ask ourselves: Is it possible that television series offer a different representation of mental health issues? Is it possible that this influences the creation of new collective imaginaries?
In the research on television series presented in the book, we found portrayals of schizophrenia and psychopathy, addictions, dementia, autism, depression and suicide, sexual disorders, narcissistic personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The variety of clinical forms is reflected in the variety of representations within the series.
Perhaps the most impactful films and series are those featuring protagonists with psychosis or schizophrenia. From classics like " Psycho " (Hitchcock, 1960) and "The Shining " (Kubrick, 1980) and "A Beautiful Mind " (2001), to the more recent Joker (2019), these films depict individuals unable to control their impulses, suffering from hallucinations and delusions, and receiving varying degrees of support from society. "Psycho" even includes a memorable scene with a professional explanation of the phenomenon, as if guiding the audience toward a deeper understanding of this disorder.
These types of characters also have an undeniable presence in television series, including Bates Motel (2013-2017), Mr. Robot (2015-2019), Maniac (2018), and Homeland (2011-2020). For example, in Homeland , the protagonist, Carrie Mathison, is introduced as a CIA agent with bipolar disorder. The series details the two phases of the disorder quite clearly from the first season, with various paranoid and manic symptoms, followed by a shorter depressive phase. All of this is underpinned by the underlying anxiety that the CIA will discover her diagnosis, as this would lead to her being removed from her job. In this case, the diagnosis could be a source of stigma, as she would be automatically disqualified from doing the work she loves. As viewers, we identify with her struggles and follow the protagonist's journey, hoping that her disorder remains hidden, which could amplify the stigma associated with this portrayal.
It is worth noting that in many cases, the fictionalization of some stories can lead to confusion or misinterpretation of various signs and symptoms of disorders, and even to confusion regarding treatments. For example, in United States of Tara (2009-2011), a woman with dissociative identity disorder goes without pharmacological or even psychotherapeutic treatment for weeks or even months, which could be harmful to both her and her family. In 13 Reasons Why (2017-2020), the teenager Hannah Baker commits suicide in a visually disturbing scene, which was later removed due to recommendations against disseminating images of suicide that could lead to identification and imitation.
The danger of "glamorizing" death by suicide
While it's worth noting that the series "13 Reasons Why" brings the topic of depression to the forefront, especially with a teenage and young adult audience, the way it does so is misguided on more than one occasion. The series presents flawed and simplistic associations between bullying and depression, when in reality these are complex and multifactorial problems. Furthermore, it falsely links depression and suicide, suggesting that suicide is inevitable, which contributes to the spread of misconceptions. The warning to view suicide as a "lesson" for others to "learn" is one of the series' most harmful messages, as is its trivialization and lack of precision in presenting sensitive images to viewers, mostly teenagers, with the inherent risk of imitation.
In this sense, it's best to revisit films like " The Hours " (2002) or series like My Mad Fat Diary (2013-2015), Please Like Me (2013-2016), The Affair (2014-2019), or BoJack Horseman (2014-2020) to reflect on depression and its associated mood swings, lack of motivation and concentration, sadness, pessimism, low self-esteem, anxiety, and, in some cases, suicidal thoughts. Depression is one of the most widespread mental disorders of our time, and at the same time one of the most silenced (Lopera-Mármol, 2020), which is why these films and series that bring depression to light, beyond any trivialization, are especially important.
In some of the series studied in the book, such as Maniac (2018), Atypical (2017-2021), and Euphoria (2019-), the characters are not defined solely by their diagnosis. They are people who do and experience much more than just living with a mental disorder.
However, in some cases, the transformations that characters undergo in different seasons of television series can lead to an illusory perception of change, as in the case of autism associated with high IQs, as in The Good Doctor (2017-). In this case, the portrayal of the diagnosis includes new labels: that of being recognized for their achievements, or the obligation to change and "improve" over time.
Finally, it's interesting to reflect on the particular overabundance of characters in recent years whose behavior can be interpreted as stemming from narcissistic disorders or even psychopathy. While these types of characters already sparked fascination with classic films like "The Silence of the Lambs " (Demme, 1991) and "American Psycho " (2000), later joined by " We Need to Talk About Kevin" (2011), it's with the world of television series that this interest expands and branches out.
In Dexter (2006-2013, 2021), Breaking Bad (2008-2013), Hannibal (2013-2015), Killing Eve (2018-2022) and Mindhunter (2017-2019) we see protagonists who kill in cold blood and are able to move us with their almost total lack of empathy and a striking charm and self-confidence.
Criminal behavior, in some cases, stems from this lack of empathy for others, but in others it is justified by other mental disorders, as in Mr. Robot (2015-2019) and his inability to distinguish between reality and hallucination. In one way or another, the idea of dangerousness looms large, so frequently associated with stereotypes of psychosis, dementia, or psychopathy.
These stereotypes can lead to stigma where the representation of mental disorder becomes associated with a certain characteristic, when in our everyday reality this may not always be the case.
In recent years, we've also seen the rise of narcissistic characters who can easily blend in with the rest of the cast. Such is the case with The Morning Show (2019-), whose charm makes us so engrossed in the characters' arguments that we lose sight of the legality or illegality of their actions. These characters are confusing; they draw us into their arguments and their charm, and that's precisely where the danger lies. In these cases, we need to take a step back and reflect; and that point of discomfort the show creates is, in fact, one of its greatest strengths.
Ultimately, in both the films and series we have mentioned, the question lingers: do we identify with the mental health problem, empathize with its protagonists, or do we distance ourselves from our daily reality and stigmatize them?
It is interesting that in series of recent years we have hardly seen ridicule of characters with mental illness, but rather the opposite: the possibility of empathizing with fragile, vulnerable protagonist characters.
Without a doubt, this is a unique opportunity to raise awareness in society in general about these conditions, and to publicize the characteristics and possibilities of therapeutic support and the need to have spaces for mental health care.
Featuring
