Media Portrayal of Mental Health: Superficial + Harmful
TW: Suicide
One major concept many fail to recognize is that we all have mental health. Mental illness is diagnosed, however, we all have a mind that needs to be nurtured and a body that needs to be loved. Mental health is what determines how we get through life– it is an anchor to reality. Taking care of our psychological and emotional health is of utmost importance, especially during this pandemic.
I could preach all day about mental health, but will my words actually mean anything to someone? Will anyone really care? Mental health is often thrown aside as some sort of “activity” that only “hippies” do. Meditation? No one needs that. Self care? Well, I’ve read quotes on Instagram. Going through the motions of taking care of oneself is not actually taking care of mental health. The main issue around mental health is this stigma that we have collectively created as a society to discourage self care practices and alienate those with mental illness. These issues are prevalent across several cultures and are a worldwide problem.
Moreover, the media is one of many contributing factors to this stigma and the issues around mental health. There are several faults when it comes to the media. First off, social media tends to centralize around the person with an illness, instead of as a byproduct issue of society. This can cause blame onto the person rather than the society who have stimulated and created that illness. Media can divert attention from the root cause of issues through this method. Furthermore, the media can overgeneralize mental illness. Common phrases, such as “I’m so OCD,” are thrown around to emphasize an extreme sense of organization, when in reality it is a serious and debilitating illness. Finally, another major issue with the media is when they recognize mental illness as untreatable or unrecoverable.
There have been efforts to diminish this stigma that is exacerbated by the media portrayal of mental health, and although their efforts have brought some light to many issues, some have further magnified them. The majority of mental health advocacy is seen on the explore page of Instagram where posts are spread to promote self care. To see these on a feed is definitely not a bad thing, of course. In fact, I, myself, find them delightful and a fulfillment to my day at times. Research suggests that affirmations do affect the brain psychologically in a positive way. However, there is a fine line between calling yourself a mental health advocate and posting a couple graphics that one ends up selling for a profit in the end. Mental health advocacy in the media has become all about the likes and how many are seeing those graphics, straying away from its original purpose. At its root, mental health advocacy has become performative activism. These posts may alleviate the stigma around mental health to an extent, but they can also reduce mental illness down to self care and forget to address the root societal issue.
One prime case study of this false portrayal of mental health is Suicide Prevention Month this September. Due to the pandemic and isolation, in late June, 40% of adults reported struggling with mental health, with 11% considering suicide, which is double of what it was beforehand, according to the CDC. However, we quickly glazed over these statistics with a quick Instagram post, and maybe an article. Moreover, Suicide Prevention Month has been reduced down to a couple explainer posts as the recent influx of performative activism has stripped action away as a component of activism.
Furthermore, the mass media has been seen to idealize and glorify suicide. For instance, shows such as 13 Reasons Why, glamorize suicide at times, romanticize the aftermath of suicide, and perpetuate that there is blame when someone commits suicide. There are those who have learned and found help through the show, which is completely valid and possible. However, there are also those who have idealized suicide because of the sensitive and extreme nature of this show. These components of the media all affect society by reinforcing the idea that mental health is shameful and suicide may seem like a better option.
As a mental health advocate and founder of a mental health nonprofit, I've learned that advocating for mental health is not only about spreading these cute, motivational quotes on Instagram or practicing self care. What we see in the media is often distorted or superficial. Mental health advocacy in the media should be about raw education about the facts and about changing policies for more equitable distribution of mental health care and resources. It's about supporting the BIPOC & LGBTQ+ communities. Mental health activism is more than those designs that blow up on the explore page on Instagram. The way the media portrays mental health and suicide is glorified, and makes a feeble attempt to actually create change in the world. Real mental health advocacy should reach the roots of the societal issues at hand.
If one is advocating for mental health through posting affirmations, that is incredible. The posts put out on Instagram are visually appealing and have helped me find sparks of inspiration and positivity. However, we must be conscious of what we are posting, what purpose it will serve, and what issue we are trying to address. Is it genuine? Does it have substance? Are you posting for the right reasons? Do you have the correct information? Are you using accessible and inclusive information? Is it combating against the stigma that the media is already creating right now? This is just the tip of the iceberg; there are so many factors to consider when advocating mental health.
The media has clearly distorted the reality of mental health and suicide, and helped place a surreal stigma around it that continues to discriminate against mental health and illness today. However, blaming the media isn’t going to change anything. We are all a part of the media, whether we are in the physical industry or scrolling through Tik Tok and Instagram at 2 AM. We must all work towards creating a safe and inclusive society for all through mental health advocacy that reaches the roots of these issues.
Interested in getting involved? Here are some organizations spreading mental health awareness & advocating for new policy.