Through Hollywood Lenses - the Depiction of Mental Health in Film

Through Hollywood Lenses:

The Depiction of Mental Health in Film

Torrie Sweeney

Kent State

In 1974, through observation of human behavior and replication psychologist Albert Bandura developed the social learning theory. This theory states after observation of others, individuals would begin modeling similar behaviors and attitudes. In the era of media and technology individuals rely heavily on examining and retaining information from the media. With 10% of Academy Award winners between 1929 and 2009 being awarded to movies portraying an individual with a mental illness or with mental health as the primary subject (Bryne 2010), this creates an issue of perception. If these same movies were to depict mental illness negatively would observing them create negative thoughts about mental illnesses? In these films are there stereotypes being referenced and highlighted? Is the information depicted accurate? This research paper will address these questions while examining and analyzing researcher’s studies on the effect of film and its portrayal of mental health.

According to researchers Anat Klin and Dafna Lemish (2008), about 1 in every 5 individuals in America have some type of mental illness in any given year. Even with mental illness being prevalent within our society negative stereotypes and assumptions still seem to focus itself around individual’s beliefs of the topic. Professor Gregory Philo (1996), believes the depiction of mental illness throughout the media can alter individuals own personal encounters with how they perceive the mentally ill. Meaning that the constant negative portrayal of the mentally ill within the media is substantial enough to persuade one to think negatively of individuals with mental illnesses. In the media, mental illness is often correlated to violence.  Unfortunately, what is not commonly linked is the exaggerated percentage of violent occurrences that are documented that fail to describe mental illnesses accurately and provide better understanding to viewers. According to author Elaine Sieff (2003), the media uses whatever tactics they view as beneficial to convey their message and draw in viewers. Her studies also show that films and television often depict roles of the mentally ill in at least two ways to gain increased viewership, violent or childlike. For example, in the movie Split, writer and director M. Night Shyamalan portrayed the main character as a homicidal maniac with 23 diverse personalities, one of which was a young boy named Headwick and another named the Beast who consumed the impure.

To provide a pleasurable and memorable experience for consumer’s film makers will commonly highlight specific disorders to help paint a more entertaining picture. These disorders include multiple personality disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. As previously mentioned by Sieff (2003), the media frames information in whatever way they view as beneficial, thus these spotlighted illnesses tend to be portrayed with more violent characteristics then others to provide entertainment for consumers. Also, common within the spectrum of highlighting marketable mental disorders is the practice of symptom exaggeration. Often symptoms will include extreme aggression, introversion or creation of a violent prophecy.