Before I truly learned about mental health conditions like PTSD, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and depression, my understanding mostly shaped by stigma. I used to think of people who are dealing with mental health as weird or potentially awkward. But looking back now, my perspective was quite obviously shaped by the extremes I’ve seen in social media and movies etc.
I used to think depression was simply intense sadness, something that could be shaken off with a positive attitude I viewed anxiety as just worrying too much, and I believed a person could “calm down” if they just tried hard enough. Bipolar disorder, to me, was portrayed as unpredictable mood swings, and PTSD was something only soldiers came home with. I didn’t understand the depth, the nuance, or the daily reality of living with these conditions.
Conversely, after researching eating disorders and learning about PTSD, bi-polar disorder, depression, and anxiety from peers, I now know that these aren’t just feelings, they are complex medical conditions with biological, psychological, and environmental factors. Most importantly, I know understand how media generally portrays mental health with a negative light, further stigmatizing what millions of people are actually struggling with. For instance, the character Monica Jean Gallagher from the TV series shameless depicts an emotionally unstable mother who has bi-polar disorder. The TV series often show scenes where she is most emotionally unstable, while omitting times where she is a likable character. The unjust portrayal of people with bi-polar disorder is a testament how stigmatization of mental disorders leads to inaccurate portrayals of mental health issues in media.
