Stigma: Society and the Media

The worst thing people with a mental illness can face is stigma. They are constantly afraid of being judged and put down by others. Often people with bipolar disorder focus more on social stigma than on finding a treatment and getting better. This can even lead to them being scared to tell their family members or friends and risk staying untreated.  This stigma comes from the fact that people are misinformed and that's where their judgments comes from. 

The mood is not a mental faculty even though many people may believe that it is, that’s false. You can’t say that a person is mentally disturbed just basing yourself on their weird conduct and on the loss of intellectual capacity. Also, it is not true that bipolar disorder doesn’t exist in children and teenagers. Psychiatrists believed that for the adolescent it could be that they were schizophrenic and for the child, they believed that the problem came from a minimal brain dysfunction.

Here are some of the myths about mental illness in general that can be found in the media:

Myth #1: Bipolar disorder defines who you are

Bipolar disorder doesn't define you if you are properly treated.

Kay Jamison is a psychiatrist who specializes in bipolar disorder and who is also a best selling author on the subject.  In a recent email exchange with her, she said: 

" I don't think bipolar illness defines me but it certainly has a strong influence on how I think, the intensity with which I feel (good and bad), and the struggles I have had. Also, because I have made it the focus of my academic and clinical work, bipolar illness has been at the center of my teaching, research, and writing.  I think it is related to my temperament, as it often is in people, and that is another way in which it influences my life."

Myth #2: People with mental illness are violent

Research has proven that people with mental illness are not aggressors and are on the contrary, often victims of aggression. Outside factors such as drugs, history of violence, demographic variables (e.g., sex, age) and the presence of stressors (e.g., unemployment)—also play a role.

Myth #3: They're unpredictable

The media portrays people with mental illness as unpredictable and make it seem like they might just “go berserk” and just attack someone randomly. Contrary to these beliefs, the vast majority of people with mental illness are ordinary individuals who go to work and try to enjoy their lives.

Myth #4: They don’t get better

The media shows characters who do go to therapy but also shows them not believing that the treatment will be affective. If you are going to therapy and feel as if the treatment is not effective, it might be time to change therapist because that new person might help you find a better treatment or might understand you better.

Myth #5: Teens with mental illness are just going through a phase

Movies like the “Heathers” and the “American Pie” series depict alcohol and substance abuse, depression and impulsivity as normal teen behavior. The authors also point out that the movie “Thirteen” features substance abuse, sexual promiscuity, an eating disorder and self-injury, but the main character never seeks treatment. Ultimately, these behaviors may be viewed as “a glamorous benchmark to beat.”

Myth #6:  All mental illness professionals are all the same

Movies rarely make distinctions among psychologists, psychiatrists and therapists, further confusing the public about how each practitioner can help. This is an issue because the media not only doesn’t clear it up for people who have a mental illness but also the people who are close to them will not be able to help them because they don’t know enough or the media gives them the wrong impression.