Mental illness has been a part of television shows as long as there has been television. Characters in sitcoms, dramas, and reality shows often display and battle depression, anxiety, relationship problems, addictions, and psychotic symptoms, and the medium is a key player in creating and hopefully reducing stigma associated with treatment. LA Times has a nice story on the subject, and how the portrayal of mental illness has changed in recent years.

“Mental illness, long taboo or distorted by the media, is making its way into the fictional lives of television characters. Once, mentally ill people were commonly portrayed as homicidal maniacs, evil seductresses and assorted buffoons. Sometimes, they are still. But they are also lawyers, doctors, mobsters and detectives — not always lovable folks, but increasingly understandable human beings.”

I think television and film remain the two most important channels for outreach and stigma reduction. Programs not only raise awareness but can influence public perception of how mental disorders manifest as well as how they are treated. For example, I frequently get asked if my therapeutic style is “like Dr. Phil”. Overall, I hope that this trend continues and that the end result is a humane and accurate portrayal of the reality of psychological problems and treatments, but there is still a long way to go.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 13 Nov 2006
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.