That’s what a new BBC2 reality-TV show, “How Mad Are You?” asks 10 participants. Three experts watch them perform a variety of tasks, such as doing a stand-up comedy routine or playing paintball, and then has to identify the 5 people out of the 10 who have a mental illness.

While UK newspapers skewered the concept (the Guardian wrote, “Is nothing now sacred, and exempt from the reality TV treatment? Mental illness is clearly OK. Why didn’t they just call it ‘I’m a Nutter, Get Me Out of Here?’”), one of UK’s charity organizations, Mind, defended the new TV show.

“Once you get beyond the arguably inflammatory title to the programme How Mad Are You? and its reality TV style we found Horizon to be an excellent show which encouraged viewers to re-examine their preconceptions about mental health and any stereotypes they may hold about individuals with experience of mental distress.”

Another charity, Rethink, said:

“It challenges the stigma and pre-conceptions around mental health. By using a popular format it will reach as wide an audience as possible and challenge us, the viewers, to rethink our own ideas of mental health.”

I haven’t yet seen the program (which aired Tuesday), but it sounds as if it could indeed challenge some of the preconceptions many hold about mental illness in a way that could get people’s attention. You know, a PSA can only go far to make a point, especially when most such PSAs are just ignored.

Perhaps what “SuperNanny” has done for helping parents learn to take back some control over their own lives, a program like this could do to help people understand mental disorders more, and stop pigeon-holing people who have them. People with mental disorders are everyday people — they look just like us, they act like us, and in many cases, they are us.

While a reality TV show might not be the most “classy” way to drive these points home, it certainly has the potential to help. So I’ll withhold any judgment of the show until I actually watch it…

Read the full article: Mental health charities defend controversial show

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Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 15 Nov 2008
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