Mental Illness In Popular Media Analysis

This paper will endeavour to explore ways in which the portrayal of issues surrounding mental illness in popular media impacts societal perception of the subject matter. The media I chose to analyze for this purpose is a popular American teen-drama television-series called 90210. The reason I chose this particular show is because I wanted to focus my analysis on the effects the portrayal of mental health in popular media has on the awareness the school-aged population in North America have of this topic. The target audience of 90210 is between ages of 18-24, making this TV-show a perfect candidate for my intended analysis. I speculate that many teenagers who watched this show had their first encounter with a mental illness through it, making
The character struggling with mental health is Erin Silver – a 15-year-old girl with a cool and quirky personality. Occasionally, she displays rebellious qualities and may appear as somewhat emotionally-troubled which one might attribute to the struggles in her childhood. Silver’s character is complex and although she exemplifies the behaviour of a
The Canadian public undeniably relies on mass media as its primary source of information. However, when it comes to mental illness, the media tends to skew reality. For better or worse, the media shapes our ideas and ways in which we understand those around us. For those suffering from mental illnesses, the implications of the often negative and inaccurate portrayals of mental health issues are significant. Inaccurate information in the media about mental illness, even if the portrayal of an individual is positive, results in misunderstandings that can have considerable and very real consequences. For example, inaccurate depictions of bipolar disorder can lead to false beliefs, confusion, conflict, and a delay in receiving treatment. Unlike physical ailments, many mental illnesses are associated with stigma. Whether it is self-directed or from society, dealing with this “shame” can be debilitating and interfere with daily living. The mentally ill continue to receive negative attention, largely due to fear and prejudice. People who suffer from mental illness are often pushed to the fringes of, or are directly excluded from, society (Baun, 2009). 90210's portrayal of adult behaviour in response to Silver's cry for help is consistent with the Special Report on CBC – “Off Course