Millions of people are affected by mental illness. About 1 in 5 adults in the United States live with a diagnosed illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Although mental health issues are quite common, they aren’t often depicted on the big screen, and movies that address them TO DO describing mental health problems vary in terms of accuracy and sensitivity, depending on joint report published in May 2019 by the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative at the University of Southern California (USC), the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and the David and Lura Lovell Foundation.
Some scenarios appear to stigmatize mental health issues, while others get it right and accurately depict what it means to have a mental health issue or care for someone who does, according to the report.
In this list you will find films that cover a wide range of topics, from anxiety And trauma has bipolar disorder, depression, suicideAnd schizophrenia – but the way they are handled is careful and precise, experts say. Here are our expert-chosen picks.
1. “Silver Linings Playbook”
In Silver Linings Playbook, viewers follow the lives of Pat Solitano Jr. (Bradley Cooper), who suffers from bipolar disorder, and Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence), who suffers from an unnamed mental health issue. The film opens with Pat being released from a mental health facility after a mandatory eight-month stay for beating his wife’s lover, Nikki, and it quickly becomes clear that viewers are in for an intense and emotional adventure .
Pat is determined to get his old life back, including his career as a substitute teacher and his relationship with his wife, who left him and filed a restraining order against him. He meets Tiffany, with whom he develops a complicated friendship based on their similar mental health issues and how they can help each other achieve their individual goals.
“The film raised awareness of the difficulties (of people living with mental health problems) and the need for treatment and medication,” explains Raafat Girgis, MDMedical Director of Moment of Clarity Mental Health Center in Orange County, California.
“It’s Hollywood, so there will always be things that are there more for story than accuracy,” the psychiatrist said. Steven Schlozman, MDin an interview with Vulture. “But they did a very good job of describing manic-depressive illness or bipolar disorder in someone who is quite intelligent and has a limited but present view of it.”
Silver Linings Playbook, Netflix
2. “A beautiful mind”
The 2001 film A beautiful spirit is a powerful film about living with a progressive mental health issue. It is inspired by the true story of Nobel Prize-winning mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr. and is based on Nash’s biography of the same name. by Sylvia Nasar.
Although a bit of an outsider, Nash (Russell Crowe) quickly becomes famous for his research in “game theory,” which contradicts more than a century of previous economic thinking. But as the government continues to fight for his attention, his paranoid schizophrenia (a mental health problem involving hallucinations, delusions, and other thought problems) begins to take complete control of his life, leading people to believe Nash that Soviet spies are after him.
“This film depicts a fascinating mind that is unlike the others around it,” says Ashley Peña, LCSW, executive director of Mission Connection, a virtual therapy platform. “This paints a special case, because he is recovering. And while his diagnosis was questioned by many, it’s safe to say that Nash was struggling with some form of thought or mood disorder that was impacting him and the people around him.
“A beautiful spirit is actually one of my favorites,” says Dr. Girgis, adding that it challenges common and incorrect biases that suggest people with mental health issues are not intelligent or unteachable.
A beautiful spirit, Youtube
3. “The Great Depression”
Part documentary, part stand-up comedy, The great Depression is an HBO special focused on comedian Gary Gulman’s mental health journey as someone living with depression and anxiety. It’s hilarious and moving at the same time, says Brett Wean, director of writing and entertainment at American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
“This film goes beyond a general focus on mental health and seriously digs into topics such as Gulman’s psychiatric hospitalization and her experience receiving ECT,” says Wean.
“In addition to being funny, Gulman reveals his experiences in a raw and authentic way – expressing painful feelings and difficulties while managing to maintain hope – and the fact that he is still here with us, proactively managing his mental health on a daily basis, just as he would a physical health issue… is incredibly encouraging for viewers,” says Wean.
The great Depression, HBO
4. “Love actually”
Although Love in fact is one of the most popular romantic comedies of the last 20 years, many fans may not initially realize that it is a film with scenes about mental illness. The film follows the lives of eight couples in London, England. As Wean points out, the storyline of one of the main characters, Sarah (Laura Linney), revolves around a mental health issue.
“Linney’s character lives with the secret that her brother suffers from schizophrenia and is living in a mental institution,” says Wean. “She loves him dearly and constantly answers his phone calls, to the detriment of the rest of her life. No healthy boundaries are set and she has no support because she doesn’t share this aspect of her life with anyone.
At the end of the film, her refusal to tell anyone costs her a relationship with a man she’s interested in, Wean notes.
This film accurately depicts the challenges of caring for someone living with a serious mental health issue, Wean adds. It highlights the struggles and challenges that many loved ones face. Wean says he hopes the film also serves as a reminder that mental health issues are nothing to be ashamed of — for people living with the illness or for those caring for them.
Love in fact, Youtube
5. “Ordinary People”
Directed by Robert Redford, Ordinary people follows the story of the Jarretts, an upper-middle-class Chicago family, as they attempt to regain some sense of normalcy after the accidental death of their eldest son, Buck (Scott Doebler), and the suicide attempt of their youngest son, Conrad (Timothy Hutton).
The film, nominated for six Academy Awards, is a classic depiction of the impact of loss, the aftermath of trauma and healing after a suicide attempt for the survivor and their family, Wean says.
“Conrad’s father supports the idea of his son undergoing therapy while his mother, who has become cold and distant following these events, is against it,” explains Wean. “You can see the relationship between the two parents break down as the film goes on.”
This illustrates the impact of suicide on those left behind. “The film is also a great answer for filmmakers who want to include a visual depiction of a suicide attempt in their films,” adds Wean, as it highlights the impact of suicide on suicide survivors rather than focusing attention to the act itself.
Ordinary people, Amazon Prime Video
6. “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”
Based on a novel by Stephen Chbosky, The perks of Being a Wallflower is about a socially awkward teenager named Charlie (Logan Lerman) who is going through high school.
Unlike many of his peers, Charlie suffers from clinical depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and faces the suicide of his best friend, which occurred a year earlier. This film highlights the impacts of trauma, tragedy and loss. It also tells the common story of a teenager trying to fit in and find his place among his peers and in the world.
“The perks of Being a Wallflower is a film that depicts a person struggling with PTSD, having recurring memories and flashbacks of childhood trauma that were brought to light after a friend’s suicide,” Peña explains. “This film shows how memories of trauma can be repressed and then resurface after another traumatic event occurs.”
PTSD is less likely to be depicted in film, Peña adds. PTSD and anxiety were less often depicted in films than addiction or mood disorders like depression, according to the aforementioned 2019 report.
The perks of Being a Wallflower, Amazon.com
7. “About a Boy”
About a boy stars Hugh Grant as Will Freeman, a wealthy and rather irresponsible 38-year-old. This is a nuanced ‘drama’, aimed at those who have lived with or care for someone living with a mental health problem.
Through a series of silly twists and turns, Freeman eventually bonds with 12-year-old Marcus Brewer (Nicholas Hoult), whose mother, Fiona (Toni Collette), suffers from clinical depression and survives a suicide attempt.
“It’s a comedy with obviously serious themes, and it will resonate with people who have cared for a parent with mental health issues when they were barely old enough to understand,” says Wean . “It’s a powerful piece of representation, I think. The character of Collette and her illness are treated with sophistication and respect.
It also shows how the people around her banded together to provide care and support to her and her son, an important takeaway for viewers, Wean adds.
About a boy, Amazon Prime Video
