Anxiety Disorders presented in TV Shows...A positive portrayal?

[Jimgym]

Hi Everyone,

Didn't know where to put this so I'm hoping this is the right place! I'm new to this forum and someone might have brought this up before - apologies if so...

It seems a lot of TV I'm watching recently has a character with anxiety problems. Examples I can think of are Hank from Breaking Bad, Tony Soprano from the Sopranos, Monk...I've never watched Glee but I've heard that one of the characters suffers from OCD.

Has it become trendy to have a character with an anxiety disorder? Is this a kind of drug company 'product placement'?

I'm just wondering what you guys think about it? Is it a positive portrayal? I'm a bit mixed on the issue - I feel that portraying Tony Soprano with panic disorder might change peoples' views on panic attacks. Where as, in Monk it's almost as if the show portrays Monk in a bad way...making fun of his OCD.

Any other shows you know about which include characters with anxiety let me know!

Jim

[Jimgym]

Anyone got any thoughts? Almost 50 views!

[evil monkey]

the closer they can make it to real, the better

Sorrez for late reply.

Sue thats what i get for not watching soaps http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Button_smiley_face_grin.png

[suzy-sue]

Theres been a few in Eastenders that have had some sort of mental health issues.Such as Jean and Stacey who both portray someone with Bi-polar .Max Brannigns ex girlfriend has OCD .There is another lad in Coronation street presently who is suffering with PTSD ..If the storylines are good enough and sensitively handled as most seem to be Iit can help to bring understanding to the general public .Who often have no conception what these conditions entail ..Nowadays I think its so widespread most of us know of someone who suffers with something Anxiety or Depression related ..Should be more programmes about it imo ..Sue

[Gemma T]

Like Sue I believe that when sensibly handled these portrayals are a good thing.

I do honestly believe though that the key is to not buy into everything seen on tv etc. I mean some people read the sun and assume its gospel. People actually think there's a phil mitchell and launderette on every corner in east london but there is not.

x x x

[suzy-sue]

There was a man yesterday on Drs ..daytime tv prog ..He was supposedly suffering from schitzophrenia ...It wasnt portrayed in the best way possible ,and totally over the top ,it was ridiculous. To get rid of Stigma attached to these illnesses and to gain better understanding ,I think it should have be more carefully portrayed ..I shall complain :mad:.Most soaps do handle these topics in a sensitive way and are usually carefully researched beforehand .Eastenders especially, has done a remarkable job with The Bipolar storylines ..Brilliant acting as well . Sue