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Hi everyone,
I am a student on an Alevel Media Studies course. I am currently writing an essay entitled 'How mental illness is depicted in film'. I just wondered if you could all help by letting me know your opinions, do you think films glamourise mental illness? Or are they accurate? Films such as 'Girl Interrupted' , 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' etc. Any comments will be very much appreciated. xxx
bottleblond
02-11-07, 13:29
Hi there,
OK i got a comment.
Firstly i despise the term "MENTAL ILLNESS", it makes me feel inferior and degraded. I suffer from anxiety/panic attacks but my mental capacity and brain function is as good as the next persons.
Sorry if that sounded a little snappy, i could be wrong but you may find a few more comments like this!
take care and good luck with your studies
Lisa
Sometimes real life is stranger than fiction. I remember when I was in a dilapidated psychiatric ward about 30 years ago. I went in there to get better but signed myself out feeling much worse. Some of the things that happened to me where: being attacked by a paranoid schizophrenic, being urinated on during the night by a poor guy with Alzheimer's, and being woke up every hour by a guy with manic depression wanting to shake my hand. They should of separated people with non-psychotic problems, but I guess a shortage of staff and accommodation meant they had to put everyone in the same ward. I don't think it's like that now. I think it as changed a lot for the better.
michellemumof4
02-11-07, 14:15
WOW
Ok i guess peeps here Know how i feel about the Use of the words Mental Illness FIRST AND FOREMOST this site is anxiety related and NOT mental illness,
To refer to films such as One flew over the cuckoo's nest ... How very dare you !! films like that show people who have Pyscosis , and ANYONE knows anxiety is a Neurosis so you are WAY off the parr with that comment Dearie ...
so I for one wont be able to answer any of your questions because I have had anxiety and Panic attacks, I do not have a MENTAL ILLNESS
Michelle
Does it really matter what name is put on it ????
If its to do with the mind etc then it is classed as a mental illness, and for my agoraphobia and panic attacks I was under 'the mental health team', and attended the mental health unit.
Michelle I think your being slightly harsh with your reply
Love
Trac xxx
Well said Trac :yesyes:
I've had health anxiety 11 years now and have no problems saying I have a mental illness. I don't think Tiger meant any harm with this post and if I can help in anyway with your studies Tiger just pm me :hugs: xxx
I agree with Trac.
I also think that touchiness about the "label" shows a degree of non-acceptance of what anxiety etc actually is.
Help tiger with the assignment. That's what the thread is for.
Eeb x
Tiger i wouldn't know what to tell you unless you just sat there and asked me questions:blush:
if you want to p.m me with any questions you have then please feel free to do so.:)
michellemumof4
02-11-07, 14:54
I have totally accepted what I had was Anxiety and Panic attacks and Yes it is labelled under the mental health name as it dictates How we feel , ie - happy or sad but IT IS NOT a mentall illness like shown in the film One flew over the Cuckoo's nest , I am not being touchy here , I have voiced my opinion and concerns about this Post as I know I have the right too do ....... I wish the lady well with her studies of course I do but I wanted to Put my thoughts and feelings down and I for one was offended at being labelled Mentally Ill
Michelle
bottleblond
02-11-07, 14:59
Hi,
ok we are all entitled to our own opinion, I for one don't like being labelled but others may not mind, but you can surely understand that some may take offence at this post. It made me feel like an animal in a cage being gawped at but like i said, thats just my own personal opinion.
Lisa
I can understand how some people dont like the 'label' mental health, but at the end of the day what the hell, we all suffer with the same thing and surely the focus should be on recovery not on a catagory we come under. I had no problems walking into a mental health unit, if it was going to help me it can be called what ever it wants lol.
At the end of the day anxiety, panic, OCD, agoraphobia etc are all mental health issues no matter what way we look at it
Love
Trac xxxx
bottleblond
02-11-07, 15:06
PS. Eeby....i dont like the label as i said, but i have had anx/panic attacks for 21 years, i'm NOT in denial, i accepted it and welcomed being told what was wrong with me right from the start because as least i knew what it was.
cheers Lisa
xx
Hi All
After sitting watching all the replies and knowing how some dont mind a label and how it hurts others, having seen both films and how they portray "Mental Health" maybe you would of been better mentioning one of the films that does portray Anxiety or Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, OCD , PTSD.
For Example films like :-
The Fear Inside
Fearless
Analyze This
Copy Cat
High Anxiety
Just to mention a few.
Again this is just my personal opinion on this post :)
Brightest Blessings
Fraggle
http://m-w.com/dictionary/mental
wow! i did not expect so many replies! Firstly thankyou all for replying. Secondly, I think I should explain: I wasn't labelling anyone, I chose this subject for the essay myself because for the past seven years I have suffered with anxiety, depression, OCD, and panic attacks. The reason for writing the essay is because I wanted to dispose of all the myths and stigma that go with the words 'mental illness'. Sorry if I offended anyone xxx
bottleblond
02-11-07, 15:20
If i went ot the doctors with broken arm or a black eye, the could look at me and clearly see what my ailment was. But we go to the doctor and describe how we are feeling inside, the can't see what is ailing us so label us as MENTALLY ILL!!!
Lisa
michellemumof4
02-11-07, 15:21
Right this is the last post I am gonna do on the Subject , I work with people with anxiety and I am very sure that if I answered the phone sayin welcome to mental illness hot line they would be JUST as Upset as I am right Now ...
We all have a right to a Opinion I have voiced mine and I hope I spoke for the 1,000000''s of anxiety sufferers out there WE ARE NOT MENTALLY ILL like the people in those film .......
Michelle
P.s the link u added said something that may scare the hell out of some so can i ask peeps NOT to click it unless u are sure u want to read Number (2 ) Thanks
ok I really can't understand why people are taking this so personally, I am in the same boat as everyone else, all I wanted was some help with my work, to get some of your opinions! thats all!!! I didn't come on here to offend anybody! I use this website all the time and it's really helped me, thats why I decided to ask all of you!
bottleblond
02-11-07, 15:48
Hi Tiger,
This whole thing hasn't been a personal attack on yourself. It's just that certain labels and stereotypes have a tendancy to get people's backs up and hurt people's feelings.
Particularly when you chose to use such overpowering and dramatic films as examples of people who use this site. Maybe it was the wording that got to me.
Like I said before, best of luck with your studies, I hope you do well in the future.
Lisa
Thankyou, but I'd just like to say I didn't choose these films because I think they are an accurate portrayal, in fact, quite the opposite. I chose them because they are extreme and I want to find out why and if people with no knowledge of these kinds of problems believe what they see. I thought I would be able to discover if these kinds of films are where all the stigma comes from.
Michelle,
Nicola gave me the link to post thankyou and why should the definition of a word scare people ?
Maybe we arent mentally ill as portrayed in these films, but we are mental ill, if we had say asthma we would be physically ill, we have problems associated with our minds which makes us mentally ill
Trac
michellemumof4
02-11-07, 17:23
Again in my opinion the 2nd paragraph of the link states that mentally ill disorder -mad crazy , intended treatment for the care of persons effected by Psyciatric disorder ( mental Hospital ), I am Not knockin Nic , I am simply stating that reading that may worry some people , gee I am only trying to help here , why do i feel as tho everything i say is being JUMPED on
nomorepanic
02-11-07, 17:25
Ok - just to clarify things - Trac asked me on MSN (whilst I was at work) what mental meant and I said "of the mind" and looked up that dictionary defintion.
I was relating to this part .....
1 a: of or relating to the mind; specifically : of or relating to the total emotional and intellectual response of an individual to external reality <mental health> b: of or relating to intellectual as contrasted with emotional activity c: of, relating to, or being intellectual as contrasted with overt physical activity d: occurring or experienced in the mind : inner (http://m-w.com/dictionary/inner) <mental anguish> e: relating to the mind, its activity, or its products as an object of study : ideological (http://m-w.com/dictionary/ideological) f: relating to spirit or idea as opposed to matter
I dislike the word mental when used in a derogatory way such as "you are just mental" or "you should be in a mental hospital" but when related to "of the mind" then it is correct.
We had another big thread about this in the past that I will try and find for you all.
The link wasn't to scare people it was in fact to show you that it merely means "of the mind".
I think that people who suffer from the less well-understood mental conditions (e.g. anxiety) and who vehemently try to distance themselves from the term "mental illness" are unwittingly working against those who try to dispel the stigma of being mentally ill.
I say that the more people who stand up and be counted, saying "yes, I suffer from a mental condition" but who still manage to function, or hold down jobs etc and are clearly not psychopathic, the more that society will see and accept that there are many different types of illness of the mind, of varying degrees. Stress and anxiety are set to be THE illnesses of the 21st century in the western world. It is touching more people all the time and can happen to anyone.
Don't run from it - accept it and educate others with your experiences. We're not living in Victorian times any more.
No one is jumping on you Michelle, maybe Tiger felt the same when she read the replies she got in the first place
here here Eeby I totally agree with you
Trac xxx
May i just add my 2 pence worth here.
I've always said of MYSELF that i have a "mental health" problem. Just like Trac said, i've have also been refered to the mental heath team, that would point to the fact that i have that kind of illness.
eeyorelover
02-11-07, 19:11
Ok here is how I see it...
My anatomy textbook defines mental illness as...
Biologically based brain disorders. They cannot be overcome through "will power" and are not related to a person's "character" or intelligence.
I think that it's the stigma attached to the word itself that people are repelled by.
The problem is that within the media - TV and movies - everything is shown in the most extreme.
Think about it - who would want to film our daily life and put it out as a film?
Would it be a million dollar blockbuster??
HELL NO!!!
It would be like watching paint dry - LOL
Sensationalism is the way that the media makes money.
Does it bring the plight of people who suffer exposure?
Yes but in turn it also depicts us as being a fry short of a happy meal!!!!
Which adds to the stigma that we all have to deal with from society.
Some would say any publicity is good publicity and some would say that it adds to public misconception of what we are going thru.
Here's the problem -
either way does it change who we are or help us to find a way thru it?
NO
Does hashing it out and going back and forth change the fact that tomorrow we'll still have anxiety and film makers will still be making millions off of these movies??
NO
So why spend any time or energy argueing about it???
Sounds like a great idea for a paper.
Plus the personal experiences you have on anxiety will really add something special to it!!!
xxx
Sandy
If you have the mindset that the words 'mental illness' are offensive to people then you are perpetuating the stigma of the whole idea of mental illness. The definition of mental illness may vary but it still encompasses psychological disorders.
Being outraged or offended by the words 'mental illness' is to sugest that those who suffer from such illnesses are in some way inferior.
A disruption of the chemistry of the brain is nothing to be offended by.
Please remember a lot of us on this site have been hospitalised. Not everybody with anxiety suffers from mental illness but some do, and you cannot categorically state that one has nothing to do with the other.
I find the use of the word 'offended' here offensive in itself.
thanks for your replies everyone, it certainly has started a debate!
eeyorelover
02-11-07, 21:18
We have loads of great debates here :)
does anyone have any comments then? Any films you think were accurate? not so accurate? does anyone have any comments on girl interrupted or one flew over the cuckoos nest?
eeyorelover
02-11-07, 22:05
Well I think that Prozac Nation with Christina Ricci is a good one about depression. Based on a autobiography I think. It's an independant film if I remember right.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a better representation of the horrors some used to face in sanitariums.
I don't believe that movie had much to do with the illnesses themselves.
Girl Interrupted shows different forms of mental illness but basically is about the title character realizing that she isn't as sick as she thought she was!!!
What about A Beautiful Mind?
I haven't seen it but friends of mine really loved it.
The movie Sybil ( I think it was a made for TV movie but is now on DVD)shows dissociative disorder and really gives a idea of what can trigger it and how therapy can help.
GOOD MOVIE but some scenes are really disturbing.
The movie Benny and Joon shows how someone can be procieved to be mentally stable on the outside but after getting close to the person realizing they have a problem!!
Plus doesn't hurt that Johnny Depp is HOT HOT HOT :)
Yes, Sybil is a fantastic film starring Sally Field if I remember rightly - very disturbing to watch but absolutely compelling. Glad it's finally out on DVD.
I think it's impossible to tell if certain films are accurate portrayals unless you've had personal experience of the condition. For anxiety, films that portray fear accurately would fit the bill. It's hard to portray well, but it is worth noting that the music is often a great device for describing emotion. Think Halloween, the shower scene in the original Psycho, or even the sounds used on Dr Who here in the UK in the 70s - it had most of us kids hiding behind the sofa! So I'd say, if it knots your stomach and makes the anticipation of what's to come an unpleasant experience, then it has worked.
If you have the mindset that the words 'mental illness' are offensive to people then you are perpetuating the stigma of the whole idea of mental illness. The definition of mental illness may vary but it still encompasses psychological disorders.
Being outraged or offended by the words 'mental illness' is to sugest that those who suffer from such illnesses are in some way inferior.
A disruption of the chemistry of the brain is nothing to be offended by.
Please remember a lot of us on this site have been hospitalised. Not everybody with anxiety suffers from mental illness but some do, and you cannot categorically state that one has nothing to do with the other.
I find the use of the word 'offended' here offensive in itself.
Well said Rain, couldn't agree more. Call it what you will; 'mental illness', 'mental health issues/problems' or 'distress' the fact remains that the problem occurs in our minds. Of course it is a very different type of mental health issue to those who suffer with psychoses, but imagine how people with schizophrenia or bipolar might feel reading this thread? Being outraged by the term 'mental illness' does nothing at all to break down the stigma that anyone in our society affected by mental health faces.
:) tiger,i really like the jack nicholson film where he is an obsessive compulsive(i think its 'as good as it gets?) he lives alone and is a writer and inthe end he gets with helen hunt who is a waitress with a sick kid? who could be offended by that film? it is brill!!! alsothere is a really good michael keaton film from the eighties about a bunch of in-patients going to a big football game with their doc in a mini-van, which is another hilarious film. both of thesemovies end well forthe main characters,and thefact that they have 'issues' seems to be forgotten as the film unfolds,and they sort of just become interesting movies about characters. you have to remember that millions and millions are in mental/emotional distress at any given time, its a fact of the modern world. persoanlly i no longer have ANY issues with the 'mental' tag, to be perfectly honest nobody gives a stuff really, everybody is so concerned with their own lives. but for people with illness's thathave tobe medicated like schizophrenia isnt it better that the media does acknowledge it?havent people worked for years and years to help the people with that illness not be discriminated against. i think youll find that people with schizophrenia and bi-polar are just people going about their business in society. i worked briefly in a home for people with schizophrenia, and i was told by all of the nurses that the reason they were un-able to care for themselves properly, wasnt because of their condition, but because they had become institusionalised as a result of theformer policy of removing themfrom society and locking them up in psychiatric hospitals. today with the knowledge we have and the medication, peoplewho suffer this illness can remain productive members of society. also i think that people get very upset that there isnt enough help for them,but i take this as a good sign,because you arent warranted to be 'ill'enough for care. if you madeanattempt onyour own life, or you said you were seriously going to hurt someone you would get the care you needed. millions and millions are in distress, but like theother person saidit can be altered by your thoughts, so resources are not going to be spent onpeople whocan alter their own well-being,the problem is believing that you can do this. once you KNOWthat you can alter your mind in reverse(back to being happy) you are onyour way to recovery.
Tiger - One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest is quite a disturbing film, but it is a critique of psychiatric institutions as they were in America in the 1970's. Therefore I would say it is a realistic interpretation of the system at the time, but not representative of people who suffer mental health issues. The characters in the film are institutionalized, that is the reason for their 'strange' behaviour. I think most people watching this film now would appreciate this, so I don't think the film is perpertrating the negative stereotypes of mental illness.
You might find these links helpful for your assignment:
A discussion on the portrayal of 'mental illness' in cinema
http://www.brainconnection.com/topics/?main=fa/mental-movies
List of films featuring depicting various mental health issues
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_featuring_mental_illness
Hi
I know where mIchelle is coming from though - its a mental health issue we have for sure but very different from a psychiatric condition i think - which "one flew over the cookoos nest " is about. I think for your assignment Tiger commenting on the difference between the two is important .. and its great you are raising the profile of mental illness in your studies.
I think what Michelle was trying to emphasise was that psychotic conditions are different to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety where we don't have a psychotic condition. Like any group with a disability there are concerns of being steriotyped - and i guess the reference to the "one flew over the cookoos nest" may have raised a concern of being typecast as psychotic. (don't want to speak for you Michelle however feel similarly to you :) )
I have only mentioned my anxiety to a very small number of people because of concerns over being judged,considered weak or less a person, or steriotyped as mad - I am not. I am a very normal person and you would never guess i had this condition if you met me (am overdue for an Academy Award can someone nominate me) . I am more than happy to help you with your assignment anytime Best of luck SUE
I think the reason people get upset about being labled with suffering from a mental illness is because there is still a stigma attached to "mental illness"
And this stigma comes from the ignorant people who have been fortunate enough not to have suffered and don't understand it !!
Thats my opinion
My 2 pence worth i personally dont like the term mental health if you mention the word to those who have no idea what it is they just look at you and think there is something not right about the person.
Ive been on / off with panic attacks and anxiety for a year now. i think in general films like 'one flew over.....' highlight the problems and show to others what its like living with say for example Phychosis. I mean in my terms when i wasnt an anxiety sufferer i had no idea what panic attacks, schitzophrenia etc was yet by watching a film like that it gave me some sort of understanding as to what such illness's entail.
Quiet-Lift
03-11-07, 23:39
Hi everyone.:)
Tiger...you forgot to mention "A Beautiful Mind". All these films portray Mental Health difficulties as they were dealt with in their respective decades.
I don't believe they are particularly accurate. The function of a Hollywood film is to get bums on seats and make money. Even a subject as sensitive and taboo as Mental illness is game, and these films are well known for their dramatic excesses.
Severe Clinical Depression can manifest delusional or psychotic symptoms.
Panic attacks and extreme anxiety can also bring about hallucinations and feelings of unreality. I don't think the words 'Mental illness' are anything to be afraid of. We all need more sensible and less sensationalistic information so that the general level of compassion and understanding in our society can be increased.
Words like...'nutter' or 'looney' help no one. The purpose here is to reduce suffering and distress, not to reinforce stereotypes or stigma.
I'm no Doctor, though I have tried to read a few books on these matters.
One thing I do know is that all of us who suffer from these conditions want our fair measure of peace and freedom from the debilitating symptoms and we want our lives back.
All the best
Hi everyone,
I apologise for the length of this post but there is a lot I feel needs to be said.
I’ve found this an interesting debate reading everyones posts. It’s fascinating how we, because I include myself, hate the notion that an anxiety sufferer is labelled as suffering from mental illness because so often sufferers post saying how ill they feel and needing medication for their “illness” and yet, they say they’re Not mentally “ill”. Would that mean then that they’re physically ill? No, of course not and yet we describe Ourselves as feeling or being “ill”!?
Therefore, if we’re not mentally or physically “ill” then surely we don’t suffer from mental or physical illness and yet we look for a magic cure to “cure” us??? How then can there be a magic cure for an illness we say we don’t suffer from???
Maybe then because we don’t suffer from a mental illness, it must be the way our minds “think” so if we change the way we “think” then we can control our minds. Maybe also if we didn’t say we’re “ill”, then we wouldn’t be called mentally ill? Food for thought?
I’ve always suffered from anxiety which is really what I’ve always regarded as just another word for “severe worry” so when the doctor labelled me, he just said I suffered from severe anxiety which Isn’t an illness…….it’s a Condition created by our characteristics and upbringing.
On the other hand, my wife suffers from paranoid schizophrenia. Now There Is a mental illness. The difference? An anxiety sufferer has an irrational fear but knows it’s irrational. My wife will think irrational things but there’s absolutely nothing I can say to bring around because she is totally convinced that what she is thinking is True. If it wasn’t for her medication she would truly believe that everyone is out to harm her and there would be absolutely nothing anyone could say to persuade her otherwise. Many a time in the past I’ve been accused of being or of doing different things which are very hurtful but I have to remember it’s her illness talking and not her. In her case she needs medication just to survive in this world whereas for an anxiety sufferer medication can ease their symptoms created by their worry and fear.
There was a period when both of us were being treated by the same psychiatrist, admitted at the same time to the same mental health hospital, and both treated for mental illness. Why, because after trying most anti-depressants on me the psychiatrist had ran out of ideas and then still thinking I might be suffering from clinical depression, he gave me ECT when in actual fact I was just suffering from severe anxiety.
The problem has always been the lack of resources to treat mental conditions so sufferers have always been put into the same pot as sufferers with mental illness, hence the generalisation of labelling. Also though, if people have never experienced anxiety conditions and they observe an anxiety sufferer behaving in an unusual manner, they might be inclined to think the sufferer is mentally “ill” when in truth they’re not. Anything someone can’t understand is very easily misunderstood and mislabelled.
Anyway, as for the films! Yes, they dramatise severe illness because it sells! It’s the same as in the papers. The more sensational it sounds, the more papers are sold. For instance, the headline will talk about how a paranoid schizophrenic has harmed someone. What they don’t say is that violent schizophrenics amount to just 1%!!!! They don’t tell you 99% of schizophrenics are more afraid of members of the public than they are of them! Anything that creates News is because it IS news and they’ll sensationalise it as much as possible.
Having said that, I have seen A Beautiful Mind and I actually thought it was a lovely film. It brought tears to my eyes because I could relate a lot of it to me and my wife and how his illness affected his wife in the film. My wife still gets irrational thoughts but instead of accusing or attacking me verbally, her medication now enables her to rationalise her thoughts. Only at times when something really gets to her, do I lose her to her illness. The illness though does still affect her in many different ways such as lack of motivation, slowness, lack of hygiene, mild irrational thinking, lack of emotion and an inability to show affection or care towards others etc.
Anyway, I’ve seen both sides of the coin. My wife really does suffer from a mental illness but I consider myself to have a condition. Some films portray conditions and illnesses in a good light but others do not. They all dramatise, sometimes just to show how real it is to the sufferer but some do not help awareness. To understand how a condition or an illness makes someone feel, it’s best to watch the films a sufferer recommends or talk to the sufferer themselves.
Sorry for making it so long!:shrug:
:yesyes: hey bill, i for one congratulate you for posting, because i feel myselfthat people are hampering their own recovery by continuing to label themselves as ill!!!! yes, you do FEEL ill, who wouldnt when you are worrying so much -basically we are worrying ourselves sick, by the type of thinking we are doing.
i have made freat progress this year since tackling these very issues. thefirst thing my therapist said to me when i whinged 'im feeling so ill' was 'is it really that bad'? is it really as bad as watching my mum die with cancer over 2 years from the age of 18-20? is it really that bad? no it isnt!!!!! im just feeling sick because i wont tackle the intrusive/ nagative/catastrophic thoughts im having. id made progress on my own for 5years, but having it put to me this way was what i needed. she also made it clear to me that i have the power in myself to reverse the processand its true!!! you can use your mind to make you sick and you can use it to heal - for me it is as simple as that!!!
thankyou,bill for highlighting the differences between the condition of anxiety and the illness which is schizophrenia, maybe now people will accept the difference because it has come from somebody with first hand experience of a real mental illnes- and they will be empowered to start to change their thoughts and so bring about healing?
Hi
Everyday I see how these inappropriate and out-of-date films effect how my patients see themselves. All patients think that they will be in hospital for life surrounded by other patients who want to harm them. They believe that Doctors will give them 'electric shock treatment' if they dont get better, and all us psychiatric nurse are called 'Nurse Ratched'. Families will even ask us if the ward is like 'one flew over the cuckoo's nest' With much reassurance I still think they dont trust and believe us because of that film.
Saw the theatre production last year with Christian Slater. I had hoped that in the programme they would mention that ECT is now less barbaic and is for treatment and not punishment. Sadly the programme included out-of-date views which made me very mad and I made a complaint to the author.
I beleive that in the 1960's when the book was written it was accurate, now it is still giving mental health a bad name with old-fashion stereotypes.
There could never be a film which truly shows what being in a mentasl health unit is all about, to be honest not much would happen. Verbal and physical outbursts are rare and the wards are calm, not the story of the next hollywood blockbuster.
Sorry about the ramble xx
Dying_Swan
04-11-07, 17:50
Hi Tiger.
Cuckoo's nest and Girl, Interrupted - two of my favourite films :yesyes: As for 'A beautiful mind' - it makes me cry every time.
I think it would be worth taking a look at some of the films Fraggle mentioned. I've not seen any of them, but it might help to see some films about anxiety.
For a start - Cuckoo's nest is not really about mental illness. Not in my opinion anyway. If you remember correctly - Jack Nicholson's character is not mentally ill - he's trying to avoid prison and pretending! Of course, it does depict others who are ill, but there is no mention of specific illnesses, so it's up to us to decide whether the characters are 'mentally ill', 'psychotic', 'anxious' or whatever.
Girl, interrupted. Again, not really an extreme film?! It borders on Borderline Personality, but half of it is about whether or not the main character really is ill. There is a scene where they break into the Doctor's office and read their notes and diagnoses out to each other. All sorts of conditions.
At the end of the day, many people with anxiety disorders are hospitalized - voluntarily - just like Susannah Kaysen in Girl, Interrupted. There are members of NMP with Borderline Personality, who might well be offended at some of the previous comments in this thread. Are they more mentally ill than the rest of us? Personally, I think that label would be unfounded and unfair.
As for the whole 'mental illness' debate...I can understand people disliking that term and choosing not to use it. I don't think Tiger was labelling anyone, but perhaps he/she is comfortable using the term, and didn't think it would offend others.
Can I just distinguish between 'psychotic' and 'psychiatric'? Someone has used those terms interchangeably, and they do not have the same meaning.
The 'Bible' of psychiatry is the DSM IV. It is a manual of mental/emotional/behavioural conditions used by doctors/psychologists/therapists all over the world. It stands for 'The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'. Anxiety, Panic, Depression etc are listed under Axis 1 (Clinical Disorders) - along with Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder. So, while our symptoms and conditions may be different, what makes sufferers of Schizophrenia and Bipolar so different to us that they deserve a label and we don't? Shouldn't we stop labelling everyone? Distinguishing ourselves only makes those labels stronger in my opinion.
How can anyone say anxiety is NOT a mental illness? Surely that's just subjective opinion? It's not a fact, it's an opinion. Of course, we are all entitled to these, and people can believe whatever they like.
In my own mind, I make a distinction between the Neuroses (anxiety, panic, OCD etc), and the Psychoses (Schizoprenia, Bipolar etc). So I'm just a neurotic old thing :blush:
Tiger - sorry I can't help more with the essay, but good luck with it! I personally don't think either of the films you mentioned create a bad image of mental illness, but perhaps a poor image of psychiatric institutions.
Sorry if I've offended anyone with anything I've said - you are, of course, all entitled to call it whatever you like and believe what you like about your anxieties. I just wanted to say my (very long) piece!
xxx :flowers:
Well speaking as someone who has Borderline Personality Disorder, I'm sorry I've wasted your time. Panic is only like 00000000000.000000000001% of BPD.
That's the problem with being "well gone", people view you as dangerous when in reality all you want is a bloody cuddle and some stability and something to remove all the horrific crap from your mind.
I really feel for those of you who can't go outdoors or who have health anxiety etc but I wish that's all that was wrong with me. I've got about seven different things rolled into one and the way I get stigmatised is shocking - even from "my own side"............
I understand what Michelle is trying to say about general anxiety etc but someone such as myself IS mentally ill. Standing on the top of 200ft cliffs wondering if I could fly or no t and having to be physically restrained/saved by six coppers ain't yer regular "oh I'm a bit down today" thing........
Gordon
Dying_Swan
05-11-07, 00:33
Gordy - I hope you don't think I was trying to get at you or others with BPD....exactly the opposite :hugs::hugs::hugs:
Swan, (as I prefer to think of you as a graceful swan should be!), of course I can’t speak for Gordon but I know your heart is in the right place and I thought your post was ok!:hugs:
Gordon, I commend you for your open post and I feel that anyone who suffers panic, no matter how small, is most definitely not wasting anyones time on here. If it helps you to be here then I’m sure everyone would agree with me in saying you are most welcome and we’re very glad to have you! Whether we consider ourselves to have a condition or an illness, it is always debilitating and affects our lives. I have every sympathy for anyone who suffers from mental or physical problems however severe they are. How else could I have married my wife with schizophrenia? I wanted to help her just as I do anxiety sufferers.
I also have a very high regard for the nursing professionals especially as I’ve worked with them and also been their patient. I’ve always admired them for the job they do and for the pressures they have to cope with.
I am no expert on medical terms or teachings. I can only offer my opinions from experience both with my wifes illness and my anxiety issues. When I was given ECT it was the last resort so I can’t imagine anyone with anxiety having to experience it. At the time I wasn’t told what actually happens when you’re under the anaesthetic but I was horrified to find out later. I can only remember a sharp pain in my arm when the anaesthetic was administered and waking with a blinding headache. Now I can see why. In my opinion, to send an electric shock through a persons mind that makes the body convulse, no matter how it is done, still seems a barbaric treatment in this modern age. My wife used to have this treatment before I knew her but now her schizophrenia is adequately controlled by her present medication. Maybe there are benefits with ECT that I am unaware of but personally it doesn’t seem right. I’m open to learning so maybe someone with medical knowledge can advise me.
Personally, I do still feel that if a mental condition can be treated effectively without the need of medication, then it shouldn’t be regarded as an illness as such, and that’s where in my own opinion I draw the line. In my wifes case, if she didn’t take medication she wouldn’t know anyone and think that everyone is out to harm her. No types of therapy would have any effect because of her illness, and that’s what the therapists told me. The doctors consider her to have a severe mental illness and as Gordon says, there is no comparison to anxiety. However, whether someone suffers anxiety or a mental illness, I feel the same empathy for both.
I think a debate is good to have. I can only express my own personal opinions based on my experiences but I’m always willing to listen to others points of views and I’m quite prepared to accept where I am wrong without taking any offence. I love to learn and I certainly wouldn’t want to mislead or give bad advice.
If someone said to me I’m mentally ill, I’d disagree because I only “feel” ill when I worry too much which I feel is quite normal. In ancient times, who wouldn’t be worried sick if they were confronted by a tiger?! It’s just these days our worries are caused by our characteristics, upbringing and modern environment. I can identify the reasons behind all my problems – anxieties, OCD, self harm, overdoses etc but I’ve learnt how to control them just by changing how I think and so tackling the symptoms that caused them Without the need of the medications I was once prescribed.
Whether we regard ourselves to be suffering a condition or an illness, the title is unimportant as there are so many different mental health terms which can all be treated by different methods. The point is, as I’m always trying to impress, is that it’s our thought patterns that create our anxiety symptoms and that they can be controlled by discovering how we became programmed to think in such a way and by learning how to change and control those negative thought patterns. Whatever each of us regard ourselves as suffering from, there is No reason why an anxiety sufferer can’t learn to cope and lead a normal life without needing long term medication, and that’s what matters most.
I approached the TV show "Monk" with aprehension then was very surprised at how accurate it is.
I think it bought Mental Illness and it's associated problems out into the open so the general public could have some insight into what it's really like.
I have no problem with the term "Mental Illness" - All my work associates know I'm a sufferer and have encountered no prejudice whatsoever.
Phill:shades:
Dying_Swan
05-11-07, 11:14
Bill.
I quite agree with everything you have said. I am not trying to compare Anxiety to Schizophrenia or BPD or anything else really.
All I was trying to get across is that by fervently denying Anxiety is a mental health issue, it increases the stigma attached to people with psychotic disorders. To my mind.
I don't consider myself to be 'mentally ill', but I do believe Anxiety disorders are 'mental health issues'. The only reason I don't consider myself to have been mentally ill, I expect, is my own misconceptions of mental illness.
I do see the point that Anxiety is not necessarily an illness.....because, as you said, you can learn to overcome it, which is something that (I don't think) can be done with Psychotic conditions. So maybe for me, I would call it a 'mental health issue' as opposed to a 'mental illness'.
Didn't John Nash win the Nobel Prize whilst struggling with Schizophrenia? Someone mentioned Brain function, which would be Neurological illness and not mental illness. Sorry to be pedantic, but this thread has got to me!
Tiger - I'm really sorry that this thread has gone off course a bit. Maybe you could write an essay called 'How do people react when you mention films about mental health institutions' - and just hand this thread in :winks:
xxx :flowers:
It’s ok. :hugs: I understand where you’re coming from and I can see your point. You’re right in saying that anything to do with the mind including anxiety is a mental health issue just as physical problems are physical health issues. As you say, it’s the word “illness” that sparks debate but I’d agree with you that anxiety is a mental health issue. I think there’s stigma attached to whatever the mental health issue/illness is. Even my own brothers and sister clam up in front of my wife. My sister won’t even ring for fear of my wife picking the phone up! They just don’t know what to say or how to talk to her when all she wants is to be treated like anyone else.
I must admit even I always used to be very nervous when people met her because I couldn’t be sure what she was thinking or whether she’d have an outburst but she’s always told me after the event rather than at the time. It could have been just a look someone gave me or her or imagining words that someone didn’t say, then after the outburst I’d be made very anxious and upset and she’d ask me what’s wrong as she’d completely forgotten about it! The stigma exists because people don’t understand mental illness, just as they don’t understand anxiety and yet they’re entirely different.
Yes, according to the film John Nash did win the Nobel Prize. I’ve also heard of professors who suffer from schizophrenia and other mental illnesses but no one would know because the medication controls the symptoms. I do think the film gave a fair reflection from the sufferers and carers viewpoint. It had to be dramatized to illustrate the thoughts the sufferer has to cope with and how their illness affects those closest.
I know the thread went off track and I too apologise for that but I have found it interesting reading peoples views and I feel I’ve learnt something as a result!
Dying_Swan
06-11-07, 21:03
Aye me too Bill :) and it's particularly interesting to hear your thoughts, since you obviously have experience in these matters.
John Nash did win the Nobel Prize. One of the brightest people I ever knew was Schizophrenic - and after completing her Mathematics PhD at Cambridge (in the days when women didn't go to University), decided to down a bottle of Methanol and went blind. Sad stuff, and she was a real sweetie.
Anyhow, it's been an interesting thread :)
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