Tag: depression

Next to Normal: a beautiful play about mental illness

For the longest time mental illness was considered a taboo, in many cultures it is something that is not discussed or accepted, leaving the people that are most in need of support and compassion to be alone and ashamed of their condition. Traditionally the media, including news, films, plays, and books have portrayed people with mental illness as villains, adding to the already existing stigma. And at a time when we are just starting to understand where some mental disorders come from and how we might be able to treat or attenuate them, a production like “Next to Normal” serves as a wonderful tool for giving us the insight into one of the most misunderstood diagnoses – Bipolar Disorder.

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS

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Aura – the superhero with mental illness and migraines

In the past mental illness was largely misrepresented in the media, especially in the movies and comic book industry, where the villains were usually ones with mental illness. We know that someone with a history of mental (or physical illness) can be a superhero too and I’m glad that more films, TV shows, and comic books are now starting to demonstrate this point. In Iron Man 3, Tony Stark appears to have symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and while he is struggling, he is able to do what’s necessary to protect others. Similarly, in Gail Simone’s version of Batgirl, Barbara Gordon struggles with PTSD and her paraplegia due to the fact that Joker brutally shot her in The Killing Joke. And now there is a new hero with mental illness, Aura.

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“Madness” at the Movies this Month

By: Harpreet Malla, M.A.

Typically when I see that mental health is featured in film, I have mixed reactions. On one hand, the more mental illness and its existence is talked about or addressed, the better. Stigma, or the negative perceptions and misconceptions we have, are primarily broken down by contact with the thing about which we know so little. On the other hand, when portrayals of the mentally ill are poorly done, they can feed into our existing stereotypes and imbue people with fear or disgust rather than compassion. I can think of many films in which an actress has had a near-melodramatic meltdown in an Oscar bid amid characters that are portrayed unidimensionally as either the antagonists who “elicit” the mental illness or are the supportive, silent sufferer types. This month, however, I was delighted to see not one but two excellent films featuring characters dealing with mental illnesses.

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Self-compassion for the modern geek

I believe that most of us are compassionate individuals, that is when we see other people or other animals suffering, most of us genuinely want to be a Superhero and to help. However, what happens when we are too emotionally overwhelmed to help someone else? This blog post and video discuss how we can practice self-care so that we are able to reduce burnout and are better able to take care of ourselves and others. Continue reading Self-compassion for the modern geek

Remembering Robin Williams

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post as the world mourns the death of a brilliant artist, Robin Williams. Williams made many of us laugh at times when it was impossible to laugh, and got many of us through some very dark times with his silliness and humor.
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Did you ever want to be a Superhero? What do Batman, Harry Potter, and The Doctor teach us about facing our fears

Did you ever wish that you could have amazing Superpowers or that you would suddenly discover that you were really a witch or a wizard? Many of us often wish for special powers, especially when times are rough and we might just want to find our strength in something. It’s often for this reason that we tend to relate to fictional characters that have undergone similar experiences to us.  Continue reading Did you ever want to be a Superhero? What do Batman, Harry Potter, and The Doctor teach us about facing our fears

Psychology of TV Shows – how they help and why we love them

I was born in Ukraine, my family immigrated to the United Stated when I was 12. Being the new girl, who did not speak a word of English, and coming from another country and from a poor family meant getting teased, bullied, and not even understanding what or why this was happening. My family worked long hours and whether I was home alone or surrounded by people in my Junior High School, I was very lonely. It seemed like there was no one that was safe enough for me to talk to or connect with… that is until I started watching TV Shows.

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