Mental Illness in Cinema

458 Words2 Pages
Mental Illness is often a difficult subject to talk about. It has become something that individuals prefer to avoid. The stigma of mental illness is an unnecessary barrier to those dealing with psychological disorders. Negative stereotypes of individuals with mental illness have a long history in Hollywood. There have been many inaccurate portrayals that has had a lasting effect on the perception of people with mental disorders. To rid the stigma, mental illness in cinema should be implemented into college classes. These classes will provide students with the necessary knowledge and understanding of these disorders. Mental illness is a subject that everyone should be informed on. It has been for many years, a subject that has not been taught accurately. People are often misinformed about mental disorders through mass media. Mass media has done a great job of forming the opinions of society in a negative way. They have forced people to believe that people with mental illness are dangerous and crazy. When, in fact, people who have mental illness are kind individuals who need someone to understand their condition. Classes that focus on mental illness will allow people to fully grasp the details of it in-depth. Implementing classes will also help with reducing the stigma in mental disorders. It will make those who suffer from mental illness feel more at ease because people are learning the true aspects of their condition. A Beautiful Mind, based on Nobel Laureate John Nash, chronicles his struggles with schizophrenia. Many people including friends, family, and mental health professionals believed that he was a danger to society and to himself. Although he encountered many obstacles, he still managed to become successful and break barriers such as graduating from college. Before viewing A Beautiful Mind, I used to base my opinions on mental illness through media
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