Mental health is a topic that many forms of media have touched upon in recent years. While representation is important, the way it is portrayed on screen can sometimes do more harm than good. Media portraying serious mental health struggles often run into the problem of being too graphic or detailed. This can exacerbate the issue it aims to solve; instead of a piece of media bringing awareness to a topic, it can make their viewers struggle even more.
A notable piece of media that ran into this issue was the Netflix show “13 Reasons Why.” The show was first created to bring awareness to teen mental health struggles, but quickly fell off in popularity due to several graphic scenes depicting assault and suicide. The show faced intense scrutiny and ended up having to edit the series in order to make it more watchable for viewers.
While many shows try to touch upon these issues, showrunners often don’t do enough research before releasing the project. Below are a few recommendations for media that (in my opinion) accurately represent mental health issues. Remember to read trigger warnings beforehand if you need to. Enjoy, Huskies!
“Beautiful Boy” (Amazon Prime)
“Beautiful Boy” tells the true story of Nic Sheff (played by Timothée Chalamet), a young man struggling with drug addiction, and his worried father David Sheff (played by Steve Carell). The movie explores the heartbreaking struggles of a person living with addiction, as well as how the addiction affects everyone around them. Both the book and the film have stuck with me for years. It is a powerful story and worth a watch if you or anyone you love has experienced addiction.
“BoJack Horseman” (Netflix)
This adult animation series follows the humanoid horse and fictional 90’s sitcom star, BoJack Horseman (voiced by Will Arnett). As he tries to regain his fame over a decade later, BoJack struggles with addiction, relationships and his dark past. Notably, it shows how untreated mental health issues can damage friendships and ruin lives. The show manages to remain comedic while also diving deep into real-life issues.
“All The Bright Places” (Netflix)
This young adult romance film follows two teenagers taking a road trip across their home state of Indiana for a school project. Violet (played by Elle Fanning) and Finch (played by Justice Smith) are each grieving the loss of their family members and dealing with mental health issues when they meet. The movie is an honest portrayal of mental health struggles in youth and remains accurate whilst not being graphic. I highly recommend reading the novel as well – it was one of my favorites as a teenager!
“Heartstopper” (Netflix)
“Heartstopper” is a popular Netflix series that follows a group of queer high schoolers. The third season, which premiered on Oct. 3, catches up with the group as they deal with intimacy, mental health issues and going off to university. One of the storylines for the new season focuses on the character of Charlie as he navigates recovery from anorexia.
The show tackles the subject with ease and respect, showing viewers all the different aspects of recovery. “Heartstopper” gives an incredibly realistic and respectful view of mental illness. While this season does touch upon hard subjects, the overall show is definitely a feel-good watch!