In recent years, mental health has been a big topic in the news. More and more, it’s important for movies and TV shows to show mental health problems in a realistic way. This isn’t just to raise awareness, but also to help people understand and relate to these problems. From indie to mainstream, many movies have done a good job of showing mental health and its problems through stories that have connected with audiences all over the world.
We will take a closer look at these films and how they have helped to bring attention to mental health issues, from indie films that show mental illness in a moving way to mainstream shows that have broken new ground. So, let’s dive in and look at some of the best movies and TV shows that have brought mental health to the forefront of pop culture.
Table Of Content
- 1 A Beautiful Mind (2001)
- 2 Big Little Lies (2017)
- 3 Black Swan (2010)
- 4 Bojack Horseman (2014)
- 5 Generation Wealth (2018)
- 6 Girl, Interrupted (1999)
- 7 It’s Kind of a Funny Story (2010)
- 8 Joker (2019)
- 9 Life, Animated (2016)
- 10 Melancholia (2011)
- 11 One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
- 12 Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
- 13 Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
- 14 This is Us (2016)
- 15 Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006)
- 16 You’re the Worst (2014)
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
A Beautiful Mind is a biographical drama about a Nobel Prize-winning mathematician with schizophrenia named John Nash. The movie shows how Nash struggles with his mental illness while trying to balance his personal life and work.
The movie shows mental health problems in a nuanced way as it looks at themes like delusion, paranoia, and social stigma. It shows how mental illness can affect a person’s personal and professional life, and how treatment and support can help.
People have said that A Beautiful Mind shows mental health problems in an honest and kind way. The movie has made people more aware of schizophrenia and started conversations about how important it is to stop making mental illness look bad.
Big Little Lies (2017)
The first episode of the drama series Big Little Lies aired on HBO in 2017. The show is about how a murder investigation affects the lives of a group of mothers in Monterey, California.
Through its characters, Big Little Lies looks at a number of mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. The character’s struggles with mental health issues are shown in a realistic and sensitive way on the show, which shows how important it is to get help and support.
People have said that the show shows mental health problems in a nuanced way and that it makes them want to get help for their own mental health. The show has also helped start important conversations, especially among women, about mental health.
Black Swan (2010)
Black Swan is a psychological thriller about a ballerina named Nina. It goes deep into her mind. In the movie, Nina is getting ready for the lead role in “Swan Lake” and becoming more and more obsessed with being perfect.
The movie is scary because it shows how obsession, delusion, and self-harm can be signs of mental health problems. It shows how the pressure to be perfect can hurt a person’s mental health and cause them to break down.
People have praised Black Swan for how intensely and grippingly it shows mental health problems. People have talked about how hard it is to work in the entertainment business and how that can affect a person’s mental health.
Bojack Horseman (2014)
The first episode of Bojack Horseman, an animated adult sitcom, came out on Netflix in 2014. The show follows the life of Bojack Horseman, a former sitcom star, as he deals with addiction, depression, and anxiety while working in the entertainment business.
Bojack Horseman shows how mental health problems, which are often shamed in society, are shown in a real and raw way. The show shows how important it is to get professional help, how to deal with mental health problems, and what happens when they aren’t treated.
The show has been praised by critics for how realistically it shows mental health problems. It has also made it easier for people to talk about mental health in pop culture. People have had important conversations about mental health because of the show, and people have been encouraged to get help when they need it.
Generation Wealth (2018)
Generation Wealth looks at how wealth and materialism have taken over American culture and how this affects our mental health. The movie is a sequel to The Queen of Versailles by Lauren Greenfield.
The movie shows how trying to get rich and popular can cause anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems. It also looks at how our love of social media and celebrities can make these problems worse.
People have said that the movie made them think about their own values and priorities because it made them think about how wealth and consumerism affect our mental health.
Girl, Interrupted (1999)
Girl, Interrupted is a movie about Susanna Kaysen, a young woman who tries to kill herself in the 1960s and then checks herself into a mental hospital. During her stay, she meets a group of women with different mental health problems. The movie looks at their lives and how they interact with each other and with the staff.
The movie shows mental illness and how it affects the characters in a raw and emotional way. It also shows how people with mental health problems have been mistreated and shamed throughout history. Girl, Interrupted has gotten a lot of praise for how realistically it shows mental health and for starting important conversations about it.
It’s Kind of a Funny Story (2010)
It’s Kind of a Funny Story is a coming-of-age comedy-drama about a teen named Craig who is depressed and has thoughts of killing himself. He checks himself into a psychiatric ward, where he meets other people who are also having problems with their mental health.
The movie does a great job of showing how people with mental health problems struggle on the inside and how the people around them can help or hurt their recovery. It also talks about how important it is to get help when you have mental health problems and shows that you can get better.
It’s Kind of a Funny Story had a big effect on people because it helped get rid of the stigma around mental health problems and encouraged people to get help when they needed it. The movie’s message is both uplifting and inspiring, and Keir Gilchrist and Zach Galifianakis give great performances.
Joker (2019)
Joker is a dark character study that looks at how the famous Batman villain got his start. Joaquin Phoenix does a great job as Arthur Fleck, a man in Gotham City who is struggling with mental illness and poverty. In the early 1980s, the movie is about Fleck, a failed comedian who moves to Gotham City and turns to a life of crime and chaos. People have said that the movie does a good job of showing the dark and gritty side of mental health issues, especially how Arthur goes crazy and how society contributes to it.
Phoenix’s role as the title character has also gotten a lot of praise, and he has won and been nominated for a lot of awards, including an Oscar for Best Actor. The Joker has brought up important questions about mental health, how society treats people with mental illness, and how the media affects how people see things.
Life, Animated (2016)
Life, Animated is about a young man with autism named Owen Suskind who learned to talk by watching Disney movies. The movie shows how Owen and his family deal with the problems that come with him having autism.
The movie does a great job of showing the hard times that people with autism and their families go through. It also shows how important media and pop culture can be in helping people with autism communicate and connect with their surroundings.
People have said that the film’s message is positive and hopeful, and that it has helped people learn more about autism and other mental health issues. It also shows how media and pop culture can be very effective ways to connect with and talk to people.
Melancholia (2011)
Melancholia is about two sisters, Justine and Claire, and how they deal with their relationships and lives as Earth and a planet called Melancholia are about to crash into each other. The movie looks at depression, anxiety, and mental illness through the character of Justine, who is trying to figure out what her life is all about.
Melancholia shows how people with mental illness and their loved ones are affected in a realistic way. The movie has been praised for its unique take on mental health in movies and for the way it makes people think about the issue.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the main character is a criminal named Randle McMurphy. He is sent to a mental hospital, where the head nurse, Mildred Ratched, has very strict rules.
This movie shows how hard it is for people to live in mental health institutions, how the power balance works between patients and staff, and how important it is for people to have their own freedom and autonomy when getting mental health care. The movie is about power, control, and rebellion, and it is thought that its portrayal of mental health problems is one of the most accurate in film history.
The way the movie showed mental illness and how it affects society was very new, and it changed the way people think about mental health in a big way. It won five Oscars and has been a part of culture ever since.
Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
Perks of Being a Wallflower is a drama about a shy teenage boy named Charlie who is coming of age. As Charlie tries to make friends and figure out high school, the movie shows how hard it is for him to deal with his past and his present.
Depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder are some of the mental health issues that the movie shows in a moving way (PTSD). It shows how trauma can hurt a person’s mental health and cause them to feel alone and isolated.
Many critics have praised Perks of Being a Wallflower for how honestly it shows mental health problems. People like the movie, especially teenagers, because they can relate to the struggles of the characters and find comfort in the movie’s message of hope and healing.
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Silver Linings Playbook is a romantic comedy-drama about Pat Solitano, a former teacher who moves back in with his parents after being released from a mental hospital. He meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with mental health problems like him. Together, they try to figure out how to deal with their problems and move on.
The movie does a great job of showing how people with mental health problems struggle and how their families try to help. It also looks at how the stigma around mental health problems affects those who have them. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence give great performances, and you can feel how well they get along.
The movie Silver Linings Playbook had a big effect on people because it made them more aware of mental health problems and how they can affect anyone. It also showed that people with mental health problems can live full lives with the right help and care.
This is Us (2016)
This is Us is a TV show that follows the Pearson family through many generations, showing how their relationships, past traumas, and current problems have changed over time.
The show shows mental health problems in a way that is realistic and sensitive. It shows how childhood trauma, anxiety, depression, and addiction affect the characters. It also shows how important it is to ask for help and support.
This is Us has been a hit with people all over the world. Many fans have praised the show’s realistic portrayal of mental health problems and its ability to get people talking about mental health. Fans have also been moved by the show to get help for their own mental health problems.
It’s important to watch and support these movies, TV shows, and documentaries that talk about mental health issues. They not only give people a chance to learn, but they also help get rid of the stigma around mental health. By supporting and watching these works, we can help make the world a better place when it comes to mental health by making people more aware and caring.
Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006)
Wristcutters: A Love Story is a dark comedy about Zia, a man who killed himself and is now in purgatory with other people who also killed themselves. He meets a lot of other people with mental health problems, and together they go on a journey to find love and redemption.
The movie does a great job of showing how people with mental health problems feel about themselves and how they have to deal with suicide in their own way. It also talks about how important it is to find hope and meaning in life, even when things seem hopeless.
Wristcutters: A Love Story had a big effect on people because it showed that there is always hope for love and redemption, even in the worst situations. The movie has a message that makes you think, and Patrick Fugit and Shannyn Sossamon give great performances.
You’re the Worst (2014)
You’re the Worst is an FX show that ran from 2014 to 2019 and is a romantic comedy. The show is about Jimmy and Gretchen, who are both self-destructive. It shows how they deal with their relationship and their mental health problems.
You’re the Worst shows how mental health problems like depression, PTSD, and anxiety are real and complicated. The show shows how mental health problems can affect personal relationships and how important it is to get help and support.
People have liked the show because it shows mental health problems in an honest way and because it has started important conversations about mental health in pop culture. The show has helped to reduce the stigma around mental health problems and has encouraged viewers to get help and support for their own mental health.
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