Mental Illness in Media Interviews
Tessa Kliever-Kerr:
On average how often do you see mental illness talked about in movies and t.v. shows? "Not that often I feel like, and if it is then I feel like it's not very serious." How often do you see it talked about on social media; Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube etc? "I feel like it's talked about a lot actually. I think people use it on Instagram to show it off, I wouldn't say it's bragging really, I just think it's something people use to have others be more drawn to them. When people tell their stories there are pros and cons to but it's hard to see if it's to bragging rights or to show other about mental illness." So when you see it talked about you don't see it as being sincere? "No, I think a lot of people are using it as a way to get attention and people who truly have mental illness aren't using it as a way to gain popularity, I don't know I guess it depends on how it's shared." How would you like to see how mental illness is portrayed in media change? "There is a lot of talk over social media and behind a screen and not enough in person because from behind a screen no one is learning how to address mental illness. Nothing is as accurate over a screen then it is in person."
Sophia Mecklem:
On average how often do you see mental illness talked about in movies and t.v. shows? "I can't think of any, sorry." What about on Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube etc? "Um I see a lot on Instagram people taking people with down syndrome to prom and romanticizing mental illness, it's like they're taking them because they pity them and feel bad for those with down syndrome." How do you think mental illness is being portrayed in the media? "Not positively, like I said earlier it's romanticized, pitied and really confines the person only being their mental illness." Do you think it's being accurately being represented in media? "I don't think it is, I think it could be represented in a much better way. I don't think people know how to talk about it."
Teagan F.C.:
On average how often do you see mental illness talked about in movies and t.v. shows? "I hardly ever see it. I personally don't watch that many movies or shows but when I do it's rare to see someone with mental illness and when they do they're portrayed in a bad light and negative way." And how often do you see me natl illness talked about on Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube etc? " Um I see a lot of kids especially our age saying shit like "'that dudes fucking retarded'" and stuff like that. Especially on social media it's easy to say shit like that because they can say or comment whatever they want and not see how it impacted the other person and the effects it has, even another person just seeing what they posted, commented or their conversation." How would you like to see how mental illness is portrayed in media change? "If we change how we talk about mental illness and if we see more examples, because there are so many different kinds of mental illness and different ways it effects people so we need to change the language we use around mental illness. And if we start to see more examples in movies because all we see are charectors who are crazy or stupid, so I think that would be a big step."
Artist Statement
For my project I wanted to tackle the thoughts behind mental illness and how it's being portrayed in the media. To summarize the responses I got is that there is clearly not enough authentic representation or any in movies and t.v. shows. And when there is the characters are shown as crazy and that their mental illness is the only trait they have. On Instagram etc. it was said that what is talked about doesn't feel very sincere and used as a way to get attention. So all together we are almost set up for failure when talking about and how we see those with mental illness because one of the main ways we learn and pick up on things (media) is under and inaccurately representing people with mental illness.