Mental Illness: Ready for Mainstream Media?

Precious is a film about an illiterate teenage girl trapped in a home where she is violently abused by both her mother and father. Her active imagination is her only escape from her multiple miseries until she transfers to an alternative high school. The film has gained many accolades, awards and recognition.

As Executive Producer, Oprah Winfrey helped bring this film to the public's attention. Oprah's backstory includes abuse in her teen years by unstable people in her life. Monique, having won a SAG and Golden Globe Award on her way to the Oscar's for her performance in the film, revealed her own past abuses at the hands of her brother.

At the root of these abuses - emotional, physical, sexual - are forms of mental illness. Depression with psychosis, pedophilia, Borderline Personality Disorder, and others exist in more of the population than any of us could ever imagine. Precious is one current story in the public media that shoves the ugly, abhorrent behaviors manifested by these illnesses, and how they affect others, right in the public's face. Apparently, it is time.

While disturbing, these stories are not meant to frighten us, but to wake us up to action and acceptance. Depression is the most common mental illness, yet it is still widely misunderstood. Depression can run the gamut from someone being slightly down and withdrawn, to the psychosis that can plague new moms with horrible thoughts and feelings.

Joey Pantoliano (Joey Pants) filmed a documentary about his own battle with depression when he realized what was happening. It takes courage to admit this kind of illness - and it is an illness - treatable, and often completely curable. Joey Pants has now launched a personal campaign to Stamp Out the Stigma of depression and other brain illnesses and promote good mental health. The only way to heal it is to face it, with lots of help and acceptance.

Pantoliano's documentary, entitled No Kidding Me Too, will air on PBS in April. His website, NKM2.org, notes when and where the documentary will be shown, as well as describes other activities, facts and resources.

In 2009 a new television show called "Mental" premiered. Although apparently not picked up for another season, it dealt in detail with various mental illnesses and the unconventional doctor who was able to reach these troubled people in a unique way.

Mackenzie Phillips, currently on Dr. Drew's Celebrity Rehab on VH1, revealed a huge personal trauma on Oprah Winfrey's show while promoting her new book "High on Arrival". Phillips was enormously candid in discussing her incestuous relationship with her father. As is common in many of these cases, the revelation split her family - some supporting her, some condemning her.

While these are very serious and uncomfortable to face issues, formerly relagated to "disease of the week" fiction shows, it is heartening for the rest of the population if celebrities are willing to show us these problems and how they are dealing with them.

Art of all kinds is always a reflection of what is happening in our society - our fears and concerns. And so along with plenty of war-themed movies and video games, post-apocalyptic books and films, we are also seeing the start of a movement to acknowledge and address something previously swept under the carpet that affects all of us.

www.weareallprecious.com
www.oprah.com
www.unh.edu/frl/finkelhor