to life: a villain’s eyes glint with malice as ominous music crescendos. He’s dangerous, deranged, and… diagnosed. It’s a trope we’ve all seen, from American Psycho to Joker, where mental illness is the ultimate explanation for violence and villainy. But why does Hollywood so often paint illness in these harsh, one-dimensional strokes? THE SCREEN FLICKERS
Dissociative Identity Disorder, painting those who live with the condition as dangerous and untrustworthy. Television, too, contributes to these harmful patterns. Both Glee and Grey’s Anatomy briefly portray main characters (Kurt and Miranda, respectively) struggling with OCD, only to drop the storyline after an episode or two—an inaccurate depiction that ignores the persistent and often lifelong nature of the condition.
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The answer, it seems, lies in a mix of cultural and industry-driven biases that have shaped harmful portrayals for decades. Dr. Carolina Estevez, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist at Austin’s Crestone Wellness, points out that these portrayals are deeply rooted in cultural stigma, often depicting individuals with mental illnesses as dangerous, unpredictable, or helpless. “Mental health conditions are complex,” she explains, “but they’re often reduced to a single exaggerated trait for dramatic effect—such as equating schizophrenia with violence or depression with constant sadness. These portrayals miss the nuanced reality of living with a mental health condition.” The oversimplification of complex conditions only worsens the problem. Hollywood’s portrayal often reduces mental illness to a single exaggerated trait—the violent schizophrenic, the depressed loner. The Shining (1980) uses Jack Torrance’s deteriorating mental state to turn him into the ultimate monster, making his illness the true “villian”
This reduction of mental illness into one-dimensional traits isn’t confined to a single era of storytelling, it’s a throughline from classic films to contemporary hits. The sheer volume of examples is overwhelming, a reminder that this problem has been baked into Hollywood’s DNA for decades. “Mental health struggles are often exaggerated for drama or shock value, prioritizing entertainment over accuracy,” says Dr. Estevez. “This approach can perpetuate harmful misconceptions.” And let’s be clear, here. These movies aren’t necessarily bad artistically—some are masterpieces! But that’s what makes it even more frustrating: their mental health inconsistencies or outright lies become believable, cementing harmful stereotypes in the cultural imagination. What’s worse is that these narratives strip away the humanity of those living with mental health challenges, reducing them to caricatures instead of fully realized characters. It begs the question: wouldn’t these movies be even more compelling, resonant, and
MENTAL
HEALTH STRUGGLES ARE NOT A CHARACTER FLAW, THEY’RE A PART OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE. PORTRAYING THAT TRUTH CAN FOSTER UNDER- STANDING AND COM- PASSION IN WAYS NO PSA EVER COULD.
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of the story. 2017’s To the Bone perpetuates the idea that eating disorders only affect those who appear stick-thin and visibly “sick,” reinforcing harmful misconceptions about who deserves treatment. 2016’s Split demonizes Dissociative Identity Disorder, painting those who live with the condition as dangerous appear stick-thin and visibly “sick,” reinforcing harmful misconceptions about who deserves treatment. 2016’s Split demonizes
impactful with thoughtful, accurate representations at their core?
But the entertainment industry’s priority isn’t accuracy, it’s entertainment. Sensationalism sells, and mental illness is often exaggerated for shock value—sometimes only to be dropped when it no longer serves the plot. Dr. Estevez points to the prevalence of “quick-fix” storylines: “Recovery from
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