It’s no secret that there is a stigma against mental health related illnesses. Because many are unable to understand and empathize with those who are struggling with different disorders, it’s difficult to speak out and receive help. Many people don’t believe that depression, anxiety, and other mental health related disorders are just as important to treat as physical injuries or illness.
If you break your leg, you need to see a doctor. If you’re struggling with depression, you need to do the same.
I’m all for dismantling the stigma against mental illness. It’s important to talk about these issues, for sure, but outside of this stigmatisation lies an issue just as disturbing: the romanticization of mental illness. Tumblr, blogs, Pinterest, movies, and even retail stores all contribute to this fetishism, and something needs to change.
Movies such as “Girl, Interrupted,” “Valley of the Dolls,” “Silver Lining’s Playbook,” and “Heathers” all glorify different disorders. The 1967 cult classic, “Valley of the Dolls,” depicts Sharon Tate’s character’s suicide as beautifully tragic—almost too beautiful. As she somberly looks in the mirror for one last time, and reflects on her life troubles of only being used for her body and good looks in the modelling and acting world, it becomes apparent that her depression and mental illness is filmed to be a beautiful quality to her character.
But real suicide? Not so beautiful. According the the Jason Foundation, suicide was the second leading cause of death in youth between the ages of 12 and 18 in 2015.
One of my favorite movies, “Heathers,” also has an unsettling scene that belittles the harsh realities of eating disorders. When Veronica Sawyer (played by Winona Ryder) assists Heather Duke (Shannen Doherty) with purging her lunch in the bathroom stall, Heather Chandler (Kim Walker) scolds her with the line “Grow up, Heather. Bulimia’s so ‘87.” Writing off bulimia nervosa—one of the most common eating disorders in the United States—as a casual fad is harmful and can potentially cause young viewers to question whether or not this eating disorder is actually dangerous.
Tumblr, a social media site that allows users to blog and express themselves, often fetishizes mental illness. Although these bloggers may have decent intentions to express their own inner-thoughts and challenges with depression, anxiety, ED, etc., these memes are actually extremely unsettling and harmfully inaccurate depictions of what mental illnesses are:
*NOTE*: some of the following images, along with the remaining images in this article, may be unsettling to some readers:
There is nothing pretty or poetic about mental illness.
There is nothing artsy or charming about self-harm.
These sickening memes are just a few examples of this fetishization which can be found almost instantly on Tumblr, Pinterest, and other blogging sites after searching any mental illness related hashtags.
Movies and social media aren’t the only outlets attempting to trend-set these disorders—popular retail stores have stirred controversy after selling mental illness related products. Below are a few examples:
Urban Outfitters sold shirts which promote ED and depression
A popular Etsy shop, Uproxx, iconized the late Kurt Cobain’s suicide by selling a print of his note on a baseball tee.
Urban Decay, a popular makeup company, deleted this tweet after customers spoke out against this disgusting depiction of self-harm. The caption read “Ready for some Razor Sharp Swatches, UDers? #UDAllNighter”.
As if these products aren’t unsettling enough, companies often write off these controversies by posting a short apology that emphasizes how they did not intend to create such damaging items. Instead of owning up to their folly, they justify this fetishization by claiming they didn’t realize what they were doing. Honestly, it’s bullsh*t.
Although mental illness should become a normalized discussion in society, this topic should be taken seriously. Mental illness is not romantic. It’s not beautiful, it’s not trendy, and it’s not fashionable. These movies, memes, and retail products certainly shed light on an issue that should be talked about more in school and society, but they are doing so in the wrong ways. The reality is this: struggling with ED, depression, anxiety, and other illnesses is painful. These disorders take lives, and they’re nothing to show off.
If you or a loved one are struggling with any unsettling thoughts or need to talk about a mental health related illness, the number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Organizations such as The Trevor Project and The Jed Foundation work with young adults to prevent suicide and promote emotional and mental health.