Split, whilst critically acclaimed, acts to sensationalise and misrepresent mental illness. Mental illness wasn’t a popular topic in kids’ movies or shows at the time – Thomas the Tank Engine wasn’t trying to work through gloom and mania each morning. I want to look at mental illness in horror films and examine how it is portrayed and talk about the real illnesses that are prevalent in each film. https://screenrant.com/movie-character-inaccurate-mental-illness-portrayals The perception of mental illness as making someone more likely to harm you is the result of a misunderstanding, often due to the sensationalised portrayal of conditions such as DID and Schizophrenia in Horror films. I’m not ashamed of that, yet saying it still feels like a slightly dirty confession. Anatole Litvak’s powerful feature was one of the earlier movies to deal with psychosis or mental illness in a non-melodramatic or non-sensitive manner. Today's best streaming service deals. So, how is mental health portrayed in horror movies? This movie “normalizes” what Charlie goes through and shows him that there are people that care and understand. Required fields are marked *. My descriptions will indicate which mental illness or neurological condition is exhibited by which character (if known). The trope of a ‘sane’ person trapped in a mental institution also appears in Shutter Island, and this convention may cause a fear of being ‘accidentally’ sectioned. Think about what scares you: Spiders? As someone who works in the area of mental health, I am aware many horror films – and other genres – depict negative stereotypes of mental illness. … Below you'll find the films that do. https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/myths-facts/index.html, St. Hope Foundation Copyright © 2021. The views of mental illness in these films can very well creep their way into your subconscious and leave you with a not so delightful and often times mistaken impression of the mentally ill. A list of movies that I may use for a project in my abnormal psychology class. These movies — many of which can be watched on streaming services like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime — can evoke some powerful responses in viewers who may see their own struggles accurately represented on screen for the first time. Considering the media’s influence on society’s views, it is unsurprising that there is a stigma attached to mental illness. This movie shows the grim reality of living through a mental illness and having to deal with people who do not understand or care to understand. Caligari was not the first film to portray mental illness and violence as being intertwined—that distinction probably goes ... “madman”, “crazy”, and “psycho” abound. Reference to Ed Gein is also found in Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs. Many of these movies center on the freakishly paranormal, the stuff too spooky to think about during everyday life. Films like Shutter Island, Psycho, and Split are popular examples of mental illness being used as a surprise twist or explanation for why a character is violent: they’re just ‘crazy’. The 2008 postmodern drama Synecdoche, New York was directed by Charlie Kaufman. Use horror movies to overcome your fears. Movies about schizophrenia, They Look Like People is just one of many horror films about mental illness. Here's how this can influence people's perspective on mental illness. Behavioral health is covered in most movie genres, particularly horror, drama and comedy. Unlike drama (e.g., What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), the dialogue in horrors tends to be limited, with much of the screen time spent building atmosphere and tension. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) Eight out of ten students have experienced some form of mental health difficulty whilst studying (according to the NUS website). St. Hope Foundation offers an array of mental and behavioral health services for people seeking treatment for mental disorders. Indeed, mental illness has become such a common horror trope that it’s even reflected in popular Halloween costumes. 8 Movies That Got Mental Illness (Mostly) Right | The Mighty The Shining begins with a seemingly normal Jack Torrance and his family arriving at a hotel to act as caretakers for the winter. This narrative is not only overused, but highly damaging. And unlike comedy, there is no lighthearted or self-deprecating relief (e.g., What About Bob?, The Fisher King, Little Miss Sunshine). F or years, mental illness has been the scape-goat of the Horror genre. A lot of horror films tend to glamorise mental illnesses, let’s look at some examples: Psycho (1960) – A great film directed by Alfred Hitchcock based on a novel of the same name written by Robert Bloch in 1959. Films like Shutter Island, Psycho, and Split are popular examples of mental illness being used as a surprise twist or explanation for why a character is violent: they’re just ‘crazy’. Not only this, but it is suggested that the amount of personalities residing in Kevin means he has the ability to change the chemistry of his body. If you appreciate films that show a more human side to depression, this will be a smash hit with you. As the title hints, one of the main characters in Psycho has a mental illness, most likely Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), which was brought on by a previous trauma. A slasher and cult classic, Texas Chainsaw Massacre stars the mentally ill character Leatherface. A24. Those who are mentally ill are typically the bad guys, and there isn’t much commentary on actual mental health issues humans face. The antagonist of the film has twenty-three distinct personalities, and this is what causes him to violently abduct three young girls. Of those, the vast majority of cases present the mentally ill person as a dangerous criminal. Mental illness can affect those closest to us, but not in the horrifying ways portrayed in Split . Powered by Tom, Hamish & Aaron. View. His mental illness makes him victimized, and the movie does a commendable job of highlighting society's fear about what it doesn't understand. "Even though it’s a kids movie, Inside Out is one of my favorite movies about mental health. Horror films’ negative portrayal of mentally ill characters increases the stigma around psychiatric and mental illness. Horror Movies About Mental Health April 8, 2020 Marie Miguel 0 Comments. Horror movies and some characters mimicked at Halloween can carry worrying sterotypes of mental illness, writes Snita Ahir-Knight With Halloween upon us, let’s talk about horror. Freddy Krueger is a killer who haunts children while they are dreaming. 1. 7 Movies That Capture The Hallucinatory Horrors Of Schizophrenia. The Mental Health Foundation asserts that social stigma surrounding mental health issues makes recovery harder; and that nine out of ten people with mental health issues believe that stigma around mental illness has a negative effect on their lives. Yet, horror movies contribute something different to the mental health discussion than all other genres of film. Mental illness does have its place in the horror genre, and it is scary. He explains, “there’s psychological distance when we watch a horror film. Heights? Mental illnesses do not define people; they are only a part of them. I fear you have missed one very important misconception, “the” mentally ill. You may recall another, “the” Blacks. Unsane, a recent addition to this horror trope, also increases stigma: not only around the mentally ill, but around the treatment they receive in the form of institutions. 9 Great Films That Explore Mental Illness. Alfred Hitchcock is one of the most influential horror directors. If you have a phobia or other mental health condition, deliberately engaging with something that scares you can help prove to yourself that you can handle it. With Mental Illness Awareness Week in the first full week of October, and NAMI’s theme of “CureStigma” this year, the stigma of mental illness in horror movies is pretty relevant. Mental health/illness range from anything like embarrassment, OCD, and anxiety to phobias, addiction, psychosis, bipolar, and schizophrenia. For years, mental illness has been the scape-goat of the Horror genre. These same representations appear in horror films, and mental health patients are insulted by their representations in the media. Yes, it is again exploitation. Yet, when seeking a good scare from our screens, it’s important to keep our mental health in mind too. The main character in Halloween, Michael Meyers, is shown committing violent acts at a very young age. —-The Mental Health Foundation asserts that social stigma surrounding mental health issues makes recovery harder, and that nine out of ten people with mental health issues believe that stigma around mental illness has a negative effect on their lives. Sign In Trending New Popular type to search. Yes, horror movies can be wildly entertaining; but perhaps we should leave them in that realm: pure entertainment. Let’s Talk Mental Health And Illness. Most of the time, when a character in a horror movie has a mental illness, they are either the villain or at the very least, negatively represented. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) A slasher and cult classic, Texas Chainsaw Massacre stars the mentally ill character Leatherface. HuffPost spoke to mental health experts to find out why some people with anxiety love horror movies and how they can actually help the condition. In fact, the common mischaracterisation of schizophrenia as a disassociative personality disorder is often compounded by horror films to this day. That depictions of ‘madness’ have been dominated by horror films is revealing of the film industry’s historic insensitivity about mental health, writes Arwa Haider. Even if you are not directly affected, this issue is likely to affect course-mates, friends in societies, and even people you live with. The Best Psychological Horror Movies to Mess with Your Head These portrayals are hardly flattering. Glen O. Gabbard and Krin Gabbard, Psychiatry and the Cinema, American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc., … Some of the most popular horror fiction link mental illness with evil. Mike Crisolago | May 8th, 2019. Evil or Misunderstood: Depictions of Mental Illness in Horror Films The main plot of the film (without spoilers – … Killer clowns? Sign In. Read This: 10 Real Things That Can Crawl Inside You And Are Scarier Than Any Horror Movie after dark Alice In Wonderland Syndrome Alien Hand Syndrome Anasognosia Body Integrity Disorder Capgras Delusion Cotard Delusion Creepy Creepy Catalog Dromomania Face Blindness Horror Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome Mental Illness Morgellons Disease Neurological Disorders Prosopagnosia … Oftentimes in suspense or horror movies the villain is seen as an antagonist, a violent, evil genius with mental illness that is rampant beyond the help of doctors. $5.99 /mth. Linking violence to mental disorders like this can misinform both avid horror fans and casual viewers. Here's how this can influence people's perspective on mental illness. The Pianist (2001) Erika is a virtuous piano teacher who presents certain eccentricities related to … THE SECOND COMING. Horror/Mystery/Suspense Movies About Mental Illness show list info. Mental illness is often portrayed in a very negative way in horror movies. That depictions of ‘madness’ have been dominated by horror films is revealing of the film industry’s historic insensitivity about mental health, writes Arwa Haider. Kaufman also wrote cerebral films like… Disney+ Monthly. With that said, let’s take a look and see which mental illness makes for the best horror movie.