CINEMA AND

MIND: Impact
of cinema on
mental health
S O U M I L I G U P TA

(81012019295)
 Mental health includes our emotional,
psychological, and social well-being.
Mental health is important at every stage
MENTAL of life, from childhood and adolescence
HEALTH through adulthood.
AND However, the depiction of mental health
CINEMA in cinema has been very late and very
nominal. Cinema not only portrays the
various issues of mental health but also
impacts on the mental health of people.
 Cinema both globally and in India has stigmatized
mental health for a long time.
The confusion about the link between schizophrenia
NEGATIVE and dissociative identity disorder perpetuated in
films such as Psycho, Friday the 13th.
PORTRAYAL
A Nightmare on Elm Street reinforce the myth that
OF MENTAL people leaving psychiatric hospitals are aggressive
HEALTH IN and dangerous
CINEMA Female ‘madness’, and irrational behaviour, has
frequently been hyper-sexualised onscreen. Beatrice
Dalle in the French drama Betty Blue, or the slickly
stylised psychosis of Black Swan.
Indian films usually portray mental disorders in the form of crude
comedy, showing the victim of mental illness as a subject of ridicule,
aggravating the stigma.
In most of the films, psychosis is poorly defined, with people shown
hearing and responding to voices. This depiction of mental illness is not
solely the filmmaker’s interpretation as these films were adapted from
popular novels.
The depiction of ECT, lobotomy, forced medication as a mode of
punishment or management of psychosis has been highlighted in various
Indian movies like Raja, Damini, Khamoshi, Rat aur Din, and many
more.
 The film industry globally are attempting to project an
accurate depiction of mental health and raise an awareness
about the importance of mental health.
POSITIVE Silver Linings Playbook, attempts to redefine what it means

PORTRAYAL to have a mental illness and is both educating and engaging.

OF MENTAL Rain Man follows in an incredible journey of learning

about disabilities, exhibits a great awareness of mental
HEALTH IN health

CINEMA The movie A Beautiful Mind, was inspired by the true story
of a mathematician, his discovery of the “game theory’ and
coping with his schizophrenia.
Good Will Hunting, a janitor at MIT, with an abusive
childhood, who through therapy overcomes his depression
and build up his life.
Indian cinema though started the journey later, is not much behind in
incorporating the subject of mental health.
“Maine Gandhi Ko Nahi Mara”, deals with Alzheimer's disease and how the
patient deals with himself and his family.
In the Marathi film known as “Devrai” which is based on psychiatric disorders
and issues associated with severe and persistent mental illness.
The Malayalam film, “Thanmatra” shows dementia affecting a middle-aged
person, on the social difficulties of dealing with dementia.
The movie “15 Park Avenue” deals very well with the trauma that can trigger
mental ailments as well as the challenges that a serious illness poses to family
dynamics.
 Portrayals of mental illness in film are often superficial,
stigmatizing, and inaccurate.

IMPACT OF Misconceptions about the violent tendencies of the mentally ill

increase discrimination towards such individuals. When mental
NEGATIVE illness is used for humour it is often belittling, and trivializing .

PORTRAYALS Presenting mental health issues as something to be feared, shunned,

laughed at, or denigrated sends a dangerous message to viewers
OF MENTAL about how mental health conditions should be addressed both inside

ILLNESS IN and outside the storytelling system and the people who encounter
them.
CINEMA If films paint skewed images of mental illness, they could create a
“significant obstacle to advancing knowledge and health behaviours
related to mental health”. In addition, incomplete, dramatic and
unrealistic film representations of mental health care can contribute
to therapy resistance and/or skewed therapy perceptions.
 Films may help people relate to characters with mental illness who they
look up to and feel more accepting of their own mental illnesses.

Films might give people who suffer the chance to see their diseases outside
of themselves, understand their behaviours, the effect of these on

IMPACT OF
themselves and others, and how to seek help.

Certain films may also be educational and challenge stereotypes. They may
POSITIVE help explain symptoms of, treatment for, and stigmatization towards
different illnesses. School through films could educate about mental
PORTRAYALS disorder and provide a productive atmosphere in which assumptions and
myths can be questioned.
OF MENTAL Movies can serve as therapeutic tools to aid discussion about patient’s fears
ILLNESS and misconceptions, and work to amend these issues in a supportive
environment. Clinicians should become aware of common film distortions
and discuss them with patients. Movies can be used to introduce patients
and families to specific disorders, create therapeutic alliances, help patients
reframe issues, give patients role models, offer hope, bring out emotion,
help patients prioritize values, and facilitate communication .
THANK YOU.