pop culture
Representations of mental health in pop culture; dissect and discuss popular psychology, mental illness stigmas, and media depictions.
Where '13 Reasons Why' Goes Wrong
Background Information 13 Reasons Why has been widely-discussed ever since its debut season released on Netflix back in Spring 2017. The series adapts Jay Asher's best-selling novel of the same name, following the tale of an adolescent girl named Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford) who commits suicide due to depression. Everyone at her high school is disquieted by her sudden death, especially Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette), whom Hannah was close friends with. Everything takes an abrupt turn when Clay sees a box of cassette tapes sitting on his porch, sent to him from Hannah. When he listens to them, he realizes that they are voice messages that Hannah had recorded before ending her own life. She explains that each tape consists of her describing the 13 total reasons as to why she decided to commit suicide, even saying that Clay was one of them.
Anna CheneyPublished 5 years ago in PsycheDoes TV News Have Psychological Effects?
We live in a world where news is constant and you don’t need to be in front of a screen to stay informed on world events. While this is a great way of keeping everyone informed, you may find yourself feeling down in the dumps when all you hear are bad news. The past few years have hard-hitting with countless mass shootings, natural disasters, domestic terrorism, outdated changes to women’s health and much more. I think the reason why these news stories are affecting people’s well-being, is that they hit close to home more than ever.
Stephanie MurguiaPublished 5 years ago in PsycheLet's Talk About Suicide
Anthony Bourdain of CNN’s Parts Unknown is dead. The chef, storyteller, and Emmy-winning host passed at age 61 on June 8, 2018.
Are You an INFJ Too?
What is an INFJ exactly? Well, this personality type is said to make up only 1% of the population, meaning you'll spot one in a crowd of one hundred. So they are somewhat rare, but they’re out there!
Journey ScribePublished 6 years ago in PsycheWhy I Believe '13 Reasons Why' Needs to Be Stopped
We've all heard about it—the show sweeping the internet by storm. 13 Reasons Why. If you haven't heard, it's about a girl, Hannah Baker. She commits suicide after relentless bullying and assault, leaving behind 13 tapes for the people who she blames. The show has been incredibly controversial, mainly because of its graphic scenes. Some see these scenes as necessary to start a conversation while some see them as potentially harmful. Here's why I think 13 Reasons Why needs to be stopped. Be aware, there are spoilers ahead!
Tiffany GreenPublished 6 years ago in Psyche13 Reasons Why I Don't Watch '13 Reasons Why'
I'm sure that in some ways they thought this would prevent more suicides because it would share awareness. In all reality, it did the exact opposite. It made suicide famous and made mental disorder conditions worse. Here's why...
Madison RheamPublished 6 years ago in Psyche'13 Reasons Why' Delayed?
Now honestly, this show was hard to watch, but I still liked it. A lot of people were saying it was drawn out or melodramatic. Well, teenagers tend to be melodramatic. TV dramas also tend to draw things out. I know some people have had problems with it. The main group was parents. The other groups were people with suicidal thoughts and those who have lost loved ones to suicide.
Lena BaileyPublished 6 years ago in PsycheSuicide in the Headlines
If you are sensitive to the idea of suicide, please do not read any further. This post might also include spoilers, so be warned.
Lena BaileyPublished 6 years ago in PsycheBeware: the Narcissism Bandwagon
Madonna, Kanye West, Miley Cyrus, Donald Trump…if you're active on social media, you will have read, at some point, that the one thing all these celebrities have in common is that they're all narcissists. And, according to many relationship-and-love-focused social media pages and blogs, narcissists are everywhere, and you have probably known or even been in a romantic relationship with one. But the truth of the matter is that none of these celebrities and, very likely, no one you have met, is truly a narcissist. While they may have narcissistic traits, they don't exhibit “high narcissism,” “malignant narcissism,” or “Narcissistic Personality Disorder.”
Zach JensenPublished 6 years ago in PsycheThe Ugly Truth
You can find it in the fashion industry, all over social media, and in a great deal of movies and television shows these days. Society has made mental illness into something that is “cool,” “edgy,” or even “glamorous.” We have somehow turned mental illness into the new "must have" "trend," making it more and more difficult to separate the real, truly mentally ill people, from the ones who WANT to be suffering.
Kaila ElizabethPublished 6 years ago in PsycheEvil in Our Stories #3
Qu'est-ce que c'est (What is it?) Serial killers and psychopaths are nothing new in our storytelling, having theoretically started in fairytales such as Blue Beard, but more on that later. Before the 1900’s Jack the Ripper engrossed England and this story has been so mysterious no one is sure what is true or false about it. The psycho-killer villain particularly took off with Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho which won the Golden Globe in 1961 . Other important examples to note are Dexter, American Psycho, A Clockwork Orange, Sweeny Todd, Seven, and video games L.A. Noir and Heavy Rain.
J. LaudicinaPublished 6 years ago in Psyche'Dear Evan Hansen': For Forever
The top hit musical Dear Evan Hansen has hit the hearts of so many people across the country. This show is so empowering and expresses so many important themes about love, friendships, and many more. I say this show is underrated. People need to watch this show, because of the huge impact it has on people of all ages.
John Max ByrnePublished 7 years ago in Psyche