Hollywood has a responsibility to address America’s mental health crisis
By Leslie Weirich
A suicide devastates more than one life.
I learned that lesson shortly after my doorbell rang at 2:30 a.m. on September 10, 2016. My 20-year-old son, Austin, had died by suicide. After decades reciprocating his infectious smile and admiring his achievements on the football field and in the classroom, I had to digest in an instant that I would never see him again.
Every single day, I wish I could go back and talk with him one more time. Would it have helped? I’ll never know. But I do know, seven years into my journey as a suicide prevention advocate, that severe mental illness doesn’t manifest in a vacuum, especially for young adults.
Whether we’re aware of it or not, the media we consume strongly influences how we process mental health crises.
The folks who shape our culture have never been more aware of the mental health challenges Americans face. But they largely haven’t responded to that awareness by depicting mental health more responsibly.
Over the last two decades, the suicide rate among those aged 10 to 24 has risen nearly 60%. The factors behind this crisis are complex and multifaceted. But researchers are coming to understand that Hollywood plays a role. Many shows have inadvertently contributed to the increase in the youth suicide rate by glorifying suicide and the mental health conditions that cause it.
Consider “13 Reasons Why,” a show developed for Netflix that depicts the story of a teenage girl who takes her own life and leaves behind a series of audiotapes that implicate the people she holds responsible for her death.
Just one month after the show aired, the suicide rate among 10- to 17-year-olds increased nearly 30%. The series was intended to start a meaningful dialogue about bullying, sexual assault, and suicide. It instead portrayed the main character’s choice as a means of exacting emotional revenge on those who wronged her.
Some teens with existing mental health issues are more susceptible to emulate suicides that are glamorized — a well-documented phenomenon called “suicide contagion.”
While “13 Reasons Why” has exacerbated some awful mental health trends in America, it’s hardly the only one. Fortunately, other shows and movies do just the opposite.
The critically acclaimed film “Silver Linings Playbook” has been praised for its realistic depiction of people living with bipolar disorder. Or consider “Adieu,” a movie currently in production that centers on a prodigal violinist struggling with depression after her sister’s suicide. Several leading mental health professionals have commended “Adieu” for depicting grief, depression, and the value of human connection in an authentic way — allowing viewers to see the possibility for recovery and growth even after a tragic loss.
Stories like these are crucial because they tap into what some experts call the “neuroscience of hope.” These scientists hypothesize that optimism stems from distinct neurological processes that are subject to outside influence. As a result, certain forms of art could literally rewire the brain to generate feelings of hope that combat mental illness.
By creating powerful art that more appropriately considers and depicts mental health challenges, Hollywood could use its great power more responsibly.
Leslie Weirich is a nationally renowned suicide prevention speaker and author who advocates for youth mental health. (LesliesHope.org)
