Why are mentally ill characters portrayed in media so stupid and generic?

[unending_emptiness]

Characters in movies and in shows that are mentally ill are so annoying. I can't be the only one who thinks that, but in real life when I express this frustration I'm met with "Oh you've never dealt with a suicidal person you dunno how they fully feel" or "how dare you, what do you have against mentally ill people?". Ya I've totally never dealt with a suicidal person before. It's ridiculous how they always show suicidal characters as the hyper emotional, vulnerable and offended individuals. It annoys me how the media thinks that suicidal people just want at least one person to save them. How people need to pay attention to them. Let's take the popular example of thirteen reasons why. Hannah Beaker to me seems like such a unrealistic character. The whole show shed suicide in a very negative light. I dunno how to explain it. Maybe there are people who are just like the popular suicidal characters. But it feels like there is not a single character that commits suicide that was driven by logic, not by his emotions and that fully thought through their decision.
Because of this portrayal in the media now when I told a few people that I was actually suicidal , they did not believe me cause I was not emotional all the time, did not constantly seek attention from others and did not "look suicidal". I couldn't care less cause I would regret it now if they actually believed me but nevertheless it still bugs me how this portrayal makes people stereotype us this way. No wonder most people hate on SS forum.
I wish for once sucide was not shed in a negative light and at the least in a more neutral perspective.

 

[nicotine_goblin]

I think it'd be really interesting to see a well thought out mentally ill character, who isn't just based on stereotypes and cliches. I agree it's a big problem since by the media trying to "shed light" on mental health they often stigmatize it even more

 

[ultrasharpy123456]

It's complicated. Not everyone who commits suicide is driven by logic. Sometimes it's by impulse. Sometimes the people who want to kill themselves realize the horrible things they've done and want to leave for feelings of guilt or some other reason. However I will say I do agree, media likes to liken everything to tropes and stereotypes especially with how suicidal people are viewed.

I actually resonate with those stereotypical suicidal characters because I am like that. I am easily offended, very emotional, highly manipulative. I don't think rationally. I'm someone anyone would hate. You could say I am (or more like I was but to a caveat) like those generic attention-seeking characters. But I understand how you feel because again not all suicidal people are like that.

Also yeah those people have no right to say you aren't suicidal and such like that. Its not only not true but it's disrespectful. And how they view that is very disgusting, likening suicidal people to how they're supposed to be portrayed in tv shows. Seems like they can't separate fact from fiction.

 

[unending_emptiness]

It's complicated. Not everyone who commits suicide is driven by logic. Sometimes it's by impulse. Sometimes the people who want to kill themselves realize the horrible things they've done and want to leave for feelings of guilt or some other reason. However I will say I do agree, media likes to liken everything to tropes and stereotypes especially with how suicidal people are viewed.

I actually resonate with those stereotypical suicidal characters because I am like that. I am easily offended, very emotional, highly manipulative. I don't think rationally. I'm someone anyone would hate. But I understand how you feel because again not all suicidal people are like that.

Also yeah those people have no right to say you aren't suicidal and such like that. Its not only not true but it's disrespectful.

Ya exactly, you added what I forgot to add. I'm glad people like you are represented . I'm sorry that I might have missed a big part in my argument. To be honest ,I would not hate you at all you seem like a very real and relatable person actually even tho we are so different and you remind me of a part of me that's hidden deep inside me that I keep ignoring. Idk how to explain it sorry if it's weird. Thanks for putting that into perspective :)

 

[snowcloud9]

I get that many people who attempt suicide are driven by impulse, but because of the representation everyone thinks that all suicides are driven by mentally unstable impulsive people and it sucks. It's hard to argue for a pro-choice perspective when people will automatically see suicidal people as immature idiots that don't know what they're doing and need to be shown the wonders of life.

 

[Aergia]

But it feels like there is not a single character that commits suicide that was driven by logic, not by his emotions and that fully thought through their decision.

If suicide looks like a rational decision and not just the resort of the severely ill or depressed, people might have to deal with unpleasant questions like whether their lives or life in general is actually worth living. If suicide is portrayed as something only undertaken by people who are incapable of thinking rationally, watchers can rest easy continuing to believe that life really is sacrosanct.

 

[SVEN]

The majority of people find it easier to deal with people they can categorise and pop into a conceptual "box" rather than as the complex individuals we mostly are.

 

[Girlfriend]

What is everyone's thoughts on the brother with Bipolar disorder in Ozark?

The majority of people find it easier to deal with people they can categorise and pop into a conceptual "box" rather than as the complex individuals we mostly are.

This.

I think it'd be really interesting to see a well thought out mentally ill character, who isn't just based on stereotypes and cliches. I agree it's a big problem since by the media trying to "shed light" on mental health they often stigmatize it even more

GOD. Not a mental illness, but my skin crawls at how autism is portrayed time and time again.