6. What are some movies that show mental illness?
• Perks of Being a Wallflower
• A Beautiful Mind
• Rainman
• Forrest Gump
• Law and Order
• Monk
• Criminal Minds
• Frances
• Sunset Blvd.
• Finding Nemo
• Fight Club
• What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
• Grey’s Anatomy
• Silver Linings Playbook
7. How are people with mental
illness portrayed in the media?
Dangerous
Comedic
Made fun of
Irrational
Extremes
“Crazy”
Ridiculously genious
Pitiful
Not relatable
Erratic, violent
Isolated
Inferior
8. More Than a Mental Illness
By Emma Spiekerman
Winner, May 2013
9. What is mental illness?
A mental illness is a
chemical or physical
disruption in the
brain that impacts
thoughts, feelings,
actions, social
interactions or mood
in ways that get in
the way of day-to-
day activities.
21. What *isn’t* mental illness?
Your Fault
A Lack of Character
Hopeless
Weakness
22. What is Stigma?
Stigma is a perceived
negative attribute that
causes someone to
devalue or think less of
the whole person.
23. How does stigma feel?
• Isolating
• something “wrong” with you
• Unseen
• Unfair
• makes you question yourself
• Insecure
• not normal, struggle to fit in
• frustrated
• makes it difficult to get help
24. Why don’t people get help?
Embarassed
doubt it would be effective
denial
getting help is a weakness
fear they will be dismissed, make you more insecure
fear of being pitied
not wanting to rehash feelings
won’t be understood
28. Things to know
• The main character in this film has
trichotillomania (obsessive hair pulling)
• The filmmaker is 15 years old and lives in
San Francisco
• After we watch we will privately answer
two questions about what we’ve seen
29. What about me?
Think of one habit that you have that
you keep doing, even though it doesn’t
solve anything.
30. Who I would ask for support?
Stella’s teacher understood what she
was going through. Think of one or two
people who you know would listen to
you if you asked them for support.
32. Things to know
• The filmmaker was a student at George
Washington University when he created
this film, and had recently survived a
suicide attempt that was the result of
severe depression.
• After we watch we will privately answer
two questions about what we’ve seen.
33. What about me?
Think of one thing that you don’t tell
other
people because you are ashamed.
34. Mental Wellness
One in five people has a mental
illness, and everyone has mental
health.
What is one thing you really enjoy that
relaxes you and makes you feel better?
36. Things to know
• The filmmaker is a student at the
University of Michigan. It portrays OCD,
social anxiety and an eating disorder in a
college setting.
• After we watch we will explore ways we
can support each other.
37. Support
Name some things a friend could do that
might not be helpful to someone struggling
with a mental illness.
38. Support
Name some things a friend could do that
would likely be helpful to someone
struggling with a mental illness.
39. What can I do?
• Resources Overview
• Questions
