9 TV Shows That Portray Mental Health in a Positive Light

Mental health is important and should be talked about more.

Maryjane

• Published in Film & TV
• April 10, 2022

Everyone, young and old, is affected by mental health conditions in some way. You either have the condition yourself or know someone who does, such as a friend, family member, or acquaintance.

If you have had a mental health condition, or if a friend or relative has had one, you will know that one of the most difficult challenges is the stigma associated with mental illness. In fact, the stigma may haunt the person even after he or she has recovered completely.

However, as society gradually confronts the stigmas associated with mental health and mental illness, seeing these conditions portrayed in our favorite TV shows is becoming more common. Netflix, in particular, has produced a number of original shows that depict life with various mental health conditions, such as depression, bipolar disorder, and substance abuse.

Too often, movies stigmatize or distort mental health issues, making characters who have a problem appear different from everyone else. As a result, people who deal with these issues on a daily basis may feel like outcasts.

We’ve compiled a list of 9 TV shows that adequately addressed mental illness and mental health. So, whether you want to feel less alone with your mental condition or better understand mental health, there’s bound to be a TV show that speaks to you.

Please scroll down to check them out.

1. This Is Us

The series spotlights mental health. Perfectionist Randall suffers from panic attacks, while brother-in-law Toby battled depression. The family also battles with post-traumatic stress disorder, multi-generational addiction, and body insecurity.

Moore told Huffington Post that we have the ability to talk about it, see it and recognize that it's normal.

2. You're The Worst

The show is a bold statement, but for a twisted love story about two people who appeared to hate each other. Worst wasn't afraid to show the "ugly" sides of people despite dealing with military veteran PTSD experiences and obsessive emotional turmoil.

Stephen Falk said that the series intended to focus on Gretchen's "coping mechanisms" and how even her relationship with Jimmy couldn't miraculously cure her depression. 

3. In My Skin

This series tells the story of a Welsh teenager struggling to find her identity while battling with her mother's debilitating bipolar disorder. It showcases those struggling with mental health disorders and also their friends and family who are affected by the diagnosis. 

Llewellyn shared this with The Guardian. 

4. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

The show shifted from depression, fixation and anxiety, to revealing Rebecca's borderline personality disorder diagnosis. Bloom tells Variety that he honestly hopes it helps other people come to terms with themselves.

5. BoJack Horseman

BoJack, voiced by Will Arnett, is a washed-up sitcom star whose career has been plagued with drug dependency, existential crises, and apathy. Creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg used the medium of animation to illustrate the effects of mental illness.

He explained to Slash Film about the series.

6. Girls

Lena Dunham gave a voice to those with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. In the movie, Dunham's Hannah Horvath truly struggles with OCD, and it's not presented for comedic purposes.

Dunham told NPR that "when you talk to somebody who has OCD, their habits are super specific, and so I wouldn't really know how to perform anybody else's version of it."

7. Maniac

The lead star Jonah Hill acted as Owen, a newly diagnosed schizophrenic, that grounded the show. Writer Patrick Somerville added in his own personal experiences with mental health professionals like his neurologist father and psychotherapist wife. 

Somerville tells Variety that it's like a "slow letting go of love and support, and it's somewhat not intentional, but every person who's involved in it has a different relationship with it."

8. Modern Love

Anne Hathaway acted as a woman with bipolar disorder trying to date. The episode powered through the entire range of emotions and the role "wrecked" her emotionally.

The Oscar winner said that she was really honored to be asked to be a part of this story.

9. Pure

The series spotlights a specific type of OCD based in X-rated, out of control thinking. Pure is packed with plenty of laughs but also solemn moments of feeling trapped in one's own mind. 

Swain told Channel 4 that "the show is about finding your people and if one person watches it and feels less alone, then I'll be happy." 

For every TV show that portrays what it's like to live with a mental disorder in a realistic way, another appears to make a villain out of its mentally ill character. This can amplify the social stigma attached to people suffering from mental illnesses.

Thankfully, there are shows that don’t do that, and they're helping to normalize something that some people go through. We are glad our TV show list did justice to this. 

Maryjane