Depicting mental health in media is like walking a tightrope. On the one hand, portraying mental health offers the opportunity to de-stigmatize it and educate people. However, the media can also spread misinformation and, if these topics are handled recklessly, result in an increase of copycat actions.
In 2017, Netflix released two original productions that used mental health disorders as their main theme. The first was 13 Reasons Why, a show chronicling high school student Clay’s investigation into why his friend Hannah killed herself. After its popularity spiked, a number of negative reactions surfaced, prompting controversy. Critics called for the banning of the series within schools, and mental health advocates warned viewers not to watch it.
The second production was a movie called To the Bone that follows a young woman’s battle with anorexia. However, it did not come under the same level of media scrutiny.
The reason To the Bone was able to premiere in a post-13RW media storm with little pushback comes down to a few factors. To start, the movie was inspired by the life of the director, Marti Noxon. The fact that it was somewhat autobiographical allowed it to dodge certain criticisms that 13RW faced. The audience that the productions were aimed at also greatly influenced its criticism, because while 13RW is aimed at a younger demographic, To the Bone had a more mature target audience.
Most importantly, the manner in which mental health is addressed sets these two productions apart. In the case of 13RW, the approach was simple: ignoring it altogether.
The words “mental health” are never uttered during the show, and it is never suggested by anyone that Hannah may have had depression.
Instead, her suicide is framed as a choice, with the entire arc of the first season detailing explicit reasons why Hannah killed herself. The show ignores other factors, such as the possibility that Hannah’s recollection of events may not be entirely correct and could have been skewed by mental illness. The plot suggests that these events have a logical explanation; but in reality, this is rarely the case. According to Statistics Canada, more than 90 per cent of suicides are linked to mental health or addiction disorders, and many who lose a loved one for this reason will never get a clear answer as to why.
To the Bone does not offer clear cut solutions — or any at all —which is a more realistic depiction of mental illness.
Ellen’s relationship with her eating disorder is complicated — she clearly shows disapproval of her co-patients, who continue to engage in their eating disorders. Even knowing how much her eating disorder hurts her, she is unable to stop. As difficult as it can be to watch, this behaviour shows the ways that eating disorders can control lives.
While 13RW’s first season ends with our protagonist and friends driving down the coast listening to an uplifting pop song, To the Bone does not promise a happy ending, or at least not one in the near future. Instead, it leaves the viewer feeling hopeful that Ellen will continue to work towards recovery even if the path ahead is difficult.
It is possible to depict mental illness realistically on screen, but great attention must be paid to the delivery of the material. In the case of To the Bone, the realism of the production makes it the better, more responsible representation of mental illness.
Photo courtesy of Netflix.