HLTHAGE 2G03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Bipolar Disorder, Biology Of Depression, Media Matters For America

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Health, Aging and Society
• Course: HLTHAGE 2G03
• Professor: Mat Savelli

Document Summary

Lecture 2 media representations of mental illness. Peoples consumption of media has a more profound impact on how we think of mental illness, rather than actual encounters with people who have mental illness. Majority of the time, mentally ill people are only appearing negatively in the media or not at all: leads to ignorance & exclusion, negative stereotypes, mentally ill people exist in the dark . Inherent conflict of interest which is embedded in our media. Media misinforms the mass public on mental health issues and treatments. Media"s goal is to advertise, sell & make money. Media is a commercial enterprise (entertainment not education) Media is pressured to present stories that will make money. Mental illness does not have a concrete nature (no physical manifestation: therefore, the media gets to shape what mental illness actually is. Mental illness" representation is therefore very powerful.