Introduction
The representation of mental health in popular media carries substantial consequences for both individuals and society, with language and discourse profoundly influencing how mental health is understood. However, mainstream media frequently reinforces negative attitudes and stereotypes about those experiencing mental health challenges, while gendered narratives further intensify these issues.
This paper seeks to examine how mental health is constructed and depicted in popular media using a Foucauldian discourse analysis framework. The study’s research question is, “How is mental health constructed and represented in popular media, and what implications does this have for individuals with mental health issues?” This research aims to illuminate the power dynamics and discursive practices underlying the media’s representation of mental health.
Mainstream Psychology and Mental Health
With a focus on specific pathology and the medicalization of psychological distress, mainstream psychology has traditionally been concerned with diagnosing and treating mental health issues. People who struggle with their mental health have been unfairly labeled as “abnormal” or “deviant” as a result of this approach. As a consequence, they have been excluded from society (Cooke et al., 2019). Popular media’s depiction of mental health issues is often part of the cause of the perpetuation of negative attitudes and stereotypes towards those who struggle with conceptual well-being conditions.
For example, people with mental health issues are often condescendingly portrayed in the media, and this causes pervasive stigma and fear surrounding these situations. The assumption that human failures rather than social and environmental reasons are at play in developing mental health conditions contributes to these misperceptions about mental health (Cooke et al., 2019). As a direct result, people who struggle with mental health issues often do not get the sympathy and understanding of others around them.
Gender Bias and Its Effects on Mental Health
Gender stereotyping in mental health is also a severe problem, with certain mental health conditions being seen as more traditionally “masculine” or “feminine.” It is common for people to attribute “feminine” traits to illnesses such as sadness and anxiety while attributing “masculine” traits to things like drug misuse and antisocial behavior (Neads, 2023). These gendered stereotypes affect the treatment and perception of people with mental health disorders and those without these restrictive categories (Salam, 2023).
Mental health stigma and misunderstanding result from gender stereotypes. Men experiencing depression, for example, may be stigmatized for being “weak” or “unmanly,” making them less likely to seek assistance or open up about their struggles (Olagoke et al., 2020). To some, the actions of women who struggle with drug misuse might be seen as “promiscuous” or “immoral,” which can lead to prejudice. Popular media portrayals of mental health often perpetuate these gendered stereotypes by reaffirming conventional gender roles and encouraging prejudice toward those who do not conform.
Foucauldian Discourse Analysis and Mental Health
Foucauldian discourse analysis (FDA) is a theoretical framework for examining the role of language and discourse in the exercise of power. Power dynamics shape our understanding of mental health concerns, and we can gain insight into these dynamics by examining how language is used to create and portray mental health (Neads, 2023). Two recent newspaper articles on mental health will be subjected to a full-text digital archive analysis (FDA) for this research.
The study’s findings may reveal how mental health is portrayed in popular media by analyzing the language used in these stories. It can also help researchers determine the power dynamics in these depictions and how they affect individuals with mental health challenges (Sam, 2019). The findings of this research will enable the researcher to gain a better understanding of how popular media portrays and constructs mental health, and how this portrayal affects individuals and communities.
Research Question
The research question for this study is: How is mental health constructed and represented in popular media, and what implications does this have for individuals with mental health issues? The study aims to get valuable insights into how language is used to build and depict mental health in popular media and how this influences attitudes and views of people with mental health concerns. The study will achieve this by conducting an FDA of two newspaper articles discussing mental health issues. The researcher aims to gain a deeper understanding of the social and cultural forces shaping our conception of mental health by examining the power dynamics inherent in these depictions. In the end, this research will add to the ongoing discussion regarding the impact of popular media on the representation of mental health and the need for more nuanced and critical portrayals of mental health in the entertainment industry.
Methodology
Theoretical Framework
The paper will use the FDA to examine how language is used to depict mental health in popular media. It will also discuss how this influences attitudes and views toward those with mental health concerns. The focus will be on exploring discourse strategies and the power relations embedded within them.
Ontology and Epistemology
The study’s ontology is grounded in the notion that language and discourse are active agents in the construction of social reality. This implies that how language describes mental health in popular media shapes our view of mental health rather than providing objective facts. To better understand the effects of these representations on those struggling with mental health, the research is grounded in a critical epistemology that tries to expose the underlying power relations.
Analytical Strategy
In this investigation, a four-stage FDA-based analytical strategy was selected. The first stage involves analyzing the chosen newspaper articles to identify examples of discursive practices. To do this, we must analyze how the articles build and convey mental health concerns via language. The next step is to examine the power dynamics in this type of discourse. To understand the effects of language and discourse on people with mental health problems, we need to examine how power is wielded.
The final stage examines how the chosen articles contribute to the discourse. This requires thinking critically about how the articles’ use of language affects the understanding of mental health and the lives of people who struggle with mental illness. In the third phase, we will identify various alternative discourses that can be used to describe mental health more positively and powerfully.
Data Collection, Analysis, and Limitations
Two recent newspaper articles on mental health will provide the data for this research, which will be collected. The articles will be chosen based on their ability to provide light on how mental health is portrayed and created in popular media and their relevance to the research question. The publications from which we take the articles will cover a broad spectrum of viewpoints. The researcher will employ thematic and linguistic analysis to interpret the data. The aforementioned four-stage FDA process will serve as a framework for the data analysis.
The study’s most significant limitation is that it relies on newspaper articles as its data source. However, newspaper articles are not free from editorial bias. They may not represent the opinions of all members of society, despite being a rich source of data for this paper. Furthermore, the study is restricted to analyzing language and discourse and does not consider other factors, such as cultural norms and values.
This study will employ a Foucauldian discourse analysis approach, which serves as a theoretical framework. Its ontology and epistemology are grounded in the idea that language and discourse construct social reality, and that power relations underlie these constructions. The chosen analytical strategy involves a four-step approach to the FDA, including identifying discursive practices, examining power relations, analyzing discursive effects, and identifying alternative discourses.
The researcher will collect the data for the study from two newspaper articles related to mental health within the last five years. The articles will be analyzed using thematic and linguistic analysis, guided by the four-step approach to the FDA. One potential limitation of the study is the reliance on newspaper articles as the primary source of data and the exclusion of other factors that may impact the findings.
Analytical Narrative of the Chosen Material
Discourses and Discursive Objects
This analysis will discuss two newspaper articles written by Salam (2023) and Nead (2023), which examine mental health and were selected by the researcher for this study. The two authors discussed extensively how societal stigmatization is a significant problem for people suffering from mental health issues. Despite the articles having different authors, there is a clear pattern as to how they represent mental health as a negative issue in society, which creates the idea that they may be a threat to other people.
The two articles give an analysis of mental health through the use of pejorative language, which is shown through the use of words such as “psychotic,” “unstable,” and “dangerous.” Unfortunately, such discursive practices only serve to propagate harmful stereotypes. This causes further stigma to individuals with mental health struggles. This use of language demonizes these victims, undermining the efforts to improve mental health awareness and hindering people from seeking the necessary help. It is, therefore, essential to acknowledge the impact of the choice of words and ensure that communication about mental health is sensitive, accurate, and non-stigmatizing.
A common theme across the readings is the controversy around reducing mental health problems to the level of physical illnesses. The articles treat mental health as if it were any other medical illness, meaning that the assistance and care of a skilled expert are necessary. When prioritizing pharmaceutical interventions, researchers may reinforce the false belief that mental health problems are primarily caused by biological factors rather than recognizing the critical role of environmental circumstances (Gialluisi et al., 2020). This strategy fosters the illusion that medicine is the only effective treatment for many problems. Therefore, it is crucial to acknowledge the significance of environmental factors in the onset and treatment of mental health problems. The researcher may gain a deeper understanding of and make progress on these problems by adopting a more holistic approach that considers the broader socio-environmental context of mental health.
In analyzing the given texts, it was evident that certain discursive practices were employed, contributing to the prevalence of power relations based on disregarding and fearing mental health issues. The underlying reason for this fear could be cultural norms prioritizing emotional stability and control, and portraying mental health issues in the media as unpredictable and aggressive. These contributing factors have resulted in a situation where individuals who struggle with mental health issues face social stigma and are often isolated. Unfortunately, such an attitude towards mental health can harm individuals’ well-being and hinder their ability to seek treatment. Society must adopt a more compassionate approach towards mental health issues and promote a culture of acceptance and understanding, which can help individuals in need access necessary resources and support.
As a result of the power dynamics that govern the medicalization of mental health, many people are under the impression that pharmacological interventions, such as the use of drugs, can solve the problem. This school of thought agrees with the widespread but untrue assertion that patients with mental health conditions are beyond help and should not focus on finding active partners in their treatment because they are hopeless (Dolphin & Newhart, 2022). People who struggle with their mental health and believe that the professionals who provide their treatment do not take their experiences seriously or recognize them may feel as though they have lost some of their agency due to the power dynamic between the two parties.
Discursive practices that promote harmful stereotypes, stigmatize individuals battling mental health issues, and maintain the status quo of power relations are included in the selected texts. It is possible to gain a better understanding of how popular media constructs and represent mental health issues by identifying the discursive practices and power relations underlying these representations. Furthermore, the researcher must develop alternative discourses that are more constructive and empowering for individuals struggling with mental health issues (Salam, 2023). This will allow a better understanding of how mental health issues are constructed and represented in the popular media. The steps necessary to accomplish this goal are detailed in the sentence before this one.
Narrative About the Discourses/Discursive Objects
Analysis of the Language Used in the Chosen Material
According to the results of the thematic analysis of the chosen articles, the discursive strategies most commonly used in the representation of mental health were stigmatization and medicalization. We identified these approaches as particularly powerful in shaping the public belief in mental health and influencing attitudes toward those who experience mental health issues (Neads, 2023). Medicalization refers to framing mental health issues as medical problems requiring identification and treatment. This approach often involves diagnostic labels and pharmaceutical interventions, which can pathologize normal human emotions and experiences. Stigmatization, conversely, involves framing mental health issues as deviant or aberrant, reinforcing negative stereotypes, and creating barriers to seeking help.
The selected articles contribute to the stigmatization of mental health problems by using metaphors that give the impression that mental health disorders are dangerous or threatening. This kind of language is one of the factors that contribute to the problem. For instance, a person with a mental illness is called a “time bomb” in one article, which gives the impression that they risk the safety of others around them (Neads, 2023). The use of language such as this simplifies the complexities of issues about mental health and defines these issues as something that has to be controlled or managed.
When we have conversations about problems related to mental health, the language we use has a crucial influence on how we understand those conversations. Unfortunately, using medical language in conversations about mental health can contribute to medicalizing these issues and the associated stigma. When we medicalize issues with mental health, we treat them the same way as physical ailments, which means that only medical specialists can handle them. By looking at the problem in this way, we obscure the fact that social concerns such as poverty, inequality, and prejudice often cause difficulties with mental health.
In addition, medicalizing concerns related to mental health might lead to stigmatizing such conditions. When we view mental health difficulties similarly to physical disorders, we may see people who struggle with them as weak or flawed. People may be deterred from seeking assistance due to this stigma, making it more challenging for them to obtain the care they need.
Examination of the Impact of the Chosen Material on Mental Health
The language used in these articles shapes how popular media portrays mental health. The stigmatization of mental health problems contributes to perpetuating unfavorable stereotypes and the growth of a society steeped in fear and ignorance around mental health. Consequently, persons who struggle with mental health issues may be less inclined to seek treatment and may have an increased sense of isolation. The tendency to treat mental health issues as medical conditions has led to inevitable unintended consequences.
When portraying mental health issues as medical problems, we overlook the significant social and cultural factors that contribute to such challenges. This promotes the view that individuals are wholly responsible for their mental health rather than recognizing the complex interplay of individual, social, and cultural factors contributing to mental health challenges (Neads, 2023). Those who hold this attitude also fail to recognize that mental health difficulties often result from a combination of factors. Because of the language used in the selected articles, there is limited awareness of the issues related to mental health, which contributes to the perpetuation of negative stereotypes, which in turn contributes to stigma. This significantly impacts an individual’s mental health and society’s overall state.
Conclusion
The results of this investigation provide evidence that representations of mental health in mainstream media are constructed and shaped through language and discourse. This study employs a Foucauldian discourse analysis of two newspaper articles on mental health to examine the dominant discursive practices shaping mental health representations in popular media and the underlying power relations that influence these practices. These analyses aim to determine the nature of representations of mental health in popular media. To address the objectives above, these analyses were conducted. The analysis has also demonstrated how the language of the articles contributes to harmful stereotypes and stigma against individuals with mental health issues.
The findings of this study carry significant weight in the context of a comprehensive body of research on how mental health is depicted in popular media. This study highlights the significance of critical engagement in shaping and representing mental health in popular media, illuminating the power dynamics that influence the primary discursive practices in the selected articles. The results also underscore the need to disseminate alternative discourses that oppose stereotyped images of mental illness and advocate for the progress of persons living with such disorders. These findings were presented in the context of the study. In conclusion, the findings of our study underscore the ongoing need for a critical examination of the role that language and discourse play in shaping our perception of mental health as it is highlighted in the popular media.
Reflection
The research is nearing completion, and at this point, the researcher must consider their personal and epistemological reflexivity. As the investigation progressed, the researcher became more conscious of the power dynamics at play in the construction of the concept of mental health as portrayed in the mainstream media. The researcher realized that language and discourse are not objective but are, instead, influenced by the ideas and hierarchies prevalent in society. The researcher came to this realization through personal experience. As a direct result of obtaining this fresh viewpoint, the researcher is examining the underlying presuppositions and worldviews embedded within the language of today’s most popular media with a more analytical and skeptical eye.
Regarding epistemological reflexivity, this research has demonstrated the importance of approaching social phenomena with a healthy dose of skepticism. By incorporating a Foucauldian method of discourse analysis into the study, the researcher could investigate the dominant discourses maintained using this representation. This assisted the researcher in identifying the power dynamics underlying the portrayal of mental health in popular media.
This strategy has compelled the researcher to reassess his previous opinions on mental health and broaden his perspective on the need for alternative discourses that promote a more positive and practical outlook. Additionally, it has opened his eyes to the need for alternative treatments. As a result of the researcher’s participation in this study, the researcher has gained a more profound understanding of how language and discourse shape social reality.
References
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Dolphin, W., & Newhart, M. (2022). Cannabis Use and Mental Health: Paradoxes of Medicalization. Troubled Persons Industries: The Expansion of Psychiatric Categories beyond Psychiatry, 245-287. Web.
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Neads, R. (2023). I gave up believing depression had to be serious – there is humor even in the darkest moments. The Guardian. Web.
Olagoke, A. A., Olagoke, O. O., & Hughes, A. M. (2020). Exposure to coronavirus news on mainstream media: The role of risk perceptions and depression. British Journal of health psychology, 25(4), 865-874. Web.
Salam, E. (2023). Social media is particularly damaging to mental health of Gen Zers, says study. The Guardian. Web.
Sam, C. H. (2019). Shaping discourse through social media: Using Foucauldian discourse analysis to explore the narratives that influence educational policy. American Behavioral Scientist, 63(3), 333-350. Web.