Since learning about what media framing is and how it is used I would like to investigate how mental health is framed by the media. I believe that framing issues of mental health in the media can be very dangerous. I see tabloids everywhere about anorexic and bulimic people, even binge eaters now and they seem so misrepresented.
As a psychology major I get a bit furious when mental illness is portrayed in such a 'frame' that it is a choice. And I get completely floored when a psychology major that is about to graduate believes that eating disorder people choose this, gay people choose to be gay, and proclaim the world to be full of lollipops and free electricity. It's just not true. Hell, I haven't even seen a lollipop in a month!
But in all seriousness, the media portrays and even photoshop celebrities to be thinner than they actually are, especially when accusing them of having an eating disorder. This makes it seem like to be an anorexic you have to weigh less than 100 pounds, and that just isn't true. Seriously though, this goes for all mental illness. Media frames it in such a light that mental abuse or illness is not as relevant. You hear stories on the news about people being beaten, and raped, and degraded. But you never just see a story about how mentally abusive someone can be or the affects of mental abuse on someone.
I'm writing this blog post, because I overheard someone at work a few months ago say, "Oh.. she's missing work because of mental health.... so basically she just didn't come in because it was raining today." That really pisses me off, because everyone agreed and no one took her seriously. Mental health is just as important as physical health. That is my bottom line: Take mental health seriously.
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