Date of Award

2013

Type

Thesis

Major

Communication - Communication Studies Track

Degree Type

Bachelor of Arts in Communication

Department

Communication Department

Abstract

"[With mental illness] you get a real sense of shame, because your friends go, 'Oh come on, show me the lump, show me the x-rays,' and of course you've got nothing to show," stated famous comedian Ruby Wax. A longtime sufferer of depression, Ruby Wax shares her experiences with others by advocating mental health awareness through television shows and support groups. Wax was one of many other speakers included in Technology Entertainment Design's (TED's) All Kinds of Minds segment. Elyn Saks, another speaker within this segment, overcame many challenges in spite of her condition of chronic schizophrenia. A Yale graduate, Saks is now a professor at the University of Southern California's School of Law, specializing in mental health law. She also has publications and has written many books. Although Saks was previously hospitalized because of her schizophrenia, she proves with a good support system and treatment, a person with mental illness is as capable as anyone else to reach their goals. TED's segment incorporated inspirational stories to escape the lingering stigmas of mental illness. Instead of judging people with mental illness, TED's All Kinds of Minds provided an avenue for people to learn about those who struggle with mental illness along with their success stories too.

Even though TED embraced mental illness in a positive light, it was not always viewed favorably. Until recently, mental illness was heavily stigmatized in the American society. People would not reveal their illness in fear of preconceptions attached to it. Although not as prevalent, mental illness can still be negatively portrayed today (Nairn, 2007). One reason for the decrease in stigmas of mental illness is because mental illness is becoming more commonplace, which may be a result of the increased medicalization of our society (Gosden, 1997). The government continues to approve more and more psychological illnesses, which gives doctors the necessary means to label a behavior as a disease and prescribe medications (Gosden, 1997). With such an increase, it can make one wonder if sane, normal people exist anymore. Medication is capable of making life easier, but some experts theorize that -people are scared of facing pain, death and simply- -the reality—which is all part of the experience of life itself.

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Honors Thesis

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