Mental Health in Diziland

If you’ve been paying attention to Turkish media in any form or capacity, you know that we are seeing lots of conversations about social issues. The strongest example of real-life issues being depicted in diziland comes from the ridiculous success of Masumlar Apartmanı or Kırmızı Oda and the rise of the psychological drama.

Various other pieces of media, even those that veer towards being melodramatic, have taken it upon themselves to depict social issues people face every day. This is evident through the accusations brought against Gülseren Budayıcıoğlu, the depiction of phobias in Sen Çal Kapımı, the depiction of suicide and depression in Sen Kiminle Dans Ediyorsun, and the consensus by fans of Menajerimi Ara that Barış is bipolar.

However, not every depiction or discussion of mental illness in media is edifying. Thus, I want to briefly discuss the way that mental health has been stereotyped in media and connect it to Turkish media.

Mental Health in Turkey

Research was conducted by two psychiatric nurses on the stigmas surrounding mental health issues in Turkey. Through their research, the authors, Fatma Öz and Gamze Sarıkoç found that a common prejudice about individuals with mental disorders includes the individual being considered unpredictable and thus dangerous. They went on to discuss how the negative labelling of the mentally ill can lead to deliberating issues such as housing/job discrimination and income loss, the feeling of isolation, friendship/relationship failures or conflict, an increase in depressive symptoms and a decline in social skills. Öz and Sarıkoç mention that these prejudices are established and generalised by mass media.

With this in mind, it is important to understand that though media is not real life, it does affect shaping people’s perception.

The Mentally Ill as Villains

Since the release of the 1960 Hollywood film Psycho, there has been a trend to stereotype the mentally ill as “homicidal maniacs and narcissistic parasites.” This has contributed to the stigmatisation of mental illness. This is why narratives like Masumlar Apartmanı are important. Through the character of Safiye in Masumlar Apartmanı we see OCD and acrophobia being depicted. Flashbacks are used to give insight into Safiye’s life, making her actions understandable and veers away from depicting her as one dimensional and simply “unpredictable”.

In Masumlar Apartmanı we are given a heart wrenching look at what it could be like to live with OCD and the effects it might have on one’s family. However, it could be argued (based on the first two episodes) that because Safiye is pitted against Han and Inci, she is cast in the antagonist role. Safiye’s actions, though comprehensible, have been depicted as dangerous and her control issues are troubling. Because the dizi is so new and the show is still airing it is too soon to make any judgement. This is especially true because Safiye is not the only character with a mental illness and there is so much to learn about all of the characters including Han, who might also be mentally ill.

Am I Mentally Ill? Or Am I “Quirky”?

Another common depiction of mental illness in media is that the mental illness is quirky and something that can be cured by love. In an article found in the Metro UK, writer Hattie Gladwell explains the problems with depicting mental illness as quirky is that it takes the severity away from the illness. It suggests that mental illness is not an actual illness, a belief that many people hold.

Being ‘quirky’ is something that is in your control. It’s something that you could change should you want to. Mental illness is not. Mental illness doesn’t care who it affects and it’ll do all it can to prevent the person living with it from recovering from it.

Hattie Gladwell, Metro UK

The belief that mental illness is quirky is dangerous because it leads it to be romanticised. This could lead to dangerous behaviours being romanticised or by making it so that it is not taken seriously. 

This leads us to our next issue, the idea that love can be the cure for mental illness. This idea is evident in the American hit film, Silver Linings Playbook. While many have applauded the film for its realistic depiction of living with a bipolar disorder, it was greatly criticised for implying that love can cure it.

While being loved and loving someone can create a positive impact in one’s lives, it does not cure one of mental illness.

Mental illness doesn’t rely on love or lack thereof.

Laura A. Barton, HealthyPlace

Believing that mental illnesses can be cured by love perpetuates the idea that it is not a real illness. It also can perpetuate the idea that those who are mentally ill are not trying hard enough to get better or that they are only a whole person when they are in love (and when they are not in love they are less than). This idea relates to Gladwell points, that mental illness is not taken as seriously it should be. 

The protagonist of Sen Kiminle Dans Ediyorsun is suicidal and depressed. Since the film is a comedy, the suicide attempt is played off as humour. While I understand that there is something to be said about comedy it is important to note that by playing it for laughs, the film does not take the issue seriously. 

Clinical Diagnosis in Everyday Vocabulary

Lastly, we have the character of Barış in Menajerimi Ara. In fan spaces, a consensus seems to be have made that Barış is bipolar. After some research, I concluded this has to do with Barış’s actions and fickle nature. He is an impulsive character and is often shown saying one thing, but doing something else. It is this act, I would argue, that has garnered the bipolar label. However, as you may know from my article, I do not believe that Barış is bipolar. The label seems to be caused by a misunderstanding of bipolar disorders.

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In an article found in The Huffington Post, writer Jenna Birch advocates against using the label bipolar when discussing mood changes. In the article, Birch explains that bipolar disorders are often mistaken as a quick and intense switch between emotions and behaviours. Bipolar disorders are marked by the tendency of manic episodes to alternate with major depressive ones in an unending roller coaster. However, the change happens slowly.

Birch also points out that there exists an important difference between a bipolar disorder and a mood swing. Mood swings are normal ups and downs relating to things that occur in everyday life. In comparison, a manic or depressive episode of a bipolar disorder can last for days and be triggered by many things, which might not have to do with ups and downs of everyday life. 

BBC released an article discussing how clinical diagnosis terms have entered the everyday vocabulary. While some people may believe that a clinical diagnosis can be used jokingly or metaphorically, most agree that it would cause further misunderstandings of a widely misunderstood and stigmatised illness.

Andrew McCulloch, the chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, argues that the problem with using clinical diagnosis to describe minor personality is that they all end up meaning the same thing.

For example, the fact that Barış is labelled bipolar when he is more likely having a mood swing creates a stigma that a bipolar disorder is just a mood swing. As previously established they are completely different things.

Therefore I really urge fans of the show to stop labelling Barış as bipolar, because it is not true and helps to create stigmas about the illness.

In conclusion there is a movement to acknowledge mental illness. However, there is still a long way to go and there are still many stigmas surrounding and perpetuated in media about mental health issues