BHT Bytes – From Villains to Vulnerability: Mental Health in the Media Spotlight– Episode 390

Behavioral Health Today

Mental wellness is no longer just a plot twist—it’s the story itself. In this episode of BHT Bytes, hosts Peter Fenger and Sharlee Dixon explore how our work overlaps with the films, TV shows, and music we consume, especially when it comes to mental health. We’ve both seen it move from punchline or surprise reveal to something central, human, even heroic. Think back to horror-movie “madness” in the 1970s and ’80s, then fast-forward to recent, more nuanced portrayals in Silver Linings Playbook, 13 Reasons Why, or even The Thunderbolts. Media is changing quickly, and while greater visibility has brought many benefits, there are unintended downsides: everyday emotions get over-pathologized, diagnoses become identities, and awareness doesn’t always mean accuracy. Today we ask: when mental wellness goes mainstream, what improves, what blurs, and what should we watch closely?

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