In past decades portrayals of mental illness on television were limited to psychotic criminals or comical sidekicks. As public awareness of mental illness has increased so too have its depictions on the small screen. A gradual transition from stereotypes towards more nuanced representations has seen a wide range of lead characters with mental health disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, OCD, autism spectrum disorder, dissociative identity disorder, anxiety, depression and PTSD. But what are these portrayals saying about mental health and how closely do they align with real-life experiences?

Drawing on interviews with people living with mental illness, this book traces these shifts, placing on-screen depictions in context and demonstrating their real world impacts.

About the Author
Kimberley McMahon-Coleman has a PhD in literature from the University of Wollongong and is an associate professor (academic development) at Charles Sturt University in Australia. Her research interests include the Gothic, Indigenous literature, popular culture, and academic language and learning. Roslyn Weaver has a PhD in literature from the University of Wollongong and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in medical humanities at Western Sydney University. Her research interests include apocalypse, popular culture, children's literature, and speculative fiction.

Reviews
"Each chapter provides an extensive description of the television program and solid scholarly background/definition of the disorder under discussion....Both the bibliography and the detailed index enhance the utility of the volume....recommended"-Choice



Book Information
ISBN 9781476672151
Author Kimberley McMahon-Coleman
Format Paperback
Page Count 183
Imprint McFarland & Co Inc
Publisher McFarland & Co Inc
Weight(grams) 249g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 9mm