From Script To Screen: Researching The Mental Health From My Character

 To understand mental illness, I first want to understand what it takes to be sent to a mental institution

From my research I learnt that in most cases it is up to the patient themselves to seek medical help at an institute. This may be because they cannot trust themselves (could bring harm to themselves or others), they need help from others or they simply want to escape the life which may be causing them stress. For a patient to be put in an institute against their will they need to be a clear and present danger to themselves and the others. A patient can also be checked in by a family or friend depending on the situation.

Any form of mental illness could result in a person needing assistance from a mental health institution. I have listed some examples below:

Anxiety

Bipolar

Body dysmorphic disorder

Borderline personality disorder

Anger issues

Depression

Dissociative disorders

Obsessive compulsive disorder

Paranoia

Post traumatic stress disorder

Schizoaffective disorder

In media however they like to focus on the more extreme cases which normally involves a character with an array of issues lashing out at those around them and causing harm. This has lead most people to see a very negative side to those with mental health, with those associated with such disorders as being a threat to society. It is the institutions job to help those in need so they can lead a normal life. Schizophrenia for example is a mental health condition where the patient experiences frequent hallucinations, delusions and disorganized thinking. This is often dramatized for the big screen to show those with the disorder as being unstable individuals who cause harm to those around them. Although this may be true in some cases, there are many more of those who have it who are able to manage it in a way that doesn't interrupt their life