I was using Youtubers as an example.
Theres a lotta pressure for utubers(small or big)
People comstantly asking or demanding videos and if ur a huge youtuber then u have sponsorships and things…
Best youtuber( my absolute favorite x3) and he explains his mindset on why he didnt upload (still hasnt) is CoryxKenshin
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Did you ever read a story that talks about any mental illness?
I’m sure I have, but I can’t remember.
Do you think mental illness is a thing you never see or rarely see in stories? Or is it something you always see?
I rarely see it.
If you think it’s something you rarely see, why do you think no one talks about it?
It isn’t really fun, they’re scared of doing it wrong, etc.
Do you think someone who’s going to/is writing about mental illness should research?
Honestly it should be a requirement. Portrayals of mental illness are too influential for us as authors to neglect research and personal accounts. Just think about dissociative identity disorder and how people react to it as if having DID makes someone automatically dangerous and scary, which is… essentially the plot of any horror movie about the subject. But that’s the power of film and media, baby.
What is your opinion on the bad guy having mental illness as a reason to be bad?
Please don’t.
If you haven’t already, would you like to write a story about mental illness fully? (not a plot point, has to revolve around it)
Probably not. Mental illness is a very tiring, personal affair and it would be exhausting for me to write a story that revolves around it explicitly. That being said, writing characters who struggle with mental illness or writing character arcs that are tied to mental illness is a different thing altogether.
Your opinion on romanticizing and demonizing mental ilnesses?
Again, hate it. Don’t do either.
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Yeah, several. Which is odd since I actually try to avoid them.
I feel like I come across it too much. Tbh, sometimes it feels like people will give a character depression for the sake of giving their character “depth”
This depends on their motivation for writing it. If you haven’t experienced any mental illnesses or have no ties to mental health that you need to research them because you really don’t know anything, then I’d actually prefer you just scrap your whole story and do something else because this makes me think you’re not writing it for a good reason. If you’re writing because you’re sharing your experiences, research might be helpful just to see what other people have gone through too.
Very rarely is this pulled off without being offensive. But I also think it can be acceptable in some cases. In real life, people with mental illnesses do commit crimes. But guess what? People without mental illnesses also commit crimes. However, I don’t think it’s ok to make someone always “bad” just because they’re sick. You need to give them more than that.
Hmmm, an episode story? No.
How either of these are even a thing just baffles me.
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1- Did you ever read a story that talks about any mental ilness? (PLEASE refrain from creating a list, pick one story and only talk about it.)
I’ve actually read quite a few stories that talk about mental illness, both good and bad. There have been stories that very accurately depict mental illness to the point it made me not feel alone and gave me strength when I was struggling with my own issues. There have been stories that very poorly portrayed mental illness and I think only further stigmatizes mental illness.
2- Do you think mental ilness is a thing you never see or rarely see in stories? Or is it something you always see?
I see a blend of stories that talk about mental illness. I don’t always see a story that focuses on mental illness, but I do always see stories that will use some aspect of mental illness for a plot point. (bad boy has troubled past so everything he does is justified).
3- Do you think someone who’s going to/is writing about mental ilness should research?
OMG YES. If you are going to use mental illness in your story, you HAVE to research it. The stories I’ve read that have done the best portraying mental illness have been from authors who battle the illnesses they write about. While you don’t have to have depression to write about depression… at least do your research. We aren’t sad ALL the time.
4- What is your opinion on the bad guy having mental ilness as a reason to be bad?
Depends on the story. If the only reason the author gave him a mental illness was to justify his bad behavior, and it is inaccurately portrayed, then it sickens me. There are other times when the villain has a mental illness, but it only adds to the story, and as long as that is not the ONLY character with a mental health issue.
5- If you haven’t already, would you like to write a story about mental ilness fully? (not a plot point, has to revole around it)
I don’t write, so no.
6- Your opinion on romanticizing and demonizing mental ilnesses?
That kinda goes along with the bad boy having mental illness.
Usually, authors who romanticize or demonize mental illness are those who haven’t the first clue about what they are writing about and therefore shouldn’t be writing about it in the first place unless they are going to do extensive research.
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yay discussion
- I’ve only read one which was Silent Voice - autistic girl and I really liked it.
- I’ve always seen anxiety… and like… I personally feel that is an ‘easy’ route to make a story that ‘deals’ with mental health. There’s a difference between being nervous and anxiety (kinda like how there’s a difference between being sad and depression.)
2a. I think that suicide is rarely talked about because it’s against the guidelines but I feel like if an author romanticized it it would be okay - I think one should at least browse a few websites to heavy research depending on the topic and how important it is in their story. Like, if your focus is like autism, one should know alot about autism.
- I personally haven’t read a story like this, but I would probably be irritated depending on the situation (like I’m a Criminal Justice Major, and there are connections between crime and mental health)
- I’ve thought about it, and still am pondering about it, but like I’m not a very serious person and would turn it into a comedy :.(
- Fists hits Table When I review stories I so dock points if it’s a ‘love cures all’ story. To extend, there is a difference between having a support system and ‘love cures all’ and I can’t think of a good example at the moment but I will >.<
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Yeah, I agree with this.
And while Generalized Anxiety Disorder sounds like the easiest to write about, I think it’s the hardest to get right. Few storytellers have actually been able to pull it off without oversimplifying it.
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Speak by @J.Miley is a great support system story because she shows that love doesn’t cure all. It shows how different characters contribute to the character’s recovery and in the end, the MC still isn’t “cured”.
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Ooh I’m surprised I didn’t see this earlier…
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The only story I can think of is " The Sound of That Separates Us". It covers depression and anxiety so well, and a particular scene hit me HARD.
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I personally don’t see it too often, but when I do, it’s pretty hit or miss. No one talks about it because they can’t relate or just have some sort of ignorance about mental health.
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Definitely. I think with the way media currently represents mental illnesses, reasearching is a necessity. Being properly aware of how mental illnesses affect people’s daily lives could help some who aren’t even aware that there’s a problem.
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I think it can be really hurtful to the ones that have that mental illness to be as evil, but at the same time your mental illness doesn’t defy you.
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I’d love to! I personally deal with mental illnesses, so talking about what I deal with in a story would be great.
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It’s just wrong, and you’d think at this point people would realize that
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Did you ever read a story that talks about any mental ilness? (PLEASE refrain from creating a list, pick one story and only talk about it.)
I personally haven’t read a story that even references metal health.
Do you think mental ilness is a thing you never see or rarely see in stories? Or is it something you always see?
I never really see it.
Do you think someone who’s going to/is writing about mental ilness should research?
Yes, I think they should know about the mental illness that they are writing about, as someone who deals with anxiety and depression, I would hate to see a story saying something like the MC was nervous one time so that means they have anxiety (I hope that makes sense lol). I think they should know, so when they write the story that they know what the character is really going through.
What is your opinion on the bad guy having mental ilness as a reason to be bad?
To be honest, I don’t really have an opinion on it, but I probably wouldn’t do it.
If you haven’t already, would you like to write a story about mental ilness fully? (not a plot point, has to revole around it)
Yes.
Your opinion on romanticizing and demonizing mental ilnesses?
I hate it, like sometimes there will be a girl that’s depressed, then a boy comes into her life, then she won’t be depressed. It’s not like that, hopefully that made sense.
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1.) Any of Miss Luna Rose’s stuff is so powerful and I learned so much from reading her stories (of which I implement into my conversations all the time).
2.) I rarely end of reading stories that discuss mental illness. I don’t know if I just don’t like to read drama stories or there isn’t enough mention of it in stories. (I’m not saying I wouldn’t read a story that has mental health, but I just don’t like the drama genre as a whole so that’s why I rarely end up reading them).
3.) I think you should absolutely research if you aren’t really familiar with it. (or even if you know about it a little - definitely still do your research). This ensures that the representation of these mental illnesses are realistic, and those who actually have those mental illnesses don’t feel tokenized.
4.) I think characters can be multi-faceted. What I mean is, you can identify and empathize with the bad guy who has a mental illness, but this does not mean what he is doing is acceptable in any way shape or form.
5.) I don’t think I would, simply because I would rather incorporate it subtly, and more naturally.
6.) Absolutely wrong to romanticize or demonize mental illness. It’s shameful and makes zero sense. A romantic relationship does not “cure” your depression, and just because someone has a mental illness doesn’t make them a bad person.
Hope this helps!
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1- Did you ever read a story that talks about any mental ilness? (PLEASE refrain from creating a list, pick one story and only talk about it.)
I read Silent Voice by MissLunaRose which was extremely well written and not only shed light on autism and the autistic community, won the Dream Job contest. It was an amazing story, and even though she is no longer on Episode, but Wattpad, she still left a very positive mark on this community.
2- Do you think mental illness is a thing you never see or rarely see in stories? Or is it something you always see?
If I do see it, it’s usually portrayed incorrectly or used as a plot device, since the author doesn’t care enough to do a little something called research. For example, the characters entire personality revolves around the illness.
2a- If you think it’s something you rarely see, why do you think no one talks about it?
I think it’s not just one reason, but a collective group. People are lazy and don’t research the topic, then some don’t comment on it in fear of looking wrong or incorrect, and others do comment on it but it’s usually based on works of fiction, and not experiences or research. Others don’t realize it’s that much of a problem, and therefore not worth commenting on. Others don’t see any works with disabilities and don’t even know it is a problem.
3- Do you think someone who’s going to/is writing about mental ilness should research?
Of course. It should be the first thing an author does. If the mental illness stops something in the plot then the plot should be tweaked, not the illness.
4- What is your opinion on the bad guy having mental illness as a reason to be bad?
That strikes me as a little ableist. Especially if only the villains have a mental illness.
5- If you haven’t already, would you like to write a story about mental ilness fully? (not a plot point, has to revole around it)
I’d love too, but I’d have to research the potential illness in full first. If I did it, I’d do it right.
6- Your opinion on romanticizing and demonizing mental illnesses?
It needs to stop. Telling people that their depression/eating disorder is romantic and perfectly fine is sick and the opposite of the truth. Depression doesn’t go away because the person you love tells you to “stop”.
1- Did you ever read a story that talks about any mental ilness? (PLEASE refrain from creating a list, pick one story and only talk about it.)
I can’t think of any specifically. There are a lot that talk about mental illness, but not specifically (a character who is clearly mentally ill, but they don’t talk about it that way). As an autistic woman, I definitely loved Silent Voice, but I don’t really want to call that a mental illness story, because autism isn’t a mental illness.
2- Do you think mental ilness is a thing you never see or rarely see in stories? Or is it something you always see?
I see it a lot without it being talking about, for example, someone is “depressed” but they don’t talk about clinical depression, or someone is just generally “crazy”, but they don’t talk about a diagnosis.
2a- If you think it’s something you rarely see, why do you think no one talks about it?
A large part of that is just a misunderstanding. For horror and thriller stories, people write “crazy” characters all the time without them having a specific mental illness, because people think that’s something that happens (it’s not). I’d call it a mix of genuine ignorance and willful ignorance: people just don’t seem to know that just being “crazy” isn’t a thing, and if they do they don’t want to do the research or the work to actually represent a mental illness. I also like what @ThatTurtleLov3r said: people don’t see any works of people with disabilities, so they don’t know it’s a problem. The same thing happens here: no one sees a story that discusses mental illness, so they don’t know it’s a problem.
3- Do you think someone who’s going to/is writing about mental ilness should research?
Absolutely. Definitely. Yes. ALWAYS research! You should research ANYTHING you aren’t familiar with, but ESPECIALLY sensitive issues like mental health. Misrepresenting it increases the stigma around it, and mentally ill people already have to deal with enough stigma as it is. If you aren’t going to research, you shouldn’t be writing about it. That’s true of all topics, but especially mental illness.
4- What is your opinion on the bad guy having mental ilness as a reason to be bad?
It’s a cheap cop-out of creating an actual, realistic villain with a believable background. It’s lazy writing. On top of that, it’s overdone, and again as Turtle said above me, ableist. I can’t say I’m 100% against a bad guy having a mental illness, but if he is the only person in your story to have a mental illness, and it is his ONLY motivation to be antagonistic, you have a problem. You need to look into your understanding of mental illness, and your understanding of writing, and see where you can improve.
5- If you haven’t already, would you like to write a story about mental ilness fully? (not a plot point, has to revole around it)
100%. I already have a few in the works, to hopefully lessen the stigma around PTSD and DID. And hopefully one day I’ll find a way to write one about BPD.
6- Your opinion on romanticizing and demonizing mental ilnesses?
Uh, it’s wrong? Obviously? Don’t do it? Mentally ill people have enough to deal with, we don’t need people making is seem fun, or easy, or like we’re villains of some sort. Help us, or mind your own business.
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1- Did you ever read a story that talks about any mental ilness? (PLEASE refrain from creating a list, pick one story and only talk about it.)
Campfire and Family Affairs. I don’t remember much about it since it’s been years since I read them…
2- Do you think mental ilness is a thing you never see or rarely see in stories? Or is it something you always see?
I rarely see it.
2a- If you think it’s something you rarely see, why do you think no one talks about it?
It’s a sensitive subject. Especially for mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety- it varies from people to people so it can strike a lot of controversy. It also requires extensive research and I don’t think that people who have not experienced/been around to people with mental illnesses can write or represent those people accurately. Again, observing such people would be part of extensive research.
The reason why I never published my story based heavily on mental illness was because one of the branches- the character commits suicide in. I think it could be controversial if it goes against the guidelines since I’m not “promoting” it since it is a bad end. But, that is the true end and if I ever ended up stating that then my story would have for sure been removed. So all the backgrounds I started drawing from hand and the ones made digitally are collecting dust and will be published as a separate VN off this platform.
3- Do you think someone who’s going to/is writing about mental ilness should research?
Of course, this goes without even saying.
4- What is your opinion on the bad guy having mental ilness as a reason to be bad?
As long as it isn’t the sole reason. Usually there are things that happened in the bad guy’s environment that caused the mental illness, causing his actions. In that case, to prevent it seeming like mental illness means you’re crazy, I would focus more on the events and the feelings of the antagonist.
5- If you haven’t already, would you like to write a story about mental ilness fully? (not a plot point, has to revole around it)
Not fully.
6- Your opinion on romanticizing and demonizing mental ilnesses?
Doing so misrepresents mental illnesses and therefore is a big NO-NO. But, I think the definition demonizing mental illnesses can be controversial on a person-to-person basis. Is this meaning like someone’s mental illness being the basis of a villain? If so, I would like to say that depending on the mental illness, I don’t think it is demonizing since some serious mental illnesses can be the cause of another’s death, but it creates a risk for a stereotype around mental illnesses to be created.
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