Anxiety & Depression in Perks of Being a Wallflower and Prozac Nation
Anxiety and depression: these are disorders that a large portion of our population deals with on a daily basis, and they are issues that both need more attention and less stigmatization. To that end, we must address how anxiety and depression are being portrayed in movies, TV, and media in general. Generally, it seems to be the trend that people with anxiety and depression are depicted as being extremely down on themselves, antisocial, suicidal, etc. Ā It is a rare case that a movie creates a character with anxiety and/or depression where the portrayal is ruled by the character, rather than what is deemed as being āwrongā with them. Ā There are few films that represent anxiety and depression well, and I believe that the following are a couple examples of that rare feat.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower: Alright, so I realize that this movie may seem like an obvious choice for analyzing these themes. However, I really feel that this is one of the few current, relevant, coming-of-age stories that does not try to treat these topics as though they are taboo. Charlieās story not only gives us a character with whom we can relate on many levels, but it also gives us a narrative that we can insert ourselves into and relate to some extent to our own experiences. Ā Often, we are taught to see those who are quiet and consideredĀ ādifferentā to be abnormal in some way; this movie turns that notion on its head by promoting theĀ āwallflowers,ā those who are quiet, observant, and do not seem to generally fit in with theĀ āpopularā crowd. Ā Charlieās character and his struggle with depression and some form of social anxiety is both interesting and refreshing, because although he obviously has deep-seeded issues stemming from events with his aunt and the suicide of his best friend, he still makes an effort to make those around him who need it feel validated and important. Ā Charlieās journey from a socially awkward, very lost teenager to someone who has found connections through music, genuine friendships, and someone who loves him is interesting because it is not often the course of this genre of film; too often, the characters are depicted as being completely consumed by the disease and/or their other issues and they become extremely isolated or eventually end their life. In that sense, the breaking of this movie from this āconventionā of sorts is very intriguing.
Prozac Nation: On the other side of this issue, we have movies such as Prozac Nation, wherein Christina Ricci plays a depressed, deeply troubled college student. Ā Though she tries to put herself out there enough to avoid dealing with her issues, she eventually becomes more and more isolated; she severs any relationship she may have had by lashing out and retreating further into herself. Her downward spiral deeper and deeper into the clutches of her depression is often the troupe used in these types of movies, and unfortunately it only serves to perpetuate the various stigmas surrounding anxiety and depression, which then leads to further misunderstanding and judgment within our culture/society. Ā Also, it seems that her character becomes a victim of her depression, which is unfortunate because that is not always the case for people in real life. Ā Although her character is perhaps not strong in certain senses, she also seems to portray the visceral, ugly side of depression that not everyone sees or experiences. In light of this, I am somewhat hesitant to place a specific label on her character. (vagueness is vague)
What do you all think? What are your experiences with anxiety/depression both in life and on the big screen?
End clip of Perks of Being a Wallflower that best surmises his struggle with depression:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bZdm8asYSk
Prozac Nation image/quote:
