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Mental Illness in TV and Film - Maniac


I just finished Maniac and I'm dying to talk about its portrayal of Mental Illness, don't worry I won't be spoiling it as I feel that its one of those shows that you have to go into with as minimal context as you can, and just go with it.

It was created by Cary Joji Fukunaga and Patrick Sommerville and stars both Jonah Hill and Emma Stone as our main characters, they both go through a pharmaceutical drug trial for an exciting new mental health drug.

It's filled with so many symptoms of mental illness from addiction, to dissociation, hallucinations and mania to say a few. I will say it is very triggery for someone who has experienced mental illness for most of my life, but the conclusion is worth it.

It's helped me release that it's ok to go through stuff, it's ok to be mentally ill and take extra care of my mind. I've laughed with this show, cried with this show, and let go of the deep shame that I have for my illness.

I don't have the knot in my stomach which is always present when I'm writing about about it, I don't feel sick and ashamed that I'm going to offend someone by talking about it.

I'm not saying it's the magical cure for stigma, I'm very aware that it's still here despite it, and I don't think it's going away anytime soon. But I just don't seem to want to give up the way I always do, and I'm not second-guessing myself while posting this.

Thank you Maniac for letting me be me.

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