pop culture
Representations of mental health in pop culture; dissect and discuss popular psychology, mental illness stigmas, and media depictions.
An Open Letter to Lady Gaga. Top Story - January 2020.
An Open Letter to Lady Gaga - I am going to start this letter to you as I do all the other similar open letters I have written. I realize that the chance of you reading this is slim to none; however, I am discouraged by a statement you recently made, and I strongly feel a correction to this is necessary. Proud of the voice you have for women around the world, I never thought in a million years that I would be writing one of these to you, and for this, I am saddened.
By Dr. Megan Babb6 years ago in Psyche
Mental Health Memes: Helpful or Harmful?
As a person living with bipolar disorder, social anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, life can feel a bit chaotic. My moods fluctuate abnormally, my limited attention span makes everything seem like a bigger task than it is and anxious thoughts can hold me back from doing simple tasks, like ordering food over the phone. To further explore this internet trend, I spoke to two students and one faculty member at Temple University.
By Brittany Valentine6 years ago in Psyche
The Day I Knew I Didn’t Want to Be a Popstar
“I don’t need my tits up to my chin to sell records!!!” I lamented to my makeup artist, his assistant and my stylist. Lamar, the man-behind-the- makeup raised one eyebrow and gave me his signature “girl, please” look.
By Collette Mclafferty7 years ago in Psyche
How the Media Get OCD All Wrong
Shopping is one of my favourite things to do, but recently I was browsing a popular clothing store when I had come across a T shirt which made me particularly angry. This T shirt was white with striking black font that read, "I have CDO, it's like OCD but all of the letters are in alphabetical order." The day I found this, after shopping, I was going to a counselling appointment for my OCD, which has previously made me feel so down and alone I have considered suicide.
By Angel Louise7 years ago in Psyche
Jordan Pritchard In...
As we all seem to do nowadays, I found myself deep in a Youtube rabbit hole. Watching videos from my youth and engaging in a dose of pure, uncut nostalgia. It was during one of these sessions that I happened upon a video in which Noel Gallagher, one of my all time favourite musicians and one of the reasons I learned to play the guitar apart from the appeal of chicks and trying to look cool, was being interviewed. When asked about his brother Liam, Noel quoted "He’s the angriest man you’ll ever meet. He’s like a man with a fork in a world of soup." It was a phrase I'd never heard before, and it resonated with me. It was almost a "red pill" moment in my life.
By Jordan Pritchard7 years ago in Psyche
'Thirteen Reasons Why'
“No one knows for certain how much impact they have on the lives of other people. Oftentimes, we have no clue. Yet we push it just the same. But you can't get away from yourself. You can't decide not to see yourself anymore. You can't decide to turn off the noise in your head, You can't go back to how things were. How you thought they were. All you really have is... now” - Jay Asher, Thirteen Reasons Why.
By Emily Burkard7 years ago in Psyche
Where '13 Reasons Why' Goes Wrong
Background Information 13 Reasons Why has been widely-discussed ever since its debut season released on Netflix back in Spring 2017. The series adapts Jay Asher's best-selling novel of the same name, following the tale of an adolescent girl named Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford) who commits suicide due to depression. Everyone at her high school is disquieted by her sudden death, especially Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette), whom Hannah was close friends with. Everything takes an abrupt turn when Clay sees a box of cassette tapes sitting on his porch, sent to him from Hannah. When he listens to them, he realizes that they are voice messages that Hannah had recorded before ending her own life. She explains that each tape consists of her describing the 13 total reasons as to why she decided to commit suicide, even saying that Clay was one of them.
By Anna Cheney7 years ago in Psyche
Does TV News Have Psychological Effects?
We live in a world where news is constant and you don’t need to be in front of a screen to stay informed on world events. While this is a great way of keeping everyone informed, you may find yourself feeling down in the dumps when all you hear are bad news. The past few years have hard-hitting with countless mass shootings, natural disasters, domestic terrorism, outdated changes to women’s health and much more. I think the reason why these news stories are affecting people’s well-being, is that they hit close to home more than ever.
By Stephanie Murguia7 years ago in Psyche
Why I Believe '13 Reasons Why' Needs to Be Stopped
We've all heard about it—the show sweeping the internet by storm. 13 Reasons Why. If you haven't heard, it's about a girl, Hannah Baker. She commits suicide after relentless bullying and assault, leaving behind 13 tapes for the people who she blames. The show has been incredibly controversial, mainly because of its graphic scenes. Some see these scenes as necessary to start a conversation while some see them as potentially harmful. Here's why I think 13 Reasons Why needs to be stopped. Be aware, there are spoilers ahead!
By Tiffany Green8 years ago in Psyche
13 Reasons Why I Don't Watch '13 Reasons Why'
I'm sure that in some ways they thought this would prevent more suicides because it would share awareness. In all reality, it did the exact opposite. It made suicide famous and made mental disorder conditions worse. Here's why...
By Madison Rheam, B.A.8 years ago in Psyche
