Mainstream Media
As part of my goals for 2018, I have been making sure to set aside time to watch the shows I want to watch and read the books that are on my list. Some of the books have been for pleasure and some have been educational.
One of the books I read sort of encompassed both, Turtles All The Way Down by John Green. I have read a few of John Green's books and when I heard that this one was about mental illness, I knew it was a must for me. I happened to pick it up on sale when a local store was closing and immediately added it to my must read list right away. I have read a pretty decent number of books on mental health, some good, some less so. But none of them captured the real essence of what it is like to suffer from mental health (coming from someone who has not suffered but has seen someone else suffer). Who better to tell the raw, unfiltered emotions of mental health than a teenager deep in the confusing social hierarchy of high school? To saw that I cried would be an understatement. I 1000% recommend this book to anyone. If you get a chance, please pick it up.
Around the time I finished reading this book, I had started watching One Day At A Time, a remake of an 80s sitcom with a Latin-American twist. At first, watching the show seemed simple enough, seeing the quirks of Latin- and Mexican- American cultures exemplified on TV for others to see and enjoy. then the show itself turn to my difficult subjects, i.e. racism, nationalism, sexuality and mental health. The episode of mental health, being a real gem. The mother in the show has severed overseas as part of the U.S. Army and suffered PTSD, Depression and Anxiety. Seeing her struggle with the same things I saw MJC struggle with hit home in a way I never thought possible. And especially seeing the struggle within a Latin-American family where mental health is even more of a stigma was refreshing as well. I highly recommend this show, a true hidden gem.
I am so happy to see mental health represented in a realistic and hopeful way. There are so many people who suffer and so many people who feel that they suffer alone. Books and shows which portray characters with these invisible illness are vital to reaching out to others who feel trapped and alone. I genuinely hope that this trend continues.
MC
One of the books I read sort of encompassed both, Turtles All The Way Down by John Green. I have read a few of John Green's books and when I heard that this one was about mental illness, I knew it was a must for me. I happened to pick it up on sale when a local store was closing and immediately added it to my must read list right away. I have read a pretty decent number of books on mental health, some good, some less so. But none of them captured the real essence of what it is like to suffer from mental health (coming from someone who has not suffered but has seen someone else suffer). Who better to tell the raw, unfiltered emotions of mental health than a teenager deep in the confusing social hierarchy of high school? To saw that I cried would be an understatement. I 1000% recommend this book to anyone. If you get a chance, please pick it up.
Around the time I finished reading this book, I had started watching One Day At A Time, a remake of an 80s sitcom with a Latin-American twist. At first, watching the show seemed simple enough, seeing the quirks of Latin- and Mexican- American cultures exemplified on TV for others to see and enjoy. then the show itself turn to my difficult subjects, i.e. racism, nationalism, sexuality and mental health. The episode of mental health, being a real gem. The mother in the show has severed overseas as part of the U.S. Army and suffered PTSD, Depression and Anxiety. Seeing her struggle with the same things I saw MJC struggle with hit home in a way I never thought possible. And especially seeing the struggle within a Latin-American family where mental health is even more of a stigma was refreshing as well. I highly recommend this show, a true hidden gem.
I am so happy to see mental health represented in a realistic and hopeful way. There are so many people who suffer and so many people who feel that they suffer alone. Books and shows which portray characters with these invisible illness are vital to reaching out to others who feel trapped and alone. I genuinely hope that this trend continues.
MC
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