ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses an intersection between the media, society and individuals, and mental disorder. It focuses on examples from television drama and movies, showing that the form of representations of mental illness has continued appeal to the present day. The chapter looks at newspaper reports illustrating a similar continued interest. News may be depicted in television, radio, newspapers, magazines, Internet news sites and other sources. Increasingly, news and pseudonews is passed around by users of social media, and items that are trending are then sometimes reported in turn by mainstream media. To make a profit, the mass media has to present what the public will buy, offering mental disorder as a 'dramatic and puzzling' topic for a public seeking arousal, excitement, fear and titillation. In addition to providing information for the public, organisations may work with media sources directly, providing guidelines for editors and writers in various media outlets.
