Televising Lives Impacted By Psychological Illness: Is this beneficial?

[iwakar]

There is a wave of reality-based television shows out in the past couple of years focusing on documenting people with various psychological illnesses. The merits of any of these shows is debatable. (Celebrity Rehab, Addicted, Hoarders, My Strange Addiction etc.)

This particular episode is jarring and this is just the intro snippet. Wow...

anyway...

What I want to know is, how do you all feel about this new trend? Do you think it does more harm than good? Is the dialogue and awareness it creates sufficient to justify the exploitation of these people, their communities, and their families? Is this just the documentation of the human condition and it doesn't warrant value judgments?

Your thoughts, please.

 

[Rail Tracer]

Doesn't work. Or rather, it rarely ever works. It is more like 30 minutes of fame (or a 13/26 episode of fame) unless it is something like Mystery Diagnosis where people are trying to uncover what is causing the illness AND trying to put it out there that the people watching might have it.

 

[iwakar]

Doesn't work. Or rather, it rarely ever works. It is more like 30 minutes of fame (or a 13/26 episode of fame) unless it is something like Mystery Diagnosis where people are trying to uncover what is causing the illness AND trying to put it out there that the people watching might have it.

Do you think it is ineffective for the featured individuals or the viewers or both?

 

[Rail Tracer]

Do you think it is ineffective for the featured individuals or the viewers or both?

Most of the time, it is ineffective for the featured individuals. Most of these people get back to their addiction the second they are not televised.

There is a chance it can be effective for the viewers ("I don't want to be like that guy on TV.")

 

[Totenkindly]

I think it can be informative for those without the syndrome being reviewed (since it's a hands-on look, not an abstracted clinical one), and perhaps maybe someone can recognize the traits in someone else they love.

Then again, maybe people will be inclined to armchair-diagnosis incorrectly and/or worry without cause; and on some level, it's still kind of pandering to the lowest-common denominator (at core, it's still just Reality TV and putting someone's private emotional drama out there on a public basis, which is why people watch it). It also might lessen the stigma of some of the syndromes, which might be good or bad.

I always have had trouble watching the alcoholics and the kids of... too close to home. I don't typically watch the shows.

 

[Such Irony]

It seems rather sensationalistic and not really representative of a typical case in real life outside of TV. The viewers benefit more from an entertainment standpoint than an educational one. Some of the participants probably just attention and their brief moment of fame so they do benefit in that sense, yet they are being exploited in a way.

 

[knight]

armchair diagnosis like jen said would be the issue.

 

[Sunny Ghost]

I'm really only familiar with Hoarders. In a lot of those cases, I feel as though it might be better left untelevised as they are very embarrassing and often horrendous situations with lots of psychological distress. It is interesting, but I don't know if it's really worth it being on the entertained end of it. I'd feel better knowing these people aren't being televised. Also, I don't know that they provide enough help to these people. It's usually mild counseling sessions, one or two, and then they're just left with personal organizers. These people often need real help.

 

[Santosha]

Too case by case to say if it helps participants or viewers. However, I find it generally disturbing and a gross exploitation of vulnerable people that clearly struggle with basic functionability, let alone the affects of having their problems aired to the world. While some series may increase public awareness I think the ultimate motivation is to capitalize... This has been one of my Fi violations for a few years now and I've stopped watching things like hoarders and intervention.

 

[iwakar]

I'm really only familiar with Hoarders. In a lot of those cases, I feel as though it might be better left untelevised as they are very embarrassing and often horrendous situations with lots of psychological distress. It is interesting, but I don't know if it's really worth it being on the entertained end of it. I'd feel better knowing these people aren't being televised. Also, I don't know that they provide enough help to these people. It's usually mild counseling sessions, one or two, and then they're just left with personal organizers. These people often need real help.

As for embarassment and discomfort, participation is voluntary.

 

[Savage Idealist]

It whooly depends on the spcific illness, as well as the effect of specifically televising it as well as the possible education it can give viewers. If viewers are capable of simply understanding the complex psychological conditions better, while the show portrays it in a non-bias and objective manner, then that's all fine and good. If the show has a sensationalist tone to it whilst idiots laugh at the pscyhological misfoturne of others, then that bad. Granted I don't actively watch any of these shows enough to fully discriminate between the speicifc programs and whether they are to be considered good or not.

 

[iwakar]

It seems that Celebrity Rehab has been receiving some heavy criticism again due to five patients having died since the show/treatment began. The latest death:

Mindy McCready apparent suicide puts spotlight on Celebrity Rehab

But I honestly couldn't say if these statistics are higher than typical treatment programs that are not televised because you have to imagine that many addicts do not outlive their demons. I've seen support for and criticism against Dr. Drew Pinsky's televised therapy for celebrities.

 

[KDude]

It seems that Celebrity Rehab has been receiving some heavy criticism again due to five patients having died since the show/treatment began. The latest death:

Mindy McCready apparent suicide puts spotlight on Celebrity Rehab

But I honestly couldn't say if these statistics are higher than typical treatment programs that are not televised because you have to imagine that many addicts do not outlive their demons. I've seen support for and criticism against Dr. Drew Pinsky's televised therapy for celebrities.

I've never seen it, but I'm all for showing addicts in the worst light possible. If some actually recover, that's great, but for the most part, they're more useful in showing what not to do, for outsiders. It might even be better in the case of celebrities. We live in a culture that worships celebrity, and subconsciously believes these people are inherently "lucky" or blessed for their fame or success. Drug addicts usually rely on similar ideas about themselves - that they're "strong" people or in control of their lives and have some formula to keep them from truly hitting the bottom of the barrel. They learn too late that that isn't true. It's better if they learned to be more realistic earlier, when they're young, and seeing celebrities, supposedly the "lucky people", destroying themselves. It's a small step in shattering fantasy and arrogance. Both in ourselves and those we admire. Take it a step further even - show the death scenes of every rockstar and actor who died in this manner. One gaze might help a few kids (Don't get me wrong.. I'm not morbid. It's just that we have a sanitized view of tragedy. And those who need to know don't even read anything. So a picture is worth a thousand words).

 

[Fidelia]

It's important for viewers to understand that reality TV shows are still edited to be entertaining, marketable and portray each "character" in a particular light. However, in the case of shows like Celebrity Rehab or Couples Therapy, I think it is useful for regular people to realize that a lot of celebrities are facing fairly serious problems of their own and their lives are not necessarily what most people perceive them to be.

I'm not sure any of those shows are of especial long-lasting value to the participants in them. They may help some and not help others. On the other hand, perhaps it does open up discussion amongst viewers and increases awareness sometimes, which is useful. Unfortunately sometimes I think it trivializes very real pain and serious problems and turns them into a form of entertainment and allows people to enjoy spectating. It depends on the individual viewer, where they are in their life and why they are watching to determine whether these kinds of shows are helpful or detrimental.

 

[garbage]

To the extent that it spreads awareness and destigmatizes, great. To the extent that it creates freak shows for us to laugh at, to psychologically distance ourselves from, etc.. not so much.


Yeah, guess which extent far surpasses the other in practice.

 

[gromit]

To the extent that it spreads awareness and destigmatizes, great. To the extent that it creates freak shows for us to laugh at, to psychologically distance ourselves from, etc.. not so much.


Yeah, guess which extent far surpasses the other in practice.

I was going to post something similar. I think if it calls attention to an issue and raises awareness about a mental illness that is beneficial to society.

However, I'm not convinced these shows are beneficial to the individuals featured on the show, some may even be harmful. Is the increased visibility for an issue or illness worth it? I cannot say.