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10 Movies About Mental Illness and What They Taught Me

April 24, 2018

Movies have always made me feel less alone in the world. They make me feel like there is always someone out there who understands. Who has gone through the same things as me. Who fights the same wars I do. Who just gets it.

When I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I watched all the movies about mental illness I could get my hands on. They genuinely helped me. They gave me characters I could identify with and situations I related to. They taught me a lot about what it means to live with a mental illness and how to overcome some of the struggles that come with having a disorder. They also taught me how to help someone else who is struggling with a disorder and how I could be there for them. They taught me what to do and what not to do and ultimately gave me hope for the future.

Movies have always made me feel less alone in the world. They make me feel like there is always someone out there who understands. Who has gone through the same things as me. Who fights the same wars I do. Who just gets it.

When I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I watched all the movies about mental illness I could get my hands on. They genuinely helped me. They gave me characters I could identify with and situations I related to. They taught me a lot about what it means to live with a mental illness and how to overcome some of the struggles that come with having a disorder. They also taught me how to help someone else who is struggling with a disorder and how I could be there for them. They taught me what to do and what not to do and ultimately gave me hope for the future.


So here are 10 movies about mental illness that have helped me in one way or another along the way. Not all of them have happy endings, but there is still something to learn from each of them. Most are about bipolar disorder because that’s what I can relate to, but there are some other disorders mentioned too. Warning — some movies may be triggering.