# Mental illness in movies.  (spoilers likely)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-illness-in-movies-spoilers-likely/191476>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [July 28, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-illness-in-movies-spoilers-likely/191476 "2003-07-28T17:59:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Shabadu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/46a35a/32.png) [@Shabadu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shabadu)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-illness-in-movies-spoilers-likely/191476/41 "2003-08-02T03:13:13Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Ellis Dee \*  
> \*\*Psychologists, on the other hand, may be quite helpful. They cannot medication or commit you. \*\*

[sidenote] Psychologists can commit you. I had a schizophrenic man committed when I was working with only a BA in psychology. They cannot at this point prescribe medication though.[sidenote]

Anyway, when I read the title, I immediately thought of **A Beautiful Mind** because of how realistic it was to a friend of mine, who is schizophrenic. He took his boyfriend to the movie so he could understand the people who go around with him.

I also think that **Girl, Interrupted** is one of the best portrayals of Borderline Personality Disorder that I have seen in a movie. If you have every met someone with this disorder, you would appreciate the frustration of the staff at the hospital.

I think the movies that do not put the mental illness in the forefront many times are the best portrayals. More when you see normal people acting with some little quirks. I have a huge facination with any movies that portray mental illness, although I do think many of them go over the top to show more of a Hollywood point.

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**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-illness-in-movies-spoilers-likely/191476/42 "2003-08-02T18:05:43Z")

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> [@](#):
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> Originally posted by AHunter3
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > My general sense is that electroshocking noncompliant patients (w/o consent) is a very common occurrence,
> 
> I thought it was illegal now? I could be wrong, but that’s what I heard.

You are, unfortunately, wrong.

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