Dramas About Mental Health
Since I started watching dramas in 2011, and especially as a Psychology major, one thing that irked me was how there were so many medical dramas and not one drama tackling mental health. All around the world, there are people struggling with invisible illnesses, and this needs visibility too, as well as the heroes working to help them out! Luckily, recently there seems to be an awakening of these types of shows.
Here's my list of dramas for anyone who wants to get into the topic. Hopefully this becomes a trend and I get to add some more dramas into the list!
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1. It's Okay, That's Love
Korean Drama - 2014, 16 episodes
This one is my ultimate favorite in the category so far! What is great about IOTL is that it really tries to normalize mental health issues. There's literally not one character that isn't somehow messed up. Seems extra? But that's life! Another great thing about this show is that it gives some insight into how healthcare works for mental health - so it's really trying to create a psychiatric medical drama. The drama undeniable has some tiny flaws here and there, but it's the best so far!
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2. It's Okay to Not Be Okay
Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
This one is less about psychiatric healthcare and more about accepting psychological differences - which is equally interesting and necessary to see in a drama. I like that the drama isn't about fixing your mental health, but seeing the strengths and not only the weaknesses in a psychological condition, and overcoming the difficulties that may come with it. A bit over the top but the message comes through and it's beautiful!
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3. Good Doctor
Korean Drama - 2013, 20 episodes
A classic! Of course, this drama is about inclusivity - not discriminating people on the basis of their psychological portrait. But what I particularly like about this drama is that the romance develops between an autistic individual and a non-autistic other. It's so important for the world to understand that you can love anyone, regardless of their psychological condition!
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4. Soul Mechanic
Korean Drama - 2020, 32 episodes
I'm not a fan of the setup of this drama (a romance between a psychiatrist and a patient), but I have to give it props for going for a very realistic (non-romantic) portrayal of mental health problems and how they can affect the daily life of those who suffer from them, and especially personality disorders.
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5. Ode to Joy Season 2
Chinese Drama - 2017, 55 episodes
There are some issues with the depiction of mental health in this drama, but I really like that it dives into a problem that people often don't think about: the anxiety of developing mental health issues when your family has a heavy history of it, or of passing it down to your children.