Watch: 

Silver Linings Playbook

Yep, the one that earned JLaw her Oscar. Silver Linings Playbook doesn’t sugarcoat the way that mental health impacts both the lives of the afflicted and the lives of their loved ones, and stars not one but two main characters struggling with their mental health. 

Add the feel-good, unconventional love story, and you’ve got a lovely, warm and fuzzy movie that will make you feel seen and feel better. 

Welcome to Me

Welcome to Me, starring funny lady favorite Kristen Wiig, tells the story of a woman with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) who wins the lottery and buys her own talk show. 

Full disclosure – I have not seen this movie yet, but I’ve only heard amazing things about it, and it’s currently on NAMI’s list of the Best Movies About Mental Health for it’s accurate portrayal of BPD, so you know it’s good. 

It’s Kind of a Funny Story

Recommended to me by a peer, It’s Kind of a Funny Story follows the story of a boy who finds himself in a psych ward due to his depression. Like Welcome to Me, this movie is recommended by NAMI and portrays the patients in the ward as normal, relatable people who are just trying to get better and use humor to make the best of their situations.  

Jessica Jones

Jessica Jones probably isn’t the first thing you think of when you think of mental health and mental illness, but Jessica herself is actually a great representation of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), especially considering her past with her nemesis Kilgrave. 

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is also not a show I’ve seen, but it’s been on my watchlist since CF contributor Brianna wrote this love letter to the show’s portrayal of main character Rachel’s relationship with her mental health.  

Read: 

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Chances are you read The Bell Jar in your high school literature class and discussed Esther’s descent in to “madness” as a direct result of the stifling upper-middle class gender roles she was expected to fulfill, but often overlooked is Plath’s extremely accurate depiction of depression and attempted suicide.