ICCD Board Member Mark Glickman writes about “Psycho” and mental illness stigma
November 27, 2012
I recently watched “Psycho” again, and – pardon the pun- was of two minds about it. As a lover of film, I was sucked into the mood of high anxiety and dread from the opening moments. On the other hand, from my perspective as an advocate for people with severe psychiatric illnesses, I was troubled that the film grotesquely caricatured mental illnesses that affect millions of people.
Today, more than 50 years since the infamous “shower scene,” we understand that schizophrenia and bipolar disorders are illnesses caused by brain chemistry, not bad mothers like Mrs. Bates. Nevertheless, the stigma still remains. Those of us who have suffered from these illnesses and those who fight against them have a tough battle in combating stigma. Look at our use of language. We equate being wrong with being crazy. Someone says something we disagree with and we say “he’s crazy.”
Unfortunately, violent acts are occasionally committed by people with untreated mental illnesses. Those stories too often capture the attention of the media and perpetuate the erroneous view that violence and criminality are prevalent in people with psychiatric disorders. The reality, however, is that men and women with mental illnesses are much more likely to be the recipients of violence then the perpetrators of it.
Further, the reality is that long before “Psycho” opened in 1960, a quiet revolution began in the realm of recovery from mental illness. Starting in the late 1940’s in New York City, a non-profit organization called Fountain House pioneered a model of psychiatric rehabilitation in which former mental patients came to a place called a “Clubhouse.” Today, there are almost 350 Clubhouses around the world.
Clubhouses focus on the positive healthy parts of the person which still exist no matter how severe their illness. Clubhouse “members” come in each day and participate in all the work needed to run the program, such as cooking, cleaning, outreach, putting out newsletters, answering phones, research and data entry. When members are ready, they can go on to part-time entry level jobs in the community, continue their education, and ultimately get their own independent jobs. Working side by side with a small professional staff, members build relationships, skills, self esteem and confidence. The Clubhouse model is a cost-efficient and effective path to recovery from mental illness.
Almost everyone knows about “Psycho” and its depiction of Norman Bates as a dangerous, homicidal “crazy person.” But few know about the hope that Clubhouses have brought to tens of thousands of people who have regained their mental health. The stigma of mental illness reinforced by films like “Psycho” will only be eradicated when these Illnesses are brought into the light of day and talked about without shame.