Web Series Breathe: Into the Shadows, brings light on showcasing Dissociative Identity Disorder
Breathe: Into the shadows, a recent Indian web series has stirred up a lot of review and discussion. No doubt, the quality of Indian web shows and media have escalated to a different level. Particularly in terms of addressing and focusing on mental health concerns, which I am extremely happy about. A mental condition is shown in the programme or movie with accuracy and knowledge. However, the general public frequently stigmatises, misunderstands, or ignores this disorder. It is essential to increase understanding and compassion towards mental health issues. The symptoms, pathological behavioural profile, and progression of the condition are all covered in great depth in the television show. This makes it easier for the viewers to comprehend what it’s like to have this illness. This program/film offers a significant chance to spread awareness of mental illness, lessen stigma, and foster compassion for individuals who are impacted.
My goal in writing about the programme is not to offer a viewer’s perspective evaluation or a technical analysis. Instead, I want to highlight how well the psychological disorder is portrayed in the show and give further details about it. I have been reading a lot of articles people are penning down their experience with the show. I appreciate everyone has a viewpoint and likings and dislikings majorly differ. While reading through the articles, I realized there should be a clarification required in how people see the mental illness portrayed by the lead actor. The efforts of the makers in bringing this up in the silver screen and place it adequately in front of the viewers.
Sadly, I have mostly heard and read people criticizing that this show has distorted the image of a patient with psychiatric illness to be a criminal or a serial killer. This show has been insensitive in portraying a patient as a criminal, that the patient’s dignity and self- respect has been at stake, that this show has further stigmatized psychiatric illness. But answer to all these is, certainly- NO! Our society is under a major transition in terms of awareness towards mental health. Yes! I can begin to say that people in our society are gaining better awareness and sensitivity towards mental health and mental illness. It’s not the same anymore like the earlier times when people called these as devils’ possession, witch haunting or past life sin.
But at the same time, because of increased accessibility to Google knowledge, self-proclaimed psychotherapists are available in the social media market and increased number of quacks, this sensitivity towards mental health concerns seems to be losing its way. It is hard for the common people as well as these quacks to believe and understand, the wide range of psychiatric illness and their levels of severity.
There is a misconception that all psychiatric disorders are the same. The severity and prognosis of the various forms of mental diseases varies. Understanding the various severity levels that mental diseases may reach is crucial. It’s important for people to understand that it’s not simply about showing the less severe aspects of mental illness. The severe levels it could reach should likewise be known to them.
The symptoms and dysfunctional neurochemical processes that cause these severe instances. Recognising the many kinds of mental diseases and the various stages they might reach is a necessary first step in raising awareness of mental health. Effective therapy and stigma reduction depend on this.
Indian media and movies are gaining small momentum in accurately showcasing mental health issues. If I have to list it, I can talk about Dear Zindagi, Bhool Bhulaiya, Barfi and now this series Breathe: In the shadows. Talking about this series in particular, where they are portraying Dissociative Identity Disorder It beautifully and adequately depicts the predisposing as well as the precipitating factors involved in developing the disorder. The publications went on to say that the series faithfully depicts the aggravating elements that sustain the patient’s sickness. Furthermore, it accurately and scientifically depicts the disorder’s full-blown episodes. Dissociative disorders refer to a group of conditions, which involves disruptions in a person’s normally integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity, or perception (APA, 2013; Spiegel et al., 2013).
The word dissociation means to the capacity of the human mind to engage in some complex mental activity. In channels split off from, or independent of, conscious awareness (Kihlstrom,2005), and this usually occurs in a situation which is beyond the perceived capacity of the person to cope with. In other words, the patient would experience the dissociative spell when he/she faces a stressful situation. Talking about the factors which lead to this disorder- early childhood experiences, coming from a broken family and inadequate stress coping mechanism, just to name a few.
During the split off period from consciousness, patients would engage into activities. Which they are not conscious about, like exactly shown in the show of the actor engaging into unlawful activities. I saw stories that said the show did not provide viewers with positive information about mental illness. According to these sources, the programme presents mental illness in a harsh and negative light, holding the patient accountable. But the reality is, these instances are quite relatable to the real- life cases of psychiatric illness, particularly Dissociative Identity Disorder.
As a practicing Clinical Psychologist, apart from treating people with mental illness, it is also a prime part of professional duty. As I disseminate accurate information and awareness about mental illness to the common people. Being in a country like India, we clinical psychologists literally struggle with the stigmatized approach on a daily basis. But what I want to sign share is that in my daily clinical practice, I encounter different patients with different psychiatric illness or mental health condition, with differing levels of severity.
At the same time, different levels of chances of recovery as well as different prognosis levels. Inspiring films like Dear Zindagi inspire people to express themselves and seek counselling. People are talking more about depression and anxiety, people are reporting more of childhood behavioural problems, emotional issues etc. But these conditions have a better prognosis as compared to many other psychiatric illnesses.
The other type of cases that I (or all clinical psychologists) deal with are severe cases of Schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorders with or without psychotic symptoms, dissociative trance and possession disorder, severe mental and behavioural disorders with substance abuse, personality disorders, Severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorders which require long time treatment and recovery is challenging.
Then comes patients who, under active psychotic episodes or active mental illness episodes engage into criminal offenses. I had dealt with cases where a patient had killed his father under an active hallucinatory voice. People with delusions and hallucinatory behaviour have been responsible for several murder instances. One patient was told to amputate his own hand by a hallucinogenic voice. My point of stating this is that this series shows a confluence of forensics and criminology. Never should a patient with a mental illness be treated with contempt or harshly penalised because of their condition.
Medical personnel should treat patients with mental diseases with the same care and decency. That they would treat patients with other ailments, such as marital issues or mild depression. All patients need considerate and empathetic care, regardless of the severity of their conditions. Understanding that mental illness is a medical disease that needs appropriate care and treatment—not stigma or judgment—is crucial..
I didn’t think the show stigmatised mental illnesses. Because I’m a professional psychologist in practise with experience treating dissociative identity disorder. The physical look of the principal actor’s transformed personality fits the clinical image. Instead of a jail, the television show depicts the protagonist’s therapy in a mental health facility. A crucial element that viewers might have missed. Nevertheless, is how the principal’s behaviours after his psychiatrist left town reinforced his divided personality. He allowed the problem to get worse because there was no suitable therapy accessible. The absence of early intervention and counselling also contributed to the indirect deterioration of his illness. Because of this, he continued to have a handicap throughout maturity. This emphasises how critical prompt and efficient dissociative disorder intervention and treatment are to enhancing results.
Also, since the child had no family, there was only the Principal to have taken care of him. The most important lesson to learn from this is that all mental problems call for immediate action as well as the proper medical care, including psychotherapy. Childhood mental illnesses have far deteriorating impact upon adult life. It have the highest chances of leading to other psychiatric illnesses in later life. Further, prognosis of dissociative disorders depends upon a lot of factors, – early intervention, duration of the illness. Reinforcing factors around the patient to name a few and certainly they are quite challenging cases for psychotherapy. They usually require long standing therapeutic support as well as pharmacological management in some cases.
With such shows and movies, it develops better opportunity for discussing mental health. Which I really appreciate; because only then we would gain awareness and sensitivity towards mental illness in a real sense. Contrary to what is depicted on social media, clinical psychologists work in a totally different world of mental health and sickness. Understanding this distinction would lead to true knowledge of and concern for mental health and sickness.
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