In today's society, the eccentric character is the center of attention. Often, this idiosyncrasy is attributed to something else. The media manifests itself in a hero's “bizarreness,” “hamartia,” or tragic flaw, and even a kind of “nervousness.” There are myriad shows where idolized characters are revealed to be suffering from some form of psychological disorder, media outlets that use the mental illness route when discussing the motivations behind incidents, and countless celebrities who have come clean about their struggles with mental disorder. While there is no doubt that this trend of mental disorder is prevalent in today's society and media, there remains ambiguity in the difference between these glamorized and demonized depictions of the disorder and the impact they have on both sufferers and media consumers in general. These depictions are sometimes not entirely black and white, ultimately causing harmful and distorted perceptions to all individuals who view them. the disease and its correlation with stereotypes and stigmatization are explored. Researchers have found that the stigma associated with mental disorder has caused the public to adhere to a narrower idea of ​​mental illness (3). Byrne states, “The media perpetuates stigma by offering the public narrow stories based on stereotypes,” a sentiment that emphasizes the power the media has to create certain representations of disorder and, consequently, influence consumers' perceptions of the media (3 ). To examine the growing attention that mental disorders and illnesses are gaining, fueled by what Deseret News contributing writer Amanda Taylor, a writing... in the middle of the paper... old some sort of glamor or celebrity, the negative connotations somehow become attractive. On the contrary, once the celebrity is eliminated, a violent and negative attitude takes its place. In both scenarios, the answers are bleak: either individuals abandon themselves and revel in the flaws of their idols, or demonized perceptions drive people to ignore the help they need. Regardless of how the topic is approached, an influential representation emerges. However, this is not to say that this influence is entirely helpful or healthy. If the media continues to present these representations and consciously support these influences, perhaps it would be appropriate to reapproach the way mental illness is represented. As we now understand, the media holds real power in this topic – a power that could very well be used to bring a wholesome truth to the reality of mental illness..