Here are a few that struck me. I'm not huge on memes because little discourse is visibly peripheral to them (outside of academia). While the comments show appreciation and can reflect popularity, through methods of voting, they rarely delve into the root social commentary. Though simplistic and "off the cuff", they provide a rich account of our culture that can be examined, discussed and dissected and provide unique reflection on higher social processes.
These specialized memes are harder to find and less "liked" on the generalized meme sites however there are a few mental illness specific ones created by and for those who suffer from mental illness. Since they reflect these higher social processes, I've found that they can be applicable to a variety of mental illnesses and are generally well received within the community. For the most part, I find memes overwhelmingly prevalent online and while some are amusing, many are an utter waste of time.
These specific memes share personal experiences of the mentally ill that aren't easily expressed publicly and without the anonymity of this particular form of media (which can broadly be defined as "social-media" however begs for further analysis). Let's view and discuss the following.
This is an accurate expression of the symptomology of bipolar disorder. Now to appreciate these facial expressions, other memes must be viewed. Loosely, the first segment (upper left) reflects the dramatic and sudden shift to a heightened state of excitement. True, everything may seem funnier, "lol", but really I see here a depiction of the adrenaline and norepinephrine that surges when in a manic phase and these really intensify life on all facets. Upper-right, we have the attitude narrowed, that of high feelings of self-worth, feelings of omnipotence and righteousness even. These attitudes can rub people the wrong way and that coupled with feelings of importance leads to interpersonal conflict. Mid-left, we see the subject having the feeling of being able to take on any challenge and the zealous creativity and energy that characterizes mania and bottom, the after-math. Post-mania, a depression follows and true to life, memory of the manic episode is patchy at best. Bipolar disorder is grossly understood and while depictions in media are becoming more accurate, we often are majoritively presented with the extremes of the upper segments while the bottom segment, possibly the most devastating, is left out. Based on my research with bipolar support group outlets, the manic phases are sometimes sought out, induced even, by bipolars so the emphasis on this phase wrongfully ameliorates the imminent depression.
This meme really hits home the feelings I've seen expressed numerous times during my research. If we are to legitimize mental illness as a biological pathology, like cancer or HIV, we have to move past the elusive quality of it. By definition, mental illness is organically based in the brain, a mostly invisible (outside of the eye) organ. Many medical pathologies are invisible however, so in doing this we risk ignoring its status as an illness, something that should carry no blame, therefore perpetuating stigma. As an anthropologist, I recognize that the bio-psychiatric model of mental illness only accounts for a certain account and certain biological processes and that cultural specificities can adjust these, despite all clinical intuition and diagnostic paradigms. Stigma, however, persists in part because of the invisibility of the illnesses, making them difficult to define discretely. As Andrew Lakoff, professor of Anthropology, Sociology and Communications at University of Southern California argues, "The biomedical model seeks to rescue the person from the stigma of mental illness by treating it as something external to the self"(Lakoff 2005:106). Here Lakoff illustrates how the attempt by the "ignorant" person to find the mental illness in appearance can tie the illness and the self together too completely, taking import away from the biomedical perspective which can help equate mental illness to other "invisible" disorders such as cancer. Mental illness has yet to reach the level of medical respect cancer has and can, in part, vilify its sufferers.
Here we have an observation of what is a popular sentiment regarding current prescribing practices of service providers of mental health care. Over-prescribing and over-medicating are strongly supported claims in the public eye and can be drawn out of proportion. Accounts from actual patients include instances of patients wanting medications but their provider refusing (yes, they can do this). Providers fall into categories where their prescribing practices reflect their personal attitudes towards pharmacological treatment. Many take holistic approaches and give credence to whatever therapy is best suited but there are those who fall to the extremes. Patients often complain about this because the process of switching psychiatric service providers if the suggested therapy is not desired is arduous, expensive and can exacerbate symptoms of certain illnesses. Sometimes providers aren't up front about their pharmaceutical philosophy and this is only to be discovered at the worst time, when you need a medication adjustment. That being said, from my research, I find that while there is certainly complaints about being over-medicated, or at least being suggested to be as the patient ultimately makes the choice for him or herself, there are just as many accounts of patients feeling they need to increase a dosage or add a medication but their providers won't comply. More medication can be good in certain cases or even necessary to maintain a certain level of recovery. There are other therapies that can substitute certain medications, anxiety can be treated pharmacologicaly or through talk-therapy or meditation, but every option has a certain lifestyle it can fit into. When someone is suffering extreme anxiety that is keeping them from leaving the house and working, treating it pharmacologicaly, which is relatively instant, may be preferable to prescribing talk-therapy which can take away time from work and may take much longer for acceptable results. Mentally ill people want productive lives too and pharmaceutical treatments often are the best option to maintain these lives economically and socially.
Unfortunately, lengthy sessions with service providers are still financially out of reach for many and 15 minute "med-management" sessions cost proportionately less however only have one objective. For example, in Seattle, for the uninsured, a med-management session with a psychiatrist is around $75-$100. A full session, which usually combines medication management and talk-therapy is closer to $300 and lasts 50 minutes. These are pretty standard numbers. Insurance is still out of reach for plenty of the mentally ill, especially considering the likelihood of having full-time, insured positions and even with insurance, co-pays and mental health coverage can vary. I see these economic barriers as part of the perceived problem of over-medicating and patient accounts certainly reflect that. Regardless, Peter Kramer, psychiatrist and clinical professor at Brown University, in his groundbreaking memoir of antidepressants, Listening to Prozac, explained that"psychopharmacology (is) an impressionistic art" and this meme reflects the conflicts that can manifest from this.
References:
Kramer, Peter
1993 Listening to Prozac: A Psychiatrist Explores. New York:Penguin Books.
Lakoff, Andrew
2005 Pharmaceutical Reason: Knowledge and Value in Global Psychiatry. New York: Cambridge University Press.
