Skip to main content
Forums Home
Illustration of people sitting and standing

New here?

Chat with other people who 'Get it'

with health professionals in the background to make sure everything is safe and supportive.

Register

Have an account?
Login

cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Our stories

NikNik
Senior Contributor

Split: New movie stigmatising Dissociative Identity Disorder #ENDTHESTIGMA

Next week Universal Pictures Australia will release Split which depicts a man living with dissociative identity disorder (DID), once known as multiple personality disorder, who violently kidnaps three young girls.

Scheduled to screen nationally from January 26, the film trivialises complex mental illness and reinforces the idea that we need to fear people living with DID.

We know stigma is a key factor in preventing people from seeking treatment for mental illness and this can have devastating consequences, including an increased risk of suicide.

We've told Universal Pictures what we think with our #ENDTHESTIGMA campaign, highlighting 'mental illness is not a horror movie'.

Read what SANE's CEO @Jack_Heath has to say here and leave your thoughts below.

 

 

34 REPLIES 34

Re: Split: New movie stigmatising Dissociative Identity Disorder #ENDTHESTIGMA

I usually enjoy M. Night Shyamalan's films, but this one I will not be seeing at all. I find it deplorable that Hollywood once again must 'portray' mental illness as a horror flick. For Shame! 

Re: Split: New movie stigmatising Dissociative Identity Disorder #ENDTHESTIGMA

this movie reinforces opinions and perceptions that make people afraid. its definitely a horror movie. the world is a cruel place, and portrayals like this encourage more cruelty and isolate people.

Re: Split: New movie stigmatising Dissociative Identity Disorder #ENDTHESTIGMA

All the hard work of Mental health workers/companies/forums etc. trying to break to stigma and labelling  of mental health patient would be turned upside down if this film was to be aired. 

Re: Split: New movie stigmatising Dissociative Identity Disorder #ENDTHESTIGMA

Hi @NikNik

I agree with @Former-Member@Queenie@Heart

It's not right to be showing a movie like this.  How are we meant to reduce the stigma of mental health when they put out movies like this.  I am not going to watch it. And imagine someone watching and it triggers them, not good. 

Why can't there be more education about mental health in this world.  There is far too much terrible things happening around us that is makes me really sad.  And what gets me is that the public or the reporters always put it down to 'oh he has a mental illness', so what does that make it acceptable.  

I'm sorry I am ranting now about something else.  I will put up a new thread. Just upset.

Re: Split: New movie stigmatising Dissociative Identity Disorder #ENDTHESTIGMA

The only positive I can see here is that this is a prime opportunity to raise a loud public voice in protest against this film and allow the opportunity to present a positive awareness of the true nature of DID .... causes, effects, challenges of the people who live with this unique and amazing condition, and their incredible families and supportive relationships.

Re: Split: New movie stigmatising Dissociative Identity Disorder #ENDTHESTIGMA

@NikNik. I'm going to check with our lical small town cinema and see if they will be showing this movie.
If so, I'll explain our concerns regarding the over dramitisation and incorrect interpretation of DID.
If they choose to go ahead with showing the movie - I'll ask if we could organise someone from our Mental Health Network - to come and talk to people after the movie.
This way, they can explain that the depiction in this movie is incorrect and exactly what thetruth is rregarding DID.
I think it's the only way to help reduce stigma and inform the public of the truth of living with an MI.

Re: Split: New movie stigmatising Dissociative Identity Disorder #ENDTHESTIGMA

Hi @NikNik - my thoughts on this are that I feel this type of production could certainly produce stigma in people whom are easily impressionable  (young, and/or naive with no knowledge of the illness); impressionable people who don't look at a movie as a purely fictional piece written for pure entertainment as intended. But instead take the central character's persona seriously as pure documentary style facts. 

With some of the former it could portray those with multiple personality disorder or as they call it now DID (which I believe is a more accurate description as I explain my own personal experience with this when young);, as having a dark character with uncontrolled evil intent, and in this light I find that irresponsible script writing that produces stigma in some. For myself and some others we see it as purely fictional and thus are not open to forming this type of stigma. It does come down to how a person views this movie: whether they are that gullable or not. 

Defintely sufferers would be more sensitive to how their disease is being used as a central fictional character protraying a persona of uncontrollable evil intent. As that could stick with some whom are impressionable as explained above. It's knowing the facts from fantasy.

Knowledge reduces stigma. I think to counteract any damage occurring through naivety and gullibility when viewing such movies; creating more documentaries, leaflets, books etc educating others with the real facts of this disease can reduce such stigma.  Its knowing the difference between fantasy and reality. A movie is just a movie and so forth.

But I do think the producers of such movie entertainment have a responsibility to inform the public of the fictional status of their production; with creating An on-screen preclude statement at the start or end of the movie stating "this is a fictional version of an individual suffering DID and is in no way associated with or protrays any individual in real life who suffers with such a mental affliction" - it is purely fictious.".

Such should of been a legal requirement to protect reputation of those who suffer with this MI. Given they didn't do that knowing some are impressionable as explained, I also agree the movie producers were acting irresponsibly for profit. The question is when producing fictional entertainment do they have a legal duty of care? I think we may find there is such as similar disclaimers have been screened at the end of some movies in the past; and I personally believe there should be such a legal requirement to protect the most vulnerable amongst us - the mentally ill in this instance.

The true stigma happening out there when it comes to multiple personality disorder (DID) is that people believe most are faking it. They can't relate at all.

Due to childhood physical, mental and psychological abuse I suffered a psychotic episode that lasted up to approx one year when 7 years old, and suffered some of the symptoms of multiple personality disorder (much the same thing as DID I believe a new diagnostic term?). I was hallucinating and hearing voices at the time together with exhibiting one other separate identity/name presenting herself in me at that time. To my knowledge that is not text book symptoms as apparently with MPD one does not usually hallucinate etc. But that was the case back then for me.

. I remember very little of  those years as most are a total blank for me, but remember bits and pieces of the abuse and my resulting psychotic episode. Being not able to process or fathom what was happening to me at such a young age, I feel that the other identity (only one other) emerging was my mind's way of escaping the horror, torment and abuse that was being afflicted on me - not the other way around. And feeling of no value I lost my own identity.  Once the psychosis resolved I became myself once again and have never had another psychotic episode like that since. Life can be unbelievably cruel at times.

 

Re: Split: New movie stigmatising Dissociative Identity Disorder #ENDTHESTIGMA

Can Sane produce an info sheet or booklet that can be made available - perhaps a printable version - that interested members of the public can ask to be put up or handed out inside or outside the theatres ?

@NikNik @utopia

Re: Split: New movie stigmatising Dissociative Identity Disorder #ENDTHESTIGMA

@Faith-and-Hope. I like that idea. I'd be happy to print and hand these out at my own cost.
Anything that helps to inform the public about the truth of MI - this offers us an opportunity to educate.
Illustration of people sitting and standing

New here?

Chat with other people who 'Get it'

with health professionals in the background to make sure everything is safe and supportive.

Register

Have an account?
Login

Further information:

  • Loading...

For urgent assistance