Mental Health Notes

On TV Tonight: MTV True Life: I Have Schizophrenia

by Alicia Sparks, Mental Health Notes on May 22nd, 2008

EDIT: True Life: I Have Schizophrenia is now available for viewing online at MTV.com.

I don’t watch much MTV anymore. I don’t know why; I guess I’m getting old.

However, from time to time something on MTV will catch my eye as I’m flipping through the channels, and I expect tonight’s episode of MTV’s “True Life” series will be one of those things.

The episode is “True Life: I Have Schizophrenia,” and according to the email I received it’s going to feature three young people who are living with schizophrenia. Actually, the email reads “[…] three young people doing their best to live with this disorder that will be with them forever.”

That’s pretty daunting stuff.

Of course, this isn’t the first time MTV’s “True Life” series has tackled mental health-related issues. The series has covered various areas of drug abuse and addiction (including the I’m On Adderall and I’m An Alcoholic episodes) as well as other mental health disorders (such as the I Have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and I Need Anger Management episodes).

If you have time tonight, flip your tube on MTV at 10 p.m. ET/PT and watch the show. Then, head back over here and let me know what you think. Does MTV handle schizophrenia in an educational, informational, stigma-busting way, while presenting these people and their situations in real, true lights? Do you think the participants will benefit from appearing on the show?

Image: Newscom

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POSTED IN: Addiction, Current Affairs & News, Mental Health Advocacy, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Psychotic Disorders, Schizophrenia, Sites of Interest, anger, stigma