Since its release, "Joker" has sparked conversation & controversy for how it portrays mental illness.
If you haven't seen it yet (and even if you have), here are three critical things to keep in mind when watching...
In real life, people with mental illness are more likely to hurt themselves than others. In fact...
Less than 5% of all violence in the U.S. can be attributed to people with a mental illness. People with mental illness are more likely to harm themselves than another person.
Less than 3 to 5% of U.S. crimes involve people with mental illness.
Psychiatric drugs have been found to have side effects related to violence, but these side effects are typically considered rare.
We should be talking about mental health care access all year long, not just in the wake of a tragedy.
And people with mental illnesses should be leading this conversation.
People with mental illness deserve empathy and support. Do not let "Joker" convince you otherwise. If you or someone you love needs help, swipe up.
Connect with other Mighty people like you. We're here when you need us. Swipe up!