I suffer from mild schizophrenia, so trust me when I say that having a mental illness isn’t easy. It is especially hard to build relationships and find love as we have to learn to discover and care for ourselves first. Fortunately, Netflix has been releasing various movies and series lately that focus on including mental illnesses in a way that is educating, informative, and entertaining. Hopefully, this way, more people will learn what it’s like and be more understanding of mental health patients.
Check them out this long National Day weekend:
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay
In It’s Okay to Not be Okay, Moon Gang-tae (Kim Soo-hyun) has lived all his life taking care of his autistic older brother Sang-tae (Oh Jung-se). Sang-tae is a huge fan of popular children’s book author, Ko Mun-yeong (Seo Yea-ji), and ends up working for her as an illustrator. Mun-yeong has an anti-social disposition, and finds herself intrigued by Gang-tae despite their different personalities. Together, they try to overcome their past struggles and trauma, resulting in a love story that is quite unique in the world of Korean dramas.
Love on the Spectrum
To be honest, finding love is hard, in general. However, it is even harder for young adults on the autism spectrum. In the documentary series Love on the Spectrum, seven singles take their first steps in dating with the help of their families and several experts in the field with hopes of gaining the confidence needed in entering the dating world.
Special
Special is an uplifting new comedy series about a gay man named Ryan who has mild cerebral palsy and decides to change his identity. After dead-end internships, blogs, and texts; Ryan eventually figures out how to upgrade his adult life and live the life that he wants.
Atypical
Now in its third season, Atypical is a coming-of-age story that follows 19-year-old Sam (Keir Gilchrist), who is on the autism spectrum, and searches for love and independence. On this funny (and sometimes emotional) journey of self-discovery, Sam’s family must adjust to the changes in their own lives as they struggle with the series’ central theme of what it really means to “be normal”.
All the Bright Places
All the Bright Places is a drama movie based on the internationally bestselling novel by Jennifer Niven. It tells the story of Violet Markey (Elle Fanning) and Theodore Finch (Justice Smith), who meet as they struggle with their old physical and emotional scars, and change each other’s lives forever. This drama provides a refreshing human take on mental illness, how it affects relationships, and how beautiful young love can be.
Unforgettable
After befriending a stray dog, a vivacious young woman with autism embarks on a long journey, convinced her new furry friend can heal her sick grandmother.
What are your favourite series and movies that touch on mental health and love? Share them with us!
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