The Jed Foundation

Be intentional about the impact your story leaves on audiences, especially those who may be struggling with similar issues.

Don't focus so much on struggle that you fail to show what reaching out, help-seeking, and healing can look like.

Expand the range of people audiences see facing and managing mental health challenges.

Don't reinforce stereotypes by repeatedly showing the same groups tied to the same challenges or conditions.

Be aware of the impact of language.

Don't use clinical terms as slang (“psycho”, “bipolar”); describe people as their condition (instead of “a schizophrenic person,” say “a person living with schizophrenia”); or include blaming or shaming language (instead of “committed suicide”, say “died by suicide.”)

Show what connection, healing, and help-seeking look like, including parents and caregivers listening with empathy and curiosity.

Don't skip from problem to resolution without showing the steps in between, and don’t default to adults who dismiss or rush to solve instead of supporting and understanding.

Portray characters with mental health conditions as capable of thriving with support.

Don't rely on stereotypes that reduce these characters to violent or threatening, weak, or the subject of ridicule.

Tell stories about suicide, self-harm, and substance misuse in ways that convey impact without harm.

Don't provide imagery or details that could trigger viewers or serve as a blueprint for dangerous behaviors.