Posted by crimsonsky on Sun 11 Oct 09, 5:51 PM to crimsonsky's blog.
I'm not a big fan of Eastenders but the small one was watching tv while I made lunch and I sat down to watch. The current storyline deals with one of the characters Stacey Branning having Bipolar. ( So if you haven't seen it and will be devastated and damaged by me revealing the plot stop reading now!)
I don't know if it's because it's too close to home and it's too near the bone but I found it uncomfortable watching and for the first time ever when they do that speech at the end of the programme " If you have been affected by the events in this programme..." I actually considered ringing the helpline for about five seconds.
Apart from the small one asking me questions about what was wrong with Stacey which I found incredibly difficult to answer because my father had Bipolar and I have a form of Bipolar and small one was scared for Stacey and I started to cry when I was trying to explain it.
The sectioning scenes were very distressing and not what I'd call family viewing even though they're pretty familiar to my family. I don't usually come over all Mary Whitehouse but I won't be watching it again.
It's a bit hard for me to make an unbiased assessment of how they've dealt with the issue. I'm sure some of you will think it's great stuff but as far as I'm concerned Eastenders can fuck right off.
When words fail me I invariably resort to The Smiths ( sorry about the poor quality) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEmsjyUrslk&featu...
| 11 Oct 09, 6:01 PM goodghirl UK, 8 yrs  |
I'm not sure it belonged in eastenders it was very very heavy and for me personally deeply upsetting. I do however think Stacey has played the part as it unfolded amazingly and she had without a doubt done her research. However with hindsight I wished I never watched it and have to admit 4 days later it is still playing on my mind. <from a geeky technical point of view the camera work, handheld which eastenders don't do was done very very well> I imagine if mental illness has never touched you or those around you that it was a very good *story* | |
| 11 Oct 09, 6:04 PM Souci_X UK(BA), 5 yrs  |
I think sometimes eastenders and such programs handle real life tragedy and drama so well that it can open peoples eyes to the reality becoming more than just a story
| |
| 11 Oct 09, 6:55 PM crimsonsky UK, 6 yrs |
Same here x
| |
| 11 Oct 09, 8:28 PM fussyone 9 yrs |
It was certainly interesting to watch the way a mind can create such delusions, I thought it was very well orchestrated. However, I also know that it takes a lot more evidence and work to get a person sectioned! It was far to straight forward, one person ringing the gp and they immediately take her in. | |
| 11 Oct 09, 11:00 PM slutling_angel 3 yrs |
I have watched 'Stacy's story evolve'. From her first being diagnosed. The section 2 is the last resort as, she was already under the 'mental health umbrella'. The sectioning was as easy as it was portrayed. Stacey had stopped taking her pills, which led to the illness coming back. Leading her and the public in danger. She played it well. BUT I have to say I found it distressing and I felt cold. On an added note; Mental health problems are still brushed under the carpet and the stigma that goes with it is more damaging than, the illness itself.
Society plays a major part in Mental health and the stigma that's created can cause an ill person more pain and troubles than is already there.
“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.” | |
| 11 Oct 09, 11:05 PM crimsonsky UK, 6 yrs |
I've taken several deep breaths and tried to look at this more objectively. I could get narky about details like instant diagnosis when it takes most people quite a few years before they get a diagnosis or that sectioning was so simple when as fussyone pointed out it really is quite difficult especially the first time. The acting was pretty good by soap standards and the storyline dealt with some of the issues that many people with Bipolar face albeit encapsulated to fit the format. I'm not offended by efforts to educate the viewing public about Bipolar or Manic Depression as I still prefer to call it. I am pissed off that they chose to show a very distressing depiction of a sectioning at Sunday lunchtime. I would have prefered my child's education about Bipolar to be handled a little more sensitively and given in a lot less graphic and upsetting form particularly as my child's mother has a form of Bipolar and her Grandad had it and several other family members and my child's chance of getting it is ten times higher than the average. I'm very happy if others feel they have been educated or helped by this programme however some scenes were not suitable for viewing at the time they were shown. | |
| 12 Oct 09, 2:47 PM skyfox UK(EH), 4 yrs  |
Not a follower of soaps in general, but a question for those who saw it: do you feel that Eastenders portrayed the extreme end of bipolar, or a typical example? I ask because it is quite common for the media to take the most extreme example and hold it up as if they were doing something good by educating people when all they're really doing is spreading myths. They do it a lot with autism -- not every autistic person is a Rainman. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. |
