Top 10 Movies That Depict Mental Illness 

The reason they didn't put Fight Club is because we DO NOT TALK about Fight Club.

Any movie can depict mental illness but the real question is, do they depict it accurately?

GIRL INTERRUPTED is one of my absolute top 10 favorite movies

The perks of being a wallflower should’ve been in this. Not an honorable mention.

Shutter Island didn't even get an honorable mention?

A lesser-known film starring Angelina Jolie called "Gia" was a perfect depiction of borderline personality disorder.

How could you not list The Shining? A gripping depiction of a man experiencing a psychotic break.

Black Swan is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen.

Other HM's: Rain Man Forest Gump Shutter Island Halloween Psycho What's Eating Gilbert Grape? The Aviator Donnie Darko American Psycho Requiem For A Dream Fight Club Punch, Drunk, Love Misery American Beauty Still Alice Jacob's Ladder Momento The Skeleton Twins The Machinist Number 23 Finding Nemo Mulholland Drive Anastasia Born On The Fourth Of July 7 Pounds The Kings Speech Nightcrawler The Imitation Game It's A Wonderful Life A Clockwork Orange Sunset Boulevard Taxi Driver Driving Ms. Daisy Iris The Notebook The Iron Lady The Fisher King Birdman Silence Of The Lamb Huntchback Of Notre Dame American History X Gone Girl One Hour Photo Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind K-Pax The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari Vertigo Apocalypse Now

YOU FORGOT THE MOVIE LETS TALK ABOUT KEVIN

i personally loved “a beautiful mind” it was so interesting.

None of these is on netflix wtf netflix

Don't get mad when they don't add a movie to the list You can't always name everything

Now I understand the meaning behind the name of the Gravity Falls episode “Soos and the Real Girl,” where Soos comes into mortal danger after trying to break up with a video game character for a real woman.

"Lars and the Real Girl" is so underrated

lars and the real girl was SO good to me. i wish it got more recognition

Lars and the Real Girl never got the recognition it deserved. It’s still one of my favorite movies.

A beautiful mind was and still is my absolute favorite film about mental illness. I thought it was brilliant and Russell Crow was fantastic

My top favorites, portrayed either accurately or loosely: I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932) - PTSD Heroes for Sale (1933) - Substance use disorder (morphine) Citizen Kane (1941) - narcissistic personality disorder The Lost Weekend (1945) - Substance use disorder (alcohol) Spellbound (1945) - amnesia, PTSD Best Years of Our Lives (1946) - PTSD Rope (1948) - Antisocial personality disorder The Man With the Golden Arm (1955) - Substance use disorder (heroin) The Bad Seed (1956) - Conduct disorder Lust for Life (1956) - self-harm, schizophrenia The Wrong Man (1956) - Major depressive disorder Psycho (1960) - Dissociative identity disorder David and Lisa (1962) - OCD, schizophrenia, dissociative identity disorder, narcissistic personality disorder Repulsion (1965) - Schizophrenia/delusional disorder unspecified Taxi Driver (1976) - Schizoid/schizotypical personality disorder The Tenant (1976) - Dissociative identity disorder The Deer Hunter (1978) - PTSD King of Comedy (1982) - Delusional disorder unspecified Raising Cain (1992) - Dissociative identity disorder Benny and Joon (1993) - Schizophrenia Basketball Diaries (1995) - Substance use disorder (heroin, cocaine, barbiturates, alcohol, inhalants, cannabis) Casino (1995) - Antisocial personality disorder (character of Nicky), substance use disorder (morphine, cocaine, alcohol) Leaving Las Vegas (1995) - substance use disorder (alcohol), depression, suicide Primal Fear (1996) - Dissociative identity disorder Bringing Out the Dead (1999) - PTSD, substance use disorder (heroin, alcohol) Fight Club (1999) - Dissociative identity disorder American Psycho (2000) - antisocial/narcissist personality disorder, delusional disorder unspecified, substance use disorder (cocaine, alcohol, Xanax, ecstasy) Requiem for a Dream (2000) - substance use disorder (heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, cannabis) Donnie Darko (2001) - schizophrenia Thirteen (2003) - borderline personality disorder, self-harm, substance use disorder (cocaine, inhalants, alcohol, cannabis) The Aviator (2004) - OCD, agoraphobia American Horror Story (2011-present/OK, it's a TV series but covers a lot) major depressive disorder, antisocial personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, psychopathy, suicide, dissociative identity disorder, substance use disorder (methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, Adderall, Xanax, alcohol, cannabis), delusional disorder unspecified, eating disorder Silver Lining's Playbook (2012) - Bipolar disorder, OCD Wolf of Wall Street (2013) Substance use disorder (cocaine, Quaaludes, alcohol), narcissistic personality disorder

No mention of The Aviator? I mean overall it's a biopic, but his OCD is a big part of it

Donnie Darko, definitely.

Mental illness films are the best type of films

No actor or actress could possibly ever know or understand what a living hell depression is unless they experience it themselves.

I love Sybill. We had to watch it in my psychology class in high school and then take notes and talk about why Sally Field's character was the way she was. Sally Field became one of my favorite actresses. She did an excellent portrayal of a mental patient.

Fightclub? Psycho? Taxi Driver? Rainman? Birdman? The Dark Knight (Bruce is kinda paranoid and the joker is crazy)? Donny Darko? Misery? The Machinist? Clockwork Orange? Vertigo? The Imitation Game? What's Eating Gilbert Grape?? Forrest Gump (I know he is just less smart, but it is still great to see how 'different' people work)? Requiem of a Dream? And a great deal of horror movies. WatchMojo, this list misses A LOT of good, deep and famous films.

I always find it a bit pathetic that in so many films the "Social misfit" is also always physically attractive. It always feels like the film maker is effectively saying "Yeah, they're weird...But it's okay! They're pretty so they're not like those other ones".

Benny and Joon is one of the absolute BEST movies I've ever seen

girl, interrupted is my favorite movie I watch it every chance I get

There was one called "phoebe in wonderland" that I saw a few years ago. I want to be a child psychologist, and seeing a movie accurately represent a child's mental illness, the effect on the siblings, the help of a teacher, and the effect it had on parents was amazing

girl interrupted is everythinggggggg

Blue Jasmine with Cate Blanchett. Her progressive mental decline throughout the movie is heartbreaking. The final scene where she is talking to herself on the park bench is one of the best depictions of mental illness I’ve ever seen.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest wasn't even about mental illness! From Mark Herbst, Physician: The book is NOT about psychiatry it uses the hospital as a metaphor for abuse of power. Using one flew over the cookoo's nest to describe psychiatric illness is like using George Orwell's Animal Farm as a guide to animal husbandry

Thank you so much for doing this list Watchmojo. I struggle with depression and I like to watch movies based around mental health to help me feel better

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest is a masterpiece, by far my favorite movie

Requiem For a Dream- covers many faces of the disease of Addiction very hauntingly.

Girl, Interrupted is one of my all time favorite movies. I also have BPD and it rarely gets talked about. Also check out the show Crazy Ex Girlfriend it's the best depiction of BPD I've ever seen.

surpised psycho wasn't at least an honorable mention

Not even an honorable mention for What's Eating Gilbert Grape?

Definitely think The Clockwork Orange should have been included. Alex plays the most accurate depiction of a sociopath I've ever seen.

The Aviator is so good and one to watch! It’s the story of Howard Hughes who had severe OCD. I have OCD and it is very accurate

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is my favorite movie.

99.9% of you wont read/see this but You are loved and cared about. Have a blessed day

...would STILL recommend Bojack Horseman before all of these.

I like how you put the list in the description, that's what i appreciates about you watch mojo.

I think "we need to talk about Kevin" should've been on this video

Where's the Minions movie? That entire film was a mental illness

Girl Interrupted is one of my favorite movies

What about Bob! I credit it with helping me get through the worst of my depression. I still go back and watch it whenever I am having a tough time or just need a laugh.

expected "what's eating gilbert grape" to be on the list

I can think of a film I haven't seen anyone in the comments mention yet: "Mommy Dearest", from 1981, starring Faye Dunaway. True story about the crazy, abusive, alcoholic, and drug addicted Joan Crawford - and the hell her children had to endure. I'm surprised nobody mentioned it. I was always under the impression since I saw it as a kid in the early 90s that it was a "classic" of sorts.

I was in a band with a guy called Louie who was basically the percussion equivalent of Geoffrey Rush's character in Shine. Louie's dad used to beat him until he could play the drums perfectly, although he was never actually taught how to read sheet music. It does mean he puts a lot more soul and improvisation into his drumming, though, which made the rest of us follow suit and really carried the performance. Lovely guy, and the most incredible drum solos I've ever heard live.

Eternal sunshine of a spotless mind!!!

Every film starring Adam Sandler.

Did he just say, "pluh-thora"???

"Frances" with Jessica Lange was totally overlooked.

Anger Management, As Good As It Will Get, Rain Man, Fight Club, Any movie that depicts drug addiction. Requiem For A Dream!

Other HM's: The scribbler Shutter Island Delibal Private Number Trance Still Alice The truth about Emanuel Perfume: The story of a murder Stonehearst Asylum The silence of the lambs The shining The double Donnie Darko The machinist A cure for wellness Enemy Filth Identity Memento

I knew A Beautiful Mind would be on this list!! So good!

The Other Sister!! Cant believe no one has mentioned it. Charming, beautiful love story with amazing performances by Juliette Lewis, Giovanni Ribisi and Diane Keaton!

Girl, interrupted is one of my all time favourite movies. I was scared when I was first told I'm being transferred to the psychiatric hospital after an overdose and was close to death. I cried when I woke up in the ICU and they told me I was going to the hospital because I thought it would be like the movie. It was not. For those struggling with mental illness don't think that the hospital or seeing a psych is like it is in the movies because it's not. I encourage anyone struggling to please get help. It'll be okay. You're a beautiful person and you are worth it.

“The Voices” starring Ryan Reynolds is a great movie. It’s basically a comedy/drama about a man who’s schizophrenic. His cat and dog are the ‘voices’ at first, then later on his victims also begin talking to him. I totally recommend it.

how about we need to talk about Kevin? the way they showed a variety of mental illnesses was AMAZING, Ezra Miller was exceptional!

I actually saw Lars and the real girl back in the 11 grade in my psychology class-loved it!!!

Babadook is a great metaphor for depression, sad it didnt get mentioned

Benny and Joon is one of my favorite movies

I can watch "Melancholia" over and over. It's so good.

I love these kind of movies, please make a part two !

Donnie Darko, Shutter Island, What is Eating Gilbert Grape to just name a few

The Wall? That film pretty much covers every mental illness under the sun! AND has the soundtrack of the century to boot!

I think Leonardo De Caprio's Shutter Island should be in the list! One of Leo's best performance and 1 heck of a mind bending movie too..✌️

watching girl, interrupted legitimately changed my life

My old therapist suggested that I watch As Good as as it Gets and I have to say, it at least deserves an honorable mention

I feel like Spy Kids 3-D subtly depicted a mental illness called video game addiction

Somewhere on the list: Requiem for a dream (addiction)

Oh em gee!!! These movies were ALL amazing! Thank you for the flashes of greatness!!!

Perks of being a wallflower only an honourable mention.. Damn

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Girl, Interrupted is one of my favourite films!!!! I could watch it again and again. I've read the memoir too, and it's awesome.

The babadook is a really different movie , the whole expirence of it is very disturbing , there is something about the way it is recorded that it makes it seems so raw , the expressions , the textures of actor's skin,the lighting everything makes it so real , the whole story just keep you entangled between the idea of it being a psychological thriller or a horror mystery ,it depicts a very different and rather real approach to being a parent and specifically being a single parent of a disturb child and individualistic effects it has on the parent. Some moments in the movie were very heart warming such as when the mother doesn't kill the some but most of them when exploring the dark side of being a human , being a mother and being in a whole different parallel state of mind .THE THING I LEARNED from this movie is that we as humans don't know about the possibilities of evil and angelic we could reach if put in a certain environment and it also made me realize the pain of parents dealing with special children .The Babadook is a good movie to watch if you are in the mood of something spooky and emotionally intense , it doesn't has a lot of highs but it keeps you on a very delicate level of fear , emotions and mysteriousness, it left me with a deep feeling of agony , horror and definitely with the fear of shadows, there is something unexplainably raw about this film that makes it look possible .Areeba

Loved Black Swan, Darren Aronofsky really portrayed the darker side of Ballet. The psychological madness behind it is truly artistic but some people don't understand that because there's so much depth behind Nina's descent into madness that you have to watch it a few times to truly understand some of the scenes.

What about "Room" (Anger Issues, Depression, Suicidal, Stockholm Syndrome)

The Jacket with Adrien Brody. My second favorite movie of all time.

I loved Benny and Joon, it was heartclinching and hilarious and so so sweet. Johnny Depp really shows off his acting skills in this special movie, however, in another movie he portrayed a kind of heartsick teenager trying to help his family, a mixed motley crew of slightly off kilter members, while romancing a pretty girl. Who's afraid of Gilbert Grapes, I think is the name of it. It's worth a watch.

Is anybody else even kinda pissed that Donnie darko isn't even on this I mean come on

Jack Nicholson is the freaking best actor!

"The Dark Horse" starring Cliff Curtis based on the true story of Genesis Potini. He was a severe bipolar chess champion in New Zealand. Excellent film.

How could you have ignored "The Snake Pit"? It's one of the all-time classics of the genre.

Donnie Darko, Shutter Island and The Machinist are my top 3

holy crap, Christopher Walken was hot in the Deer Hunter

'Sybil' always makes me cry. Sally Field's put so much in to the part I actually felt her pain.

Where is a "silent voice"? that movie was amazing in depicting social anxiety and depression

It's kind of a funny story, prozac nation?

Lars and the real girl is so underrated

Oh im sorry, where the hell is Blue Sky's Jessica Lange, that she beautifully performed as a bipolar diseased wife and made her win the Academy Award for Best Actress???

Alan Parkers "Birdy" is missing from this list. It's a touching story with a great soundtrack by Peter Gabriel.

'Christine' starring Rebecca Hall, a true story of a television news anchor woman driven to suicide should be on this list. 'Veronika Decides to Die' starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, based on the book by Paul Coelho should also be included. Both Hall and Gellar give brutally honest performances depicting the depression that arises when one is detached from ones' life. Both actresses punch a hole through the often pre-conceived idea that to be depressed is to be upset. These films explore the true horror of depression...that to be depressed is to feel nothing...good bad or indifferent.

One of my personal favorite movies depicting mental illness is "The Soloist." I also love "What's Eating Gilbert Grape."

Fight Club is missing, also is Shutter Island and the Orphan...but great List tough!!

AS SOMEONE WITH BIPOLAR, THIS MOVIE SILVER LININGS HIT ME HARD-SPECIALLY LIKED THE LOVELY JENNIFER LAWRENCE

Donnie Darko is amazing as well