Netflix's 'You' Shows That Not All Mental Illnesses Are Black Or White | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Television Streaming

Netflix's 'You' Shows That Not All Mental Illnesses Are Black Or White

A Netflix TV show or a psychology class?

123
girl on her phone

Recently, I just finished binge-watching the show "You," and I can tell you that it sent me on a wild emotional journey that I was not prepared for.

For those of you who don't know, the show is about a man — Joe — who becomes obsessed with this girl, Beck. He begins to stalk her and learn information about her and eventually they start dating. He loves her and will do anything for her love — including harm anyone who gets in their way. The show has so many twists and turns and is creepy but also insanely interesting and addictive. Just when you think you've had enough and don't need to see anymore, they do something that makes you have to come back and find out what happens next.

The thing that really got me about this show is how it shows the story from the perspective of Joe. Joe is a stalker and with that comes all the creepiness you think of, yet he also has a side of him that is caring, kind, thoughtful, and loving. Throughout the show, I found myself not only understanding him but rooting for him. There were times when I just knew he wasn't a bad guy and could start to explain away his behavior because we saw what he saw and could understand why he did what he did (no spoilers here!)

And while that might be a controversial opinion and maybe not everyone watching the show felt the same way I did, I think the show was trying to make a point. When you've never suffered from a mental illness it is easy to judge and hard to understand. We see people's actions and can clearly see how wrong they are and how crazy they are. Yet, when in that person's mind things don't look the same way. The lines between sane and insane, right and wrong, logical and illogical are severely blurred and when you become obsessed with something it can be hard to see beyond that. I think the show, underneath the drama and suspense, taught me how there are mental illnesses out there that are not easily diagnosable and more than that, way more complex than a simple right and wrong choice.

The show also showed the power of social media, and how in today's culture where we so easily share our lives on the internet it is so easy to be taken advantage of. It is insanely easy for someone to find you at any moment or to manipulate appearances to their motives. We must stay on our guard and always be careful. There are so many benefits from the internet and the way it has shrunk the size of the world and given us so much at our fingertips, however, with power comes great responsibility and we must never forget the duties that come with every social media account. Duties to others but also to our own safety.

This is not a perfect show and may not be for everyone. But I think that it is a show that teaches powerful lessons and says a lot behind the characters. In fact, I've even joked with a friend about taking a psychology class just on this show! Whether you watch it or not, be reminded that you must be careful out there in this world (don't live in fear please, but do be careful) and also approach mental illness with humility and the desire to understand and the attitude that is a world that many of us will never fully grasp.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
students
Sophia Palmerine

Dear High School Friend Group,

My sweet angels, where would I be without you guys. We all grew up together because we either met in middle school or high school and watched each other grow up and get "old." We got to go to prom together and then graduate together. Then watched each other as we continued our lives in college, joining sororities and meeting people who will impact our lives forever. It all has happened so fast.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

College In Gifs

Because we are all sad Jim Halpert

368
head on desk
Wise GEEK

Oh college, we can’t live with you, but we can’t live without you. It’s a love/hate relationship, really. College is an experience that no one can ever prepare you for, and maybe that’s a good thing. You never really expect any of the things that college encompasses until you are there. College is fun, but don’t have too much fun. C’s get degrees, but they don’t get you into graduate school.

Keep Reading...Show less
Blair Waldorf

The "Gossip Girl" series may be over, but Blair Waldorf's iconic character lives in our hearts forever. Blair was the queen of the Upper East Side, and a character you either loved or hated. She taught us everything we needed to know about life, love and of course, how to score a Chuck Bass. So the next time you feel a bit lost and are in need of guidance, look no further than to the Queen B herself.

As I spend my Sunday avoiding my homework and other adult responsibilities, I realized that I've watched this series over and over about a million times. Sadly, there isn't a Blair quote I don't know, so I came up with a list of a few favorites. You know you love her...xoxo

Keep Reading...Show less
class
Odyssey

College is an endless cycle of crappy, sleepless nights, tedious, boring lectures, and hours of never-ending piles of homework.

Keep Reading...Show less
two women enjoying confetti

Summer: a time (usually) free from school work and a time to relax with your friends and family. Maybe you go on a vacation or maybe you work all summer, but the time off really does help. When you're in college you become super close with so many people it's hard to think that you won't see many of them for three months. But, then you get that text saying, "Hey, clear your schedule next weekend, I'm coming up" and you begin to flip out. Here are the emotions you go through as your best friend makes her trip to your house.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments