Often existing in secret and endured in isolation, mental illness has been part of the human condition for thousands of years. Left undiagnosed, the complicated disease can last a lifetime. Left untreated, it can lead to addiction, homelessness, prison, or even harm to self or others.
While public policy, research, and education are crucial elements in the movement of understanding mental illness, the most important – and often most difficult step – is talking about it.
In an effort to demystify and destigmatize mental health conditions, executive producer Ken Burns presents Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness, a film by Erik Ewers and Christopher Loren Ewers. Providing an unvarnished window into daily life with mental health challenges, the two-part documentary centers on the mental health crisis among youth in America. Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness premieres on Monday, July 11, with part two airing on July 18 at 9 p.m. on WSBE Rhode Island PBS.
Featuring first-person accounts from more than 20 young people ranging in age from 11-27 who live with mental health conditions, the film confronts issues of stigma, discrimination, awareness, and silence. Speaking openly about their mental health journeys and the insurmountable obstacles they face daily, the diverse group of individuals sheds light on the universality of mental health challenges.
Among the young people in the film who lived with mental health challenges are:
- A teenager who surrenders to addiction at the age of 15
- A young Native American woman who feels so isolated she contemplates suicide
- A transgender teen who goes through periods of profound joylessness and substance abuse
- A high school freshman whose childhood hallucinations intensify after a series of assaults
- A 14-year-old boy who is plagued by intrusive thoughts and withdraws into his own world
By giving the youth in America an elevated platform to share their stories, Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness begins a critical conversation, helping advance a shift in the public perception of mental health issues today. For more information about Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness, click here.
Earlier this year, Rhode Island PBS Weekly produced three stories about youth mental health issues, found here, here, and here. The stories will encore on Rhode Island PBS Weekly on Sunday, July 3 (and Wednesday, July 6) at 7:30 p.m. Production of the three stories was made possible by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. Rhode Island PBS also examined perspectives on youth mental health, particularly related to the social isolation imposed by the COVID-19 lockdowns, called 'Silent Struggle' from April 14, 2021.
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