Tomasz Kus
3027148
Introduction to Disabilities Studies
October 8 2013 Disabilities Framed in Commercials

I found two commercials about disability. One was about mental health awareness and the other about autism. The commercials were framed though different models. I will compare the models used the critique how the commercials were framed. I found the advertisement made by HeadsUp video campaign about mental health awareness http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mental+health+commercial. In society there is a stigma placed upon mental illness despite that it can affect anyone at any age. It is socially acceptable to tell others they are diabetic, have cancer, or have other illnesses regarding the body but when the mind is involved people are viewed as “strange” or out of the ordinary when they speak about it. For this reason it is not talked about much and people tend to keep their mental illness to themselves but at the same time would like to speak about what they are feeling so they can get the help they might need. The person then feels stuck and feels as if they are the only one feeling like that because no one else seems to speak about it. Statistics show mental illness is common and effects 20% of Canadians (Fast Facts about Mental Illness). If more people spoke about it then there would not be such a stigma attached to it. The commercial lets people know there is nothing wrong with opening up about mental illness and is attempting to change societies negative views about the issue. The commercial shows a girl going through a panic attack and brings the viewer into the mind of someone going through it. If someone watching this had no idea what a panic attack feels like the video shows what it might feel like. The echoing of her voice and dark night added to the intensity so the viewer can grasp the emotion of what she is going through. The