This master’s thesis explores the portrayal of mental disorders in American movies and TV shows, examining how they utilize mental disorders to shape the narrative and the perception of the disorders themselves. While the visual arts have the potential to educate, destigmatize, and foster empathy towards individuals with mental health issues, it also has the capacity to perpetuate stereotypes, sensationalize these issues, and inadvertently romanticize them. Through the detailing of the historical context pertinent to the perception of mental disorders by the general public, this thesis sheds light on the power of the trends, medical advancements, and societal shifts in shaping societal attitudes towards mental health and mental disorders. It underscores the connection between the depictions of mental disorders and the historical context that shaped and shifted the perceptions of them. An analysis of three mental disorders via recent American movies and TV shows details the tropes that characterize their portrayals. The examples of Please Stand By and The Good Doctor show that the “othering” of characters with disorders happens perhaps nowhere as frequently as in terms of ASD. The trope of “softening” or “overcoming” the disorder through love and perseverance is used at its fullest when depicting characters with ASD. That young people are a disheveled version of adults who are in constant battle with the world around them and that that is something admirable, is a trope best portrayed by the depiction of depression and anxiety in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and 13 Reasons Why. Romanticizing suicide as revenge and revenge out of love that leads to mental deterioration, as well as finding solace solely in other people who also have mental health issues can make depression seem desirable despite the pain it brings with it. Finally, equalizing mental disorders with being evil, violent, or monstrous, as can be seen with the DID portrayal in Split and Moon Knight, further stigmatizes the disorder, especially when purposefully used to create interest around the film or show. While Hollywood profits off of sensationalized portrayals of mental health issues, it is important to keep in mind that it can only do so thanks to the interaction between the audience and the medium. The fear of the unknown, the romantic view of suffering, and the division between “us” and “them” are themes that should be explored artistically, as they have been explored for a long time, however, with a less stigmatizing approach.