Guest Post: The Mental Health Benefits of Reading Comics

There has been plenty of discussion recently about mental health and how it impacts people. Everyone is always looking for ways to improve their mental health, whether they want to cheer up, help their kids grow, or just to entertain themselves. Comic books may be a good solution to all of those problems. Why? Find out!

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Coping With Claustrophobia: The Mental Health Journey Of Storm

The X-Men house some of the most recognisable superheroes in the Marvel Universe, and Storm is certainly one of the most powerful. Strong, intelligent and noble, Ororo Munroe is a staple member of the team, helping to guide a new generation of mutants.

But even the mightiest of superheroes aren’t immune to mental health disorders, and Storm is no different. Storm suffers from claustrophobia, a debilitating condition felt by people across the globe. But rather than it being a weakness, I think Storm’s claustrophobia makes her more relatable.

Glass Explores The Notion That Superpowers Are The Result Of Mental Health Disorders

I’ve always found the psychology of superheroes to be fascinating. What motivates them to save the world? Did they gain their powers for a reason or was it simply an act of chance? Are superpowers merely a delusion? Those questions form the heart of M. Night Shyamalan’s Glass, which portrays superheroes as mentally ill people with delusions of grandeur. I’m taking a closer look at the subject matter of Glass to see how mental health and superpowers are linked together.

Coping With Anxiety: Jessica Cruz And Her Identity As A Mental Health Role Model

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health disorders, affecting people all over the world. Whether in social situations or not, it can leave a person feeling worthless and paralysed. A superhero that’s needed to fight anxiety everyday is Jessica Cruz. As Earth’s first female Green Lantern, Jessica has a big role to fill, but her anxiety has made it difficult to fight crime. Her mental health struggles have been presented in an authentic way and I believe Jessica is a role model for people who suffer with anxiety.

Acknowledging CTE As A Serious Illness With Luke Cage And His Superhero Identity

Superheroes are relatable because they struggle with their health. Whether it’s a physical or mental disorder, some characters find it hard to come to terms with what they’re experiencing. A disorder that needs to be talked about more is chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This illness is associated with head trauma and causes aggression, memory loss, depression and dementia.

CTE is a disorder that affects athletes and soldiers because of their exposure to high impacts. Luke Cage was diagnosed with CTE and he struggled to accept it. I’m examining the nature of CTE and how Luke’s diagnosis helped to shine a light on a disease that needs to be taken seriously.

6 Reasons Why Comics Can Improve Mental Health

Mental health has become one of the most important topics in the world. Anxiety, depression and poor self-esteem are all issues that need to be talked about and destigmatized. Comics have helped me to feel more comfortable about my anxiety. They’ve made me passionate about wanting to promote positive mental health. Comics have the power to improve mental health and here are six reasons why.

Exploring The Link Between Superpowers And Dissociative Identity Disorder With Typhoid Mary

Mental health issues can strike in anyone, with the problems happening for a variety of reasons. Someone might suffer from anxiety because of child abuse, while another person may suffer from depression because their parents had it. Comic characters can be a poignant reflection of mental health, with Typhoid Mary being one of the strongest examples. Suffering from dissociative identity disorder, Mary Walker has three different personalities. The cause of her mental health problems are attributed to Daredevil, which makes her a compelling villain for The Man Without Fear.

6 Mental Health Disorders That Superheroes Struggle With

When people read comics, they look to superheroes as role models, as representations of strength. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve thought about how awesome having superpowers could be. It’s easy to forget that superheroes struggle with their mental health like anyone else.

Even a hero as powerful as Superman has battled with imposter syndrome, being caught between two worlds, questioning his place on Earth. Mental health disorders make no distinction between a superpowered alien or an average person. Superheroes are prone to a host of mental health problems and The Comic Vault has come up with six of the most common.