Superhero Mentality: Polaris

In recent years, mental health management has become one of the most talked about topics in the world. More and more people are opening up about their disorders and changing the perception of mental health. But coping with a disorder like anxiety or depression is an ongoing battle. Finding positive role models who’ve gone through similar experiences can help you realise that you’re not alone. Look no further than superheroes.

Superhero Mentality is a series that’s dedicated to finding positive lifestyle routines through the lens of different characters. Polaris is a hero who’s struggled with her mental health for years. A sufferer of bipolar disorder, Lorna Dane’s story is highly relatable from a millennial point of view. That’s why I’ve created a mental health routine that I think she’d stick to. Perhaps it can inspire other millennials to find their own coping strategies.

Advertisement

All-New X-Factor: Change Of Decay Review: A Heartfelt Graphic Novel About Owning Your Place

Compared to big teams like The Avengers and X-Men, X-Factor has always been considered small time. In the past, the group has acted as a mutant detective agency, being led by characters like Multiple Man and Havok. In Peter David’s All-New X-Factor: Change Of Decay, the team has taken on a corporate identity. Polaris leads the roster of Quicksilver, Gambit, Cypher, Warlock and Danger on a mission to rescue a girl from her mutant-hating father. The situation gets a lot more complicated in a graphic novel that’s filled with awesome character interactions.

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.

Addressing Millennial Mental Health With Polaris And Why She Is So Relatable

Figuring out who you are is a struggle that everyone relates to. Whether you come from a big or small family, it can be hard to step out of someone else’s shadow. The struggle to define yourself may take an emotional toll, which is the kind of situation that Polaris has found herself in before. Lorna Dane is a character that has needed to overcome a lot of obstacles in her life. As the daughter of Magneto she’s had to step out of the shadow of his infamy while battling her own mental health issues. Based on her experiences Polaris is a relatable character for a lot of millennials and I’m investigating her history to see how much she’s overcome.