Dieter Declercq on animation and mental ill health for Time to Talk Day

Dr Dieter Declercq

Dr Dieter Declercq, Lecturer in Film and Media Studies in the School of Arts, has written about how the animation of BoJack Horseman is being used to reduce the stigma of mental ill health for Time to Talk Day, which is held today 6 February 2020.

Mental health problems affect one in four people, yet too many people are made to feel isolated, ashamed and worthless because of this. Time to Talk Day encourages everyone to be more open about mental health – to talk, to listen, to change lives.

In the piece, Dieter comments on animated series BoJack Horseman, which has received praise for its exploration of mental ill health, and provides insight into what makes animated cartoons particularly good at capturing what it’s like to experience mental ill health issues.

‘BoJack Horseman offers a window on experiences of mental ill health which may otherwise be inaccessible to some audiences’, says Dieter. ‘Likewise, the show may help people who are going through something similar to articulate their experiences to friends and family’.

Read the full piece on the Kent news page here:
www.kent.ac.uk/news/culture/24289/bojack-animation-and-mental-ill-health