Given that all forms of fiction are based, to a greater or lesser extent, on reality (one can't, for example, conjure up an imagined, truly unique color that is not based on those present in reality), the lines between what is completely fictional in popular literature and that which is not are often blurred. The focus of this article is on misconceptions formed about lesser-known illnesses or disorders, notably mental illnesses, and how authors are best equipped to use mentally ill characters in a way that is accurate and does not unduly add to the stigma that those with mental illness face.

For the purposes of illustration, let us create a fictional superhero called Cobra. Cobra obtained his superpowers of venomous bites, extreme speed, and agility after being bitten by, you guessed it, a cobra. The city of Harmonium is under siege from a group of misfit criminals who are led by a madman named Willy. A former circus clown, he now juggles his time between harassing the city's men and women and murdering their children. Our superhero, Cobra, learns that Willy is a schizophrenic with a history of severe anxiety and panic attacks. He devises a plan to infuse his venom into Willy's sleeping tablets and put a stop to the madness ravaging the city.

In our story, the reader is led to make certain assumptions. Naturally, the reader is aware (from his world experience and education) that the notion of obtaining superpowers through a snake bite is far-fetched and that Harmonium is a fictional city. He reads for the sake of entertainment, does not look up every word that is unfamiliar to him, and naturally does not bother to fact-check all or any information delivered to him through a story. He has no experience dealing directly with a schizophrenic person and has read previous stories in which murderous, madman villains are depicted as being schizophrenic. Without realizing it, the reader has been given the false impression that “schizophrenic” equals “homicidal maniac," and why would he question this when it is really of no consequence to him as he has never knowingly encountered a schizophrenic person?

Similarly, most of the unhinged villains in the popular franchise of Batman films can be classified as having mental disorders, and they are diagnosable under DSM-5 for having severe mental disorders. However, their traits are wildly exaggerated, and therefore viewers are able to discern that what they are seeing is parody and does not mirror reality.

Having looked at this matter from different angles, authors and/or screenwriters need to have insight into what they are conveying to their audiences. As with all subject matter, it is paramount that proper and thorough research be undertaken. A lack thereof could easily be the reason a book or movie is made de trop or ridiculed. A simple example, and one that I see commonly used incorrectly, is not differentiating properly between the terms asocial and anti-social, the latter being a term to describe a person who acts against the norms of society, often in a criminal manner.

Hopefully, this article is useful in the depiction of characters who have a mental illness and that readers have gathered insight into how an audience's perceptions are influenced by the way the writer portrays characters from different troubling backgrounds.