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Advice On Writing About Mental Illness?

@SingSongKV group forum 5 comments schedule
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@SingSongKV group

Without spoiling too much, I have a idea for a rpg game where the main protagonist gets transported to another world based off her cognition where she has to (literally and figuratively) battle with representions of the things that caused her and her friends (who have bipolar disorder and anxiety respectively) grief.

The problem is, I'm afraid this might come across as saying you can just "defeat mental illness" and get better, making the illness the entire character, or romanticizing it, which I don't want, as the main protagonist has depression from trauma. Is there a way I can write this that isn't insensitive? (If wanted, I'll share more details to clear things up)

person_off
Deleted user

As someone who has many (too many) mental illnesses, i can say that there are many things you can do to help you feel better, but the illness will still always be there. It always comes back, and sometimes it's easier to deal with, and sometimes its harder to deal with. All I can say is that it can feel like you defeat your mental illnesses, but they always come back. I hope this makes sense and helps you. Sorry if I'm just rambling.

As someone who has many (too many) mental illnesses, i can say that there are many things you can do to help you feel better, but the illness will still always be there. It always comes back, and sometimes it's easier to deal with, and sometimes its harder to deal with. All I can say is that it can feel like you defeat your mental illnesses, but they always come back. I hope this makes sense and helps you. Sorry if I'm just rambling.

The person asked about how to write mental illness, not how to cope with mental illness.

router
Mt. G router

(Following this thread. Great question.)

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@Becfromthedead group

I've seen something similar to this before and honestly? It'd be much improved if 1. The characters in the real world are also in some sort of therapy and 2. It's not a one-time-thing, cure-all kind of situation. Maybe it's hinted they may have to fight these things again in the future. Maybe it just gives them a push forwards in their healing journey and keeping their mental illness in check.
Tl;dr: as long as you don't present this as "We fought these entities, now they're all better!" you're off to a good start.