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Nervine Tablet Advertisement
The title addresses men, urging them to buy tablets because it’s unpleasant to live with a nervous wife—implying only women suffer from anxiety. This reflects gender stereotypes of the time, portraying women as fragile and framing mental health as a burden to men, not a real concern. The ad claims the product soothes the nervous system during “nervous irritable spells,” using outdated terms that reflect the era’s limited medical understanding and lack of mental health awareness. -
Pilgrim State Hospital Photograph
After researching the photo’s background, I found it was taken at Pilgrim State Hospital, a psychiatric facility. The key focus is the people in straight jackets. One man with his head down, the other looking at the camera, both appear anguished, tired, and in pain. There are no signs of happiness, even from the men in the back. This reflects the mistreatment of psychiatric patients at the time, showing they were viewed as insane and treated poorly, rather than cared for properly. -
Phosferine Tonic Wine Advertisement
The product description suggests the ad targets individuals with depression or anxiety, promoting wine as a cure without scientific evidence. Its sole rhetorical appeal is ethos, referencing Miss AK Hereford—likely the winner of the Miss Hereford Pageant in Texas. Relying on her quote rather than data is notable. The ad also appears directed exclusively at women, reinforcing gendered assumptions that nervous conditions primarily affect women, rather than men or others. -
KGH Foundation Commercial
The significance of this video campaign lies in its message. The man escapes his reality, revealing his struggle with depression, but outwardly claims to be fine, possibly due to stigma. He feels misunderstood and unheard. The text at the end, "we hear you," emphasizes the campaign's goal to reduce stigma and encourage help-seeking. The foundation's dedication to mental health shows that these disorders are taken seriously, and efforts are made to validate people's feelings. -
Rexulti Commercial
The smiley face mask the woman holds symbolizes "masking"—hiding depression symptoms. The ad promotes a medication that, taken with an antidepressant, further reduces symptoms. Proven effective by scientists, the medication highlights the growing acknowledgment of mental health disorders as serious conditions. The commercial emphasizes how researchers didn’t dismiss symptoms but instead tested products to develop an effective treatment for depression. -
CNN Health Newspaper Article
The most important aspect of the article is its vocabulary, using clinical terms like depression, symptoms, and psychologist to describe mental health conditions and professions. It cites credible sources such as the CDC, Child Mind Institute, and Johnson Depression Center, showing society’s value of mental health research. The article links reduced stigma to more reported issues, reflecting society’s growing awareness and efforts to encourage seeking help and treating mental health disorders.