Picture a horror villain.
Chances are, you envisioned a killer lurking in the dark, blade gleaming and ready to slash a bumbling teenager. Or perhaps you thought of an elderly woman exhibiting increasingly strange behaviors as the story progresses, her mind slowly succumbing to a spiritual entity seeking revenge. In most cases, this villain has a reason for their sinister actions.
But how often are these explanations at the expense of a mental illness?
The horror genre often capitalizes on mental health disorders to paint a horrifying picture of a villain on the prowl. These conditions are used to propel the narrative and justify the villain’s behavior. But what happens when we step out of the genre and focus on how these portrayals often result in damaging and harmful stereotypes affecting those with these diagnoses?
The fear that horror media builds upon often perpetuates harmful public perceptions of these conditions. Anyone who has never engaged with someone who has a mental illness—their only exposure coming from these forms of media—may subconsciously recall these harmful representations when thinking of these mental health disorders. Because the horror genre portrays villains with mental illness as dangerous and unpredictable, these changes threaten real-world perceptions in damaging ways.
Iconic films and portrayals do not excuse the damaging and harmful impact they have in representing mental health. Perhaps the most controversial representation of mental illness is Kevin in M. Night Shyamalan’s film Split. This film follows a group of girls who have been kidnapped by a man with multiple personalities. One of these identities, The Beast, displays animalistic behaviors with the notion of cleansing the world. Split directly weaponizes Dissociative Identity Disorder by suggesting these individuals are dangerous and unpredictable when this is a complex mental health condition rooted in trauma.
The horror genre’s continuous exploitation of mental health disorders for a scare factor also affects individuals with these diagnoses. Representation in film and literature matters; people want to feel connected, heard, and understood. So when mental health disorders are portrayed negatively, that representation can harm their self-image.
Of course, not every example of horror contributes to these stigmas. Horror media can effectively evoke a scare factor when using metaphors as the driving force of the narrative. In Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook, the mother’s grief is embodied by a creature that clings to her throughout the film. The mother does not push away her feelings of sorrow, but learns to live with those emotions. Grief is part of the human experience, often shaping relationships and affecting someone’s mental and physical health, and the film captures this essence without turning the mother into the villain. The Babadook emphasizes how grief is not something to be conquered, but understood.
When the horror genre focuses on the experience rather than the behaviors, this media not only becomes more terrifying, but also more honest. The horror genre can effectively deliver a scare factor without using mental illness as the justification for a villain’s actions. The character simply exists without becoming the monster. Horror media can capture the internal chaos, isolation, and fear that mental conditions may bring without making the character who lives with a mental health disorder the danger.
Although the horror genre intends to scare, audiences should acknowledge how this media may cement harmful misconceptions and stereotypes about mental illnesses. Horror media should ignite a reaction rather than deepening feelings of fear and isolation or causing harmful associations at the expense of mental health.
So, picture a horror villain.
How has your picture changed?
Savannah Zeiler
Student Representative, Southwestern Region, 2025-2026
Epsilon Theta Chapter, President
Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, AR
Sigma Tau Delta
Sigma Tau Delta, International English Honor Society, was founded in 1924 at Dakota Wesleyan University. The Society strives to
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- Serve society by fostering literacy.
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