EDITORIAL

HBO’s record-breaking hit, Euphoria, which debuted in 2019, has become one of the most popular and highly anticipated series for teens today. Garnering reactions ranging from outrage to appreciation, it is seen as an honest, new-age depiction of a teen’s high school experience. Seamlessly capturing the “high-school experience,” the series centers on a group of friends, each with their own set of problems. Attempting to not succumb to Hollywood’s romanticism of drugs and sex, Euphoria delves into these important and necessary topics of substance abuse, mental health, relationships, sexuality, and identity. But whether the producers of Euphoria accurately represented the “high-school experience” is a highly debatable topic. 

Exploring the heavy topics of substance abuse, mental health, relationships, sexuality, and identity, Euphoria has the representation for teenagers we need. However, by not providing consequences for the characters actions, Euphoria does not accurately represent these heavy subjects. Characters repeatedly endanger themselves and others, and yet miraculously continue to avoid major catastrophe or even parental intervention. While they emerge back in the next episode mostly unscathed and shaken up, there have never been real consequences. By not addressing the brutal, honest outcomes and mental impacts of selling one’s body online, the show inadvertently promotes the glamourization of child pornogrpahy. For younger audiences, when their favorite characters do not receive consequential repercussions for their actions, they may see this as normal. Teenagers may believe that sexualizing themselves is a form of reclaiming a part of their bodies, when in reality, they are too young to fully understand the consequences of selling one’s body online. While we should be free to express our sexuality and exert control over our bodies, this perversion of feminism encourages women and girls to chase desirability in detrimental ways and to base their self-worth on sexual attractiveness. This can exacerbate the objectification and sexualization of women and underage girls. 

In Euphoria, the brutal depiction of mental illnesses and substance abuse leaves no room for glorification. According to a New York Times interview, two recovering drug addicts, “saw a representation of their lives in the show.” Euphoria’s depiction of the ‘highs and lows of drugs’ are realistic: they are addictive and relieving, yet always fleeting. According to the anonymous recovering drug addicts, addiction is not romanticized in the show but instead provides viewers with the raw, brutal effects of substance abuse. Euphoria poignantly encapsulates the painful realities of those who suffer from health issues and drug addictions. The Mayo Clinic defines drug addiction as a disease of the brain. It takes over a person’s ability to make rational decisions, think about long-term consequences, and control impulses. It has the ability to rapidly change the brain, particularly in adolescents whose brains are still developing. Euphoria follows Rue as her drug use continues to wreck her relationships with the people around her signaling a grim warning to younger viewers. 

In an age of mass-media consumption, according to the Integrative Life Center, unrealistic portrayals of mental illnesses have the “ability to shape how we see the world,” particularly targeting impressionable youth. Recent research led by Northwestern Medicine has suggested that pop culture perpetuates harmful stereotypes of those with mental illnesses. These stigmatizations are highly misleading, resulting in dangerous and lasting impacts on their young viewers. As the film industry begins to feature mental illnesses to their audiences – teenagers in particular – they tend to graze over the reality of struggling with mental health: debilitating emotional health, physical appearance, and familial relationships. Not only does this plant inaccurate portrayals of mental health into the consumers’ minds, but it also normalizes and downplays the damage that mental health can have, allowing glorification to seep in. 

For Bryn Mawr students, Euphoria may not accurately depict the ‘average’ high-school experience; however, in neighboring schools, similar stories are not uncommon. In my family, mental illness is rarely talked about. For many families the topic of mental illness is often obscured with taboo and stigma, which hinders open communication and sincere relationships. Despite the geographic differences of where Euphoria is set, it immediately resonated with my classmates and me. We frequently utilize Euphoria as an outlet to have conversations about drug use, mental health, relationships, gender, and sexuality: validating and providing a sense of relatability to those going through similar issues. 

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Zendaya, who plays Rue, said, “[Euphoria] is in no way a moral tale to teach people how to live their life or what they should be doing. If anything… it is to hopefully help people feel a bit less alone in their experience and their pain. And maybe feel like they’re not the only one going through or dealing with what they’re dealing with.” I firmly believe that Euphoria does not intentionally glorify online sex work, however the problem arises when it perpetuates harmful stereotypes and trivializes such topics, feeding stigmas into the minds of their young viewers. Despite the possible negative repercussions, highlighting topics such as mental illness and the exploration of sexuality in film is not a bad thing – in fact, it shouldn’t be discouraged. It can provide opportunities for more intimate discussions by forming an environment that makes people going through these issues feel a little less lonely. We need more shows like Euphoria that are willing to address these taboo topics, as this has the potential to provide a sense of comfort to those struggling with similar issues – reminding us that we are not alone.