“No One Has a Fundraiser for a Family in a Mental Health Crisis”: Constructing Mental Health as Bodies of Moral Worth

Abstract

As United States citizens experience the rising cost of health care and the economic impact of COVID-19, they have turned toward other means of securing financial assistance. One popular strategy is the use of crowdfunding through GoFundMe (GFM). Recently, scholars have examined the mechanisms behind a “successful “ campaign. However, few scholars explore how these narratives are constructed. Using narrative inquiry, we examined the narrative structure of 83 GFM requests with the aim of understanding how people construct those seeking financial assistance for mental health as people of moral worth. Our results reveal that narratives are typically structured through the hero/heroine's story arch, often focusing on how the person has much to offer to society, is ready for change through whatever means necessary, and is only seeking requests after exhausting all other options. Such constructions may inadvertently further perpetuate stigma toward mental health needs and those who experience mental health crises.