On Shaky Ground: Stigma and Otherness in Direct-to-Consumer Advertising for Bipolar Disorder Drug Treatments

Abstract

Along with rising diagnoses for bipolar spectrum disorders, direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements for bipolar disorder treatments have increased in recent years. This study textually analyzes 25 ads from the brands Vraylar, Caplyta, and Latuda based on the theory and method of Hall, and supported by the work of Goffman and Thoits on stigma. Findings show that ads embodied the ambivalence associated with the spectacle of the other. Additionally, ads largely ignored the stigma of bipolar disorder, placing emphasis on the “in-between” phase where protagonists receive treatment. This emphasis on the “in-between” often creates a fetishized view of the protagonist with ill mental health.