Narrativas da depressão nas telenovelas

Abstract

There is no shortage of evidence that cultural products such as soap operas can influence the habits and behaviors of their audiences. Traditionally in Brazil, soap operas, especially those from Rede Globo, continually promote social actions that, through "social merchandising", address important health issues such as depression, a disease that affects 10.2% of Brazilians over 18 years. Since soap operas address this health condition, our objective was, using the content analysis method, to observe 9 soap operas from the period 2000 to 2019, in order to understand how this important health condition is represented. In the study, we coded seven categories that described: 1. "Characteristics of Characters who Develop Depression," 2. "Types of Depression," 3. "Causes of Depression," 4. "Discovery of Depression and Symptoms," 5. "Undergone Treatments," 6. "Disease Outcomes," 7. "Dramatic Reasons." As a result, we noticed that the majority profile of characters who presented the illness are adult males from the middle class who have major depressive disorder, with various causes for the onset of the condition. However, most characters are not subjected to any treatment for this condition after its discovery, which contradicts its outcome, as generally, the characters fully recover. The presence of depression within the narratives was justified by the need to explore the suffering of the protagonist, or even the redemption of the character afflicted by depression, "as a learning experience" that would motivate the character towards profound changes in their behavior, as well as being justified as a mere dramatic device to modify or add new directions to the plot at hand. Overall, it seemed to us that the treatment given to the issue of depression is indifferent, lacking in care for a topic that could be a resource for enlightenment and education about this important health condition that affects the Brazilian population.