10 pop culture characters who accurately depict mental health issues

Jessica Cruz

Superheroes and mental health are intertwining themes throughout comic book media history. While many heroes tackle mental health both in their civilian lives and during their heroic gigs, the realism in Jessica Cruz’s character development lies in the fact that she sometimes becomes consumed by her PTSD and anxiety. She’s enduring recurrent flashbacks and literal nightmares of her friends being murdered during their camping trip.

Having been the only survivor of the incident, she carried a lot of residual guilt and became consumed by her PTSD and anxiety to the point where it manifested into agoraphobia. Particularly in Green Lanterns Rebirth, DC Comics doesn’t just offer a magic cure for her mental health conditions or symptoms.

Issue 15 better illustrates how she still has to cope with her PTSD and anxiety. Often, she still had to conjure up the willpower just to sit up in bed. That’s a realistic goal for anyone who’s recovering from the lingering side effects of a traumatic event.

Her comic cameos and her role in Justice League vs. the Fatal Five depict Jessica’s ongoing relationship by illustrating the genuine ups and downs of mental health. In some panels, she’s confident enough to take on a fleet of villains. In another instance, her biggest battle is just trying to leave her apartment. Other days, she uses her in-battle facade to hide her unease. In short, Jessica Cruz shows that mental health is a wavering variable and there’s no way to predict how you need to cope with your personal psychological standings for the day. Nonetheless, she has no probable in admitting that she isn’t okay or that she needs help.