Individuals often utilise coping strategies during moments of internal or external stress and or trauma to help manage difficult emotions (Folkman and Lazarus 1980). For those with anxiety disorders, coping strategies may include meditation, deep breathing, humour, or avoidant behaviour (Mind 2021; NHS 2022c). In The Healing Powers of Dude and Sex Education, we see Noah and Aimee use avoidant behaviour. Avoidance can manifest in various forms such as distraction, denial, or procrastination; this article focuses on situational avoidance, where individuals avoid specific triggers, people, places, or activities (McKay, Fanning and Ona 2011).

Immediately following an experience of sexual assault, Aimee in Sex Education minimises her trauma, as seen in her conversation with Maeve. This minimisation is a form of cognitive distortion (APA 2023), where Aimee downplays the significance of her experience to cope with her emotions.

Throughout the season, Aimee employs avoidance, avoiding triggers such as the bus where the assault occurred and intimacy with her boyfriend. Aimee’s avoidance can be seen as critique of the societal tendency to minimize sexual assault. Sexual harassment and assault have become so normalised and minimised in society (Hlavka 2014) that those who use abusive behaviour may not recognise their actions as abusive. While the media has often upheld myths around sexual assault, with sexual assault being minimised (NSVSS 2018), Sex Education takes a different approach, which validates Aimee’s feelings and trauma, rather than minimising them.

While avoidance may offer a reduction in anxiety, this is short term (Littleton et al. 2007); it prevents individuals from confronting their triggers, potentially worsening their condition over time. This aligns with Snyder and Pulvers’ (2001) assertion that avoidance is a maladaptive coping strategy, impeding adequate adjustment to difficult situations. However, as the season progresses, we see a conversation between Aimee and Maeve, who suggests she should speak with someone. Aimee’s journey towards seeking therapy highlights a shift towards more adaptive coping mechanisms, illustrating the potential for growth and healing – a situation which is further discussed in theme two below.

Similarly, in The Healing Powers of Dude, Noah uses avoidance to manage his social anxiety, avoiding school and social interactions to the extent of being homeschooled. Scholars have argued that homeschooling can be an effective method to reduce anxiety associated with attending school (Fortune-Wood 2007; Wray and Thomas 2013), but its long-term impact on mental health and socialisation is not well-documented (Havik and Ingul 2021). Noah’s return to school after two years exemplifies significant avoidance; research indicates that avoiding anxiety-provoking situations can increase anxiety levels, creating a self-perpetuating avoidance-reinforcement cycle (Havik and Ingul 2021). In addition, this representation by The Healing Powers of Dude, demonstrates the affluent background of Noah, whose dad is able to stay home to home school him, ultimately using their economic capital to improve Noah’s experiences. However, this is not the reality for many families and a significant proportion of young people will not have this same access.

Noah’s struggle is vividly depicted when he experiences a panic attack on his first day back at school.

This scene illustrates Noah’s maladaptive coping strategy and its dramatic impact on his life. Avoiding social situations can hinder academic achievement, social development, and future employment opportunities (Garry 1996, Pellegrini 2007, Taylor 2012).

Using visual metaphors, such as Noah’s head growing during his panic attack, The Healing Powers of Dude employs visual storytelling to convey the overwhelming nature of anxiety. As a TV show aimed at children and young people, this is an impactful visual to enhance viewers’ understanding of the characters experience. Moreover, as highlighted by Stuart (2006) mental health conditions are often portrayed in a generic manner, with no specific characteristics or diagnoses shared in children’s TV. Therefore, this is a new type of representation which is important and may enhance children and young people’s understanding and awareness of mental health condition.

Both shows underscore that while avoidance may temporarily alleviate anxiety, it can have detrimental long-term effects. By portraying the nuanced experiences of Noah and Aimee, these shows contribute to the broader discourse on mental health, emphasing the importance of health coping mechanisms and the potential for growth through seeking support and therapy. In essence, the shows offer valuable insights into the complexities of avoidance, presenting it as a common but ultimately unproductive strategy for managing anxiety. These portrayals can educate and encourage viewers to seek healthier ways of coping, reflecting on the shows’ commitment to address mental health with sensitivity and depth, as shown by Aimee’s move towards therapy, and Noah eventually overcoming his cycle of avoidance through the help of his emotional support dog. Enter, Dude.

The prevalence of mental health conditions, particularly anxiety, among individuals aged 10–19 is concerning (WHO 2021). Studies show that adolescents with mental health conditions often feel unsafe at school and a lack of peer support (Newlove-Delago et al. 2022), highlighting the importance of accessible support services. While different types of therapy and support are shown in Sex Education and The Healing Powers of Dude, these are presented unrealistically. This could lead viewers to misunderstand the complexities and current state of accessing mental health support.

In The Healing Powers of Dude, we see Noah unable to make it through the front door on his first day of school; the very next day his parents get him an emotional support dog (ESD), to support him and encourage him to go into the school.

This representation overlooks several important aspects. Firstly, the process of obtaining Dude is portrayed unrealistically; this happens quickly without acknowledgement of the extensive process of obtaining an ESD. Moreover, unlike service animals, ESDs lack specialised training and do not have the same legal rights to access public spaces (Americans with Disabilities Act 2020; Equality Act 2010). The unrealistic portrayal of anxiety support in The Healing Powers of Dude, where Dude is allowed in school without proper supervision and legal considerations, underscores the need for more accurate media representations of mental health support. Furthermore, despite the increasing use of ESDs in the United States of America (USA), particularly in schools, media representations like The Healing Powers of Dude overlook the complexities involved in acquiring and integrating ESDs into one’s life (APA 2022; Krause-Pareollo et al. 2018; Schoenfeld et al. 2017).

The representation of Noah’s parents and their advocacy for him as a young person and student are central to the series. The portrayal of Noah’s parents highlights the significant role that economic and cultural capital play in accessing resources and support (Bourdieu 1986). Their privilege allows Noah to obtain Dude with relative ease, contrasting sharply with the struggles faced by families who do not have such resources (Lareau 2011). The portrayal of mental health in media often fails to capture the diverse realities of individuals experiencing mental health conditions. By focusing on a character from an affluent background, the show may inadvertently reinforce a narrow view of mental health support services, overlooking systemic barriers; this aligns with the critique of media representations that tend to highlight individual success stories while ignoring broader structural issues (Ellis 2015).

While Noah’s support is in the form of Dude, Aimee seeks support for her PTSD from a therapist. While the assault occurred in season two, Sex Education does not disregard this experience, and they continue to address her experience in season three.

Following this conversation, Maeve arranges for Aimee to speak with Jean (a main character on the show who is a sex therapist). Aimee begins therapy in the next episode, attending several sessions; these sessions focus on giving Aimee back her power, letting her know that what happened was not her fault. This portrayal provides a positive and realistic representation of PTSD support. Unlike other shows such as How I Met Your Mother (2005) and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015), which misrepresent therapeutic relationships for comedic effect, Sex Education handles therapy ethically and responsibly.

However, the show’s depiction of the speed and ease with which Aimee accesses the therapy is unrealistic. In the UK, current waiting times continue to increase, with more than a quarter of a million children and young people still awaiting mental health support following a referral (de Souza 2024). The rapid access portrayed in the show can mislead viewers about the realities of seeking mental health help. Additionally, the brief portrayal of Aimee’s therapy might suggest that a few sessions are sufficient for significant recovery, which is often not the case for PTSD (NHS 2022d).

In season 4, Aimee’s storyline continues; in episode one we see Aimee enter a lift with Isaac (a fellow student and recurring cast member who is in a wheelchair):

While Aimee was initially persuaded to seek support in season 3, by season 4 she actively chooses it for herself, indicating her understanding of the need for support and time to heal. This is a positive representation, which demonstrates empowerment of her choice and may encourage viewers, who can relate to her story or mental health condition, to do the same. Previous depictions of characters with mental health conditions have frequently portrayed them as unaccepting of help, with Stuart (2006) noting that TV representations suggest that individuals with mental health conditions will not recover and are unproductive members of society. Moreover, seeing Aimee’s storyline continue is important due to the fact TV shows act as a key source of information on mental health conditions. As highlighted in research by Mind (2023), which examined mental health and media, one in five felt encouraged to seek mental health support after seeing storyline involving characters experiencing mental health challenges.

While art therapy is a common treatment option in clinical practice, Abbing et al. (2019) note that there is a lack of scientific evidence due to limited research. Due to this lack of research Abbing et al. (2019) explored the effectiveness of art therapy for 47 women aged 18 – 65 years with an anxiety disorder; their findings demonstrated that art therapy was an effective method for reducing the manifestations of anxiety. Throughout the season, Aimee finds photography to be particularly therapeutic, aligning with Kopytin’s (2004) view that art therapy and photography complement each other well. In the series finale, Aimee revisits the bus stop where the assault occurred, takes photos and symbolically burns the jeans she wore during the assault, symbolising her empowerment and progress. This representation aligns with the findings by Tourigny and Naydenolva (2020), who note that therapeutic benefits of photography for individuals with anxiety.

Overall, Sex Education has demonstrated two support options available for those with an anxiety disorder in a positive light; however, there are misrepresentations surrounding the access to and timing of these services. Additionally, The Healing Powers of Dude have offered an unrealistic representation with both the type of support and the access to it, whilst also portraying a narrow view of mental health experiences. These representations perpetuate misinformation and offer unrealistic expectations which may have an impact on viewers understanding of mental health support services. As noted earlier, due to the large viewing audience Netflix has acquired and the fact that TV series tend to be a primary source of information on mental health conditions (Lopera-Mámol, Jiménez-Morales and Jiménez-Morales 2023) creators of TV shows should consider the information that they are sharing with their audience.

Social support is often considered a positive coping mechanism that helps individuals manage and process stress in ways that prevent further psychological harm (Cairney, Rigoli and Piek 2013). However, media portrayals frequently depict individuals with mental health conditions as loners, without any personal support systems, such as friends (Stuart 2006). In contract, both The Healing Powers of Dude and Sex Education show Noah and Aimee as having strong social support networks that help them overcome significant barriers.

In season 2 of Sex Education, following her sexual assault, Aimee is unable to get back on the bus to school due to the trauma. In the season finale, her diverse group of peers, despite not all being friends, collectively support her by getting on the bus with her. This act of solidarity helps Aimee being to move forward from the assault.

This seemingly small step of boarding the bus is a significant moment for Aimee, who is dealing with PTSD. Avoidance of trauma-related stimuli, as we discussed earlier, is a common manifestation of PTSD (APA 2013; NHS 2022c). The peer support Aimee receives is crucial for helping her confront her fear begin the healing process. Research shows that peer support can significantly reduce distress for individuals who have experienced sexual assault, and secure attachments to peers are associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety (Hébert, Lavoie and Blais 2014). Maeve’s consistent support throughout Sex Education underscores the importance of peer relationships for those dealing with anxiety disorders. This theme is also evident in The Healing Powers of Dude.

SAD is characterised by worries of negative evaluation during social interactions, causing significant distress and disrupting social functioning (Heimberg et al., 2014). This often impacts peer relationships, leading to low peer acceptance, victimisation, rejection, and poor-quality friendships (Chiu, Clark and Leigh 2021). Children with SAD often adopt avoidance strategies in social situations (Rubin, Coplan and Bowker 2009; Ronchi, Banerjee and Lecce 2020), as seen in Noah’s storyline. SAD can lead to fear of everyday activities like meeting new people, resulting in fewer friendships (Jefferies and Ungar, 2020) and lower perceived social support – the belief that help is available if needed (Barnett et al. 2021). Social support is a fundamental element of relationships (Virtanen and Isotalus 2012), with perceived social support, including those from friends and family, being strong protective factors for anxiety (Roohafza et al. 2014). Despite Noah’s supportive family, it is not until forms true friendships with Amara and Simon that his perceived social support increases. In the final episode, Noah and Simon support Amara when she has stage fright in the school play by standing alongside her on stage in front of the whole school:

As such, while we see Noah initially struggle to develop friendships, The Healing Powers of Dude demonstrates that peer relationships are possible for young people with SAD and highlights the positive effects these relationships can have. Although, whilst this is a positive representation, this may not be reflective of all experiences, and it could be argued that the show has created even more misunderstanding around the realities of SAD in relation to the ease at which peer relationships can be built for individuals with the condition.

Overall, both shows underscore the importance of peer relationships in managing anxiety disorders. Individuals with mental health conditions often feel unsafe at school and lack peer support (Newlove-Delago et al. 2021). Therefore, the portrayal of strong, supportive friendships on TV show may encourage changes within educational settings and between peers. The Healing Powers of Dude illustrates that individuals with SAD can develop meaningful friendships, potentially empowering viewers who relate to Noah’s experiences. While Sex Education primary focuses on sexual themes, it also highlights the importance of strong peer relationships in helping adolescents navigate the path to adulthood and manage PTSD, as demonstrated through Aimee’s journey.