HEALTH

There’s a new show on Netflix that’s gathered a lot of buzz about mental health and we’re here to break down why you need to watch it, stat. 

What's it all about? 
Atypical is a comedy about a high school boy on the autism spectrum who decides he's ready to start dating. Follow Sam and his fam as they handle the typical teen troubles (with a twist, obvs) and figure out what "normal" really is.

What is the autism spectrum?
It’s important to know that it’s called a spectrum for a reason. A person diagnosed on the autism spectrum will experience totally different challenges and strengths. There’s high functioning individuals and low functioning individuals, and a lot of in betweens.

In a lot of cases a person diagnosed will deal with social challenges. You could say they are a little socially awkward or unaware. They may not always pick up on certain social cues and be in their own little world.

On the other hand someone on the spectrum can have some amazing strengths especially when it comes to thinking. They are super great thinkers and can really excel in certain areas like math, science, history, or art.

Why should you watch the show?
Mainstream media fails to talk about the challenges of mental health. When we do get shows that are willing to break boundaries and talk about mental health, we are one step closer to making it an open topic.

Binge-watching a Netflix series is meant to be fun and entertaining, but this one is also normalizing mental health and giving you a peek in the like of someone on the autism spectrum. It’s also being renewed for a season two—score!

But don’t stop there!
So you've decided you're going to turn on Atypical tonight (which is great) but if you want even more info, check out Autism Speaks or National Institute of Health.

Do you watch Atypical? Do you know anyone with autism? Share below! 

Photo credit: YouTube.

by Bella Torres | 9/22/2017