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How The Bear Changed My Thinking on Mental Health
Like so many folks right now, I am eagerly awaiting season 4 of The Bear. Sometimes called “TV’s most anxiety-inducing show,” The Bear is an FX drama following Carmen Berzatto and the restaurant The Beef. After his brother Mikey commits suicide, Carmy returns to Chicago to take over Mikey’s failing restaurant. With his brother’s best friend, Ritchie, his new assistant Syd, and sister Natalie, Carmy does his best to turn The Beef into a respectable fine-dining establishment, renamed “The Bear.”
And as TV’s most anxiety-inducing show, it has taught me a lot about my own anxiety.
WARNING! MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!
I loved Carmy from the very beginning. I felt for him, trying to make something beautiful, trying to make a place where people could take pride in their work. I was proud of him for working so hard to make his dreams come true, in spite of the resistance he faced. After coming close to ruin, Carmy discovers a windfall of cash left by his brother — and with it, finds a way back to his dream of a restaurant.
In Season 2, Carmy’s dream really picks up speed. Between the remodeling and other preparations, there are certainly challenges, but Nat, Syd, and Carmy work together to handle them, and I loved seeing them become a team. I appreciate that Carmy invests in…
