The aim of this study was to examine how the portrayed images of mental ill-health has been constructed and re-constructed in the online publications of the tabloid Aftonbladet, in the year of 2004 and 2014. The study also examined similarities and differences in the portrayed images of mental ill-health published by the writers, recurred as metaphors. The study also aimed to increase awareness and understanding about how conveyed images in news media about mental ill-health can influence people. The study is grounded in a social constructionist approach and the collected data was analyzed with impression management, the looking glass self and performativity. The result indicated similarities concerning that Sweden’s mental ill- health increases, and a taboo about the mental ill-health. Differences in the result indicated distinction in modality between the years, i.e. with how much certainty the portrayed images were published. The result showed a more alarming situation concerning mental ill-health 2014 than 2004. In the empiric of 2014 the conveyed image appeared slightly more bound to person and the stressed environment of the contemporary individual was portrayed as the cause of the increase of mental ill- health. Recurring, images of certain exposed groups were portrayed as victims of the mental ill-health. The social worker has an important task revealing how the prevailing conceptions about mental ill-health in society affects the social work as well as the client.