Mental Health and the Media
Karen cruse
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Karen Cruse is an Information Officer for MIND
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Familiar media headlines?
Arthritis: care failures led to fatal stabbing.
Man leading successful life in the community after mental health diagnosis!
Migraine: another failure for community care?
Unlikely:
However, what happens if you replace arthritis with terms such as 'psychosis'
or 'schizophrenic'? You may find memories of tabloids' front pages or
TV news stories coming to mind, but how does it influence your thoughts
on schizophrenia or other mental health problems? As a result of media
portrayals, you may start to think of people with schizophrenia as being
potential knife wielders; but would you start thinking what it means
to experience schizophrenia?
Ideas surrounding mental distress have filtered down through the ages
via the varied media of literature, science, art, theatre, religion
and philosophy. These ideas were often shaped along the lines of mad,
creative genius, unreasoned fearful figure or marginalized fool. As
a result, people with mental health problems were characterized as objects
of either fear or ridicule -stereotypes that are still very much in
evidence today.
The modern media in all of their varied forms are very powerful communicators;
they not only reflect society's attitudes but are also capable of formulating
them (just think of advertising - when two distinct objects can be linked
such as puppies and soft toilet tissue or an orange glove and a soft
drink). The way the media conceptualize and covers mental health issues
will affect how people perceive those issues. So portraying people with
mental distress only in terms of their diagnosis and/or stereotyped
imagery allows the myths and stigma surrounding mental distress to both
develop and be perpetuated.
The biggest barriers are fear and ignorance :
For many people the media are their only source of information on mental
health matters. Therefore they may not be fully aware of what mental
distress is, its causes, treatment options and what it may feel like.
However, there is no single answer or applicable universal formula to
explain or enable understanding of any of the above.
Take causes, for example.There are several different approach-Cs concerning
the origins of mental distress. The subject of genetics and mental distress
has featured a great deal within the media recently; but while some
experts place the emphasis on a genetic cause, others believe factors
such as environment, trauma, abuse, bereavement, stress, unhappy childhood
or inability to express emotions may be more significant in causing
an episode of mental distress regardless of family health history. There
is no one given cause and it is likely that mental distress may be triggered
by a combination of different factors.
What is certain though, is that the symptoms of mental distress can
often be alleviated, allowing people to live ordinary, fulfilling lives.
For many the key to recovery lies in acceptance; feeling part of society,
having a job, a family and a social life.
Treatments for mental distress include talking therapies (counselling),
medication, electro-convulsive therapy (ECT), complementary therapies
and self-help. The first choice of treatment will not only depend on
the diagnosis, but on the individuals concerned, their doctors' preferred
practice and funding. )
For some conditions, such as obsessional thoughts and/or behaviour,
cognitive therapy is very effective. For other conditions, medication
may be required to alleviate symptoms, possibly combined with counselling
to help deal with any triggering events.
No treatment acts as a magic wand: it can take time to both find the
right therapy and for it to take effect. Counselling can be tough at
first, especially if it touches on painful memories. The side-effects
of some psychiatric drugs can be more distressing than the symptoms
they were prescribed to treat. These side-effects can cause physical
discomfort, as well as mental anguish and isolation. Medication given
to ease the symptoms of psychotic conditions can give rise to tremors,
muscle tics, slurred speech, restlessness, shuffling gait, staring eyes
and dribbling, all of which may lead to someone being shunned. They
arc seen as different, 'not right in the head', perhaps someone to be
feared (furthering violence myths). This then complicates press articles
and discussion programmes which often argue that if mental patients
just took their medication everything would be OK and the community
would be safe.
Although this line of thought has been challenged by the character of
Joe in EastEnders and his negative experiences of drug side-effects,
more needs to be done to prevent tabloid bias towards headlines concerning
violence and community care not working.
In fact, approximately 90 per cent of people with a current mental health
problem, living within the community are not violent. (Monahan, 1993)
There are 12 homicides per annum committed by people diagnosed as mentally
ill.
The vast majority of homicides (600-700 annually) are committed by people
without a mental health problem. (Boyd, 1994) Surveys carried out by
MIND reveal that many people with mental distress have been the subject
of violence and hate campaigns, not for anything they have done, but
just for living in the local area and perhaps being seen as different.
This discrimination also extends to the workplace, housing and services.
Any failures in the community care system are not just social services
or financial blunders as the press may allow us to believe; but they
also highlight an absence of understanding in the community, people
building barriers which just marginalize and further isolate people
with mental distress - not a very caring attitude!
Media stories rarely touch on successful community care stories, highlighting
people with mental distress leading fulfilling and successful lives
despite stigma and discrimination.
As many as one in four people will experience mental distress during
their lifetime. This distress could include anxiety, depression, eating
disorders, phobias, obsessions as well as manic depression and schizophrenia.
It could be you (or a family member) that draws the mental distress
lottery ticket of life - not so much one marble short, but rather a
six ball line up. So it is important to remember that the symptoms of
mental distress can be alleviated to allow enriched and successful quality
of life.
The media could enable this process by informing positive images of
mental distress. The greater the achievement of understanding, the greater
the chances of discrimination being eroded, allowing everyone to lead
fulfilling lives within the community, without the fear of oppression
or violence.
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