Lived Experience Forum

[Former-Member]

@CherryBomb from a media perspective it's about information but we have a fantastic page about this on our new website- Changing Attitudes- https://www.sane.org/changing-attitudes and some of the advice more generally is to-

Getting the facts - educate yourself about mental illness, even though you might think you know all there is to know we can all still be susceptible to accepting stereotypes. You can listen to experiences of others on The Forums or even browse through our Facts and Guides page for more information. Information is power.

Be aware of your own attitude – we’re all shaped by the values and beliefs we grew up with, these include our own opinions about mental illness. Be open to the idea of challenging your own attitudes to mental illness.

Speak out – if you see prejudice and discrimination, call it out. This is where it helps to be armed with the facts. If we approach it with the idea of educating others rather than than blaming them, we can all contribute to a more inclusive society.

[CannonSalt]

@Former-Member - I wish it were more commonly reported on what to watch out for when MI treatment goes wrong.  I can't drag out any news articles at the moment because my Internet's gone slow, but I can recall off the top of my head a psychiatrist who convinced his patient to have sex with him, and serial sex abuses at a mental health facility.  I realise that it goes against the narrative of 'go get help', but is there a place for those kinds of stories in the media?

[Former-Member]

Absolutely @CannonSalt , sometimes the media is reffered to as the "fourth estate" this simply means it serves a purpose in our society for holding people in positions of authority to account, this also includes health professionals in some cases. We all know what happens when a blind eye is turned to abuse so it's important it gets media attention. However if it's done in a sensational way it can also have the bad effects you're talking about- detering people from seeking help.

I'd like to think though that people can determine between one criminal act and the wider health profession as a whole though.

[Former-Member]

I think it's one of the common misconceptions about mental illness treatment though- that one size fits all approach, as we all know, different treatments/methods of recovery and living suit different people.

[Mazarita]

One 'narrative' of MI in the media appears to be that if you get help you will be fixed. Someone else mentioned in the forum recently that this is not the experience of a lot of us, where our mental illness is really a chronic health issue. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

[CherryBomb]

Fantastic question @CannonSalt. For me, it highlights that stories needs not only be about people with MI, but also confronting issues that people can encounter. To add to @Former-Member point about the fourth estate, I think the news media's role is to also inform citizens about public issues and concerns. 

Hey @Former-Member, you mentioned Stigma Watch before. For those who might not be familar with it, can you tell us what it is?

[Former-Member]

@Mazarita I agree, I think it's another misconception

Sure @CherryBomb StigmaWatch was a program formed in 1999 to address the concerns of the community about the reporting and advertising portrayal of mental illness and suicide and it's been running ever since.

It has evolved from just a system of complaints to one of passing on constructive feedback to journalists and advertisers so that they can change the way they do things. We also introduced Good News reports to highlight where journalists and advertisers have made a contribution to the understanding of mental illness and suicide. You can make a StigmaWatch report online - https://www.sane.org/changing-attitudes/report-a-media-item-to-stigmawatch and it’s assessed by the guidelines on that page as well as the Mindframe guidelines for mental illness and suicide reporting. If a report requires action we then contact the journalist or advertiser and seek to change what they do in the future and in some cases they amend existing copy or issue an apology.

[Former-Member]

Whoa text size change! I'd encourage any Forums members who are interested in this or keen media watchers to become StigmaWatchers! 

[CherryBomb]

@Mazarita - this is an important point that you raise - is the main narrative in the media a realistic one? Does it accurately represent the lives of people with MI? 

I think it's important to depict the reality of MI, that it can be chronic, and there are periods of wellness, and illness, but while also not feeding into a helpless narrative. I think this is a tricky task! What are your thoughts @Former-Member? 

[CannonSalt]

@Former-Member, Thanks for explaining the "fourth estate" role of the media - it is a vital one for the democracy of our society. (And heartening that abuses of mentally ill people are reported at all - instead of being swept under the rug.) If you are experiencing difficulties with your mental health professional and where-ever you turn for alternative, reputable information, all you can find leads to 'go find help from a mental health professional' - you can end up like the frog being slowly boiled to death in a warming pot. I don't mean to tar all the profession with one brush. In "fourth estate" style stories on mental health, I wish there were more information or linkages on 'if this is happening to you, go here'. Is this in practice, as opposed to only on the educational articles?