Mental Illness
More often than not, the media portrays mental illness in a negative light, and this, in turn, affects the way we view mental illness, even as healthcare professionals. A study conducted by the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) found that 70 percent of the public gets their information about mental health from the TV, 58 percent from newspapers, 51 percent from television news, 34 percent from news magazines and 25 percent from the internet (). Often, the information is inaccurate and creates a false picture of what mental illness is. People are fed stereotypes that they believe are based on truth, when in fact, they are usually based on misunderstandings. These stereotypes lead to a stigma, which has a harmful effect on many individuals really because it discourage people from getting the help they need, makes recovery more difficult because people feel less confident, promotes discrimination in the workplace, school or any social situation, cause isolation because of fear and creates the view that those who have a mental health problem are outsiders.
Despite the misrepresentations seen in the media, Americans continue to watch the films, shows and news programs that support such stigmas. For example, the film Shutter Island, released in 2010. The film was analyzed for its depiction of schizophrenic protagonists. There were nine instances of violence with others and four instances of self-inflicted violence. According to research published by the American Psychological Association (APA), out of the crimes committed by those with serious mental illness disorders, only 7.5 percent were directly related to mental illness symptoms. Schizophrenia, which is commonly misrepresented in the media, usually does not lead to violence. It is more common for drugs and alcohol to affect a person’s behavior than mental illness alone. Nevertheless, a 2006 survey found that 60 percent of Americans believe that people with schizophrenia are likely to act violently. Only about 4% of violence in America can be traced to mental health issues.
Mental illness is portrayed in the news inaccurately. A recent example was the reaction to Nikolas Cruz, a man accused of a mass shooting in Florida in February 2018 and who has a history of mental health problems. In response to the tragedy, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said at a news conference, “Mental health is often a big problem underlying these tragedies.” Ryan’s view is not uncommon. However, according to a book published by the APA, shootings by people with serious mental health issues represent less than one percent of all gun-related homicides each year. Considering that 63 percent of Americans get a lot of their news from family and friends according to the Pew Research Center and 46 percent of U.S. adults often get news from a TV source, it matters a lot what’s said and how it’s said. False information can easily form a stigma. Because the media has the power to reinforce a stigma, media professionals need to take mental illness seriously and make an effort to dispel mental health myths. Media professionals like journalists and filmmakers can help reduce mental health stigma by: Reporting responsibly and accurately, educating themselves and striving to portray the truth, considering the consequences of providing false information.