Nine out of 10 people living with a mental health condition say that the media have an important role to play in reducing stigma.
The media can significantly influence public views on mental health. News stories that dispel myths and provide accurate information about what it is like to live with a mental health condition – especially that recovery is not only possible but likely – can promote help-seeking and reduce stigma among the public and people who struggle with the same symptoms.
However, media stories can also cause harm, particularly if they confirm false stereotypes or oversimplify complex situations involving people with mental health conditions.
WHO has long worked with media organizations and professionals to ensure accurate, evidence-based reporting about mental health. Recently, as part of a request from the Ministry for Health and Active Ageing in Malta, WHO/Europe organized a training workshop for media professionals in Malta to build their capacity in reporting responsibly about mental health issues and suicide.
Sensitive collaboration
One common misconception is that people with mental health conditions are more likely to be violent, when the reality is quite the opposite for the vast majority. Perpetuating these myths fuels stigma and discrimination, which can prevent people from seeking help, increase hopelessness, make it harder to pursue relationships, education and employment, and even decrease life expectancy.
The training explained how the media can be critical partners in fighting mental health stigma and how to incorporate the best evidence into their daily practice. Participants familiarized themselves with the WHO Mosaic toolkit to end stigma and discrimination in mental health and learned how it can be applied to content creation.
“The reporting of suicide can have profoundly negative effects, particularly on people experiencing severe depression. A significant concern is that such reports may inadvertently encourage those contemplating suicide to act on their thoughts. Additionally, it is imperative to consider the repercussions for the family and friends of the deceased. Therefore, media coverage of these events must be approached with great care. Collaboration between health services and media organizations is essential to ensure sensitivity surrounding these issues,” says Anton Grech, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Malta and Clinical Chairman at the Department of Psychiatry at the Ministry of Health of Malta.
Looking for hope
Experts from Iceland talked about their experiences in working with the media, including by adapting WHO’s guidance for media professionals to fit the Icelandic language and culture, making it more applicable to the media landscape.
A key element of stigma reduction is working with people who live with mental health conditions – in the context of reporting, they should be seen as an expert source whose experiences can shed light on a public health issue in the same way that a psychiatrist can. Such experts can use their experience to advise on the right terminology, reduce sensationalism and avoid harmful stereotyping.
Depicting recovery is also essential, as many people experiencing a mental health condition want to know if they will ever feel better. Such positive portrayals can increase the likelihood that a person will seek help, including from local mental health services.
Current challenges
Media professionals are increasingly aware of their responsibility to report accurately about mental health and suicide, but emphasize that it can be difficult in today’s media landscape.
With social media becoming the primary source of news for most people, journalists in traditional media argue that they have limited control over how news is reported. Even if they follow WHO guidelines, harmful terminology and practices can still be introduced as people discuss the news online.
Collaborations between media organizations, governments and organizations like WHO can support the development of effective guidance to minimize these and other challenges.
The media workshop was part of a policy discussion co-organized with the Ministry for Health and Active Ageing in Malta as part of a project funded by the European Union (EU) titled “Addressing mental health challenges in the EU, Iceland, and Norway”. Key topics discussed included developing mental health services in Malta and sharing experiences in reorganizing mental health systems.
“While it is important to acknowledge the strides made in the area of mental health, guided by the mental health strategy for Malta 2020–2030, there remains the need to streamline primary care, physical care and mental health services to better address the multifaceted needs of persons with mental health problems, and to ensure continuation of care, especially between the various interfaces. The policy discussion provided the opportunity for the various care providers and service users to discuss the way forward,” shares Antonella Sammut from Malta’s Ministry for Health and Active Ageing.