Mental Illness Stigma in the Media

Written Assignment:
Mental Illness Stigma in the Media
March 18, 2013

Mental Illness has become a larger issue in society today. There has been different stigma 's that have been developed around mental illness. There are variety of things that impact mental illness stigma in society. Mental Illness has been increasingly known as a negative and scary thing in society. Movies, TV, articles and books often present people with mental illnesses as dangerous or unstable. This is very untrue though. People have been portrayed and discriminated wrong because they have a mental illness. This stigma that is lingering in society has not helped with people with mental illness. Media seems to have an impact on the depiction of negative stereos types given to mental illness. There seems to be a variety reasons, and lots of research showing that it has more of a negative appeal to it now a day 's more than ever. The way that mass media portrays mental illness has shown a negative turn to mental illness. Media is one thing that has a very strong impact in people 's lives when they portray it to the public in the wrong idea. Media seems to contribute to the stigma through various way. Many mental health consumers, doctors, and practitioners seem to be aware of this. There many quotes such as, "Stigma tragically deprives people of their dignity and interferes with their full participation in society as well as function to their best without being looked down upon," (Wahl, pg. 2) that proves that media has had a negative effect on people who have mental illnesses whether they are big or small. Movies play a strong part in making a negative stigma on mental illness. It sets the tone for the audience in a more theatrical way because it is to make money. Movies play a big part in showing a negative or eccentric side of a character with mental illness. There have been many movies over the years with characters like this. From new ones such as Silver Linings Playbook to a Beautiful Mind an older film. Both these movies use characters that, "continue the representation of people with mental illnesses as unpredictable, child-like, hyper-sexual, dangerous, evil and violent," says the Canadian Mental Health Association of Ontario. These movies put a out a negative stigma about mental illness that is not what it truly is. They also say, "Whether or not "A Beautiful Mind" takes home any Academy Awards, people need to think critically about the truth about mental illness and not the movies depiction of it." (Canadian Mental Health Association of Ontario, 2009) Although both of these films have one Oscars and awards it spins the truth about mental illness to large audience that isn 't true. Since movies and TV are one of the largest pieces of media to tell have an impact on people to a large audience it is no wonder telling something in a certain light can impact it so heavily. News stories such as the story presented on Bus 1170 that happened a few years ago seemed to have a negative look upon it because that is the way that news places represented it. The fact that he is now not criminally responsible because he has been diagnosed with a mental illness shows that he just had this disease that he himself is trying to overcome. "Studies have shown that exposure to even just one single shocking media image (one movie or reading one article) of violent mental illness seemed to increase the expectation that those labeled as mentally ill are particularly likely to do physical harm to others and to make the media consumer more fearful of those so labeled." (Nairn, Raymond, Coverdale, John H., Claasen, Donna , 2006.)Now that this news story has been presented in such a shocking and horrific incident it seemed to shed light on him and other people with mental illnesses scary to deal with. Harry Potter Books to a younger audience there is a stigma to mental illness. The one character is termed mad and insane. The representation of people with mental illness as criminals or villains. This put a strong negative appeal to people at a young age that mental illness is bad or a negative thing. "All too often, the media use sensational language that tends to perpetuate myths and stereotypes regarding mental illness, promote fear in the community and lead to irresponsible conclusions being drawn, especially at a young age." (Anderson, pg. 3) This quote back up idea that these little idea of different characters perpetuate into real life situations for young children because they don 't know any better creating a negative stereotype. This stigma has been around for a while and has dated back a while. This quote, "Social scientists have been long interested in the possible impact of mass media images on the public and have given considerable attention to the false stereotypes of women, minorities, and elderly. Mental Health advocates have urged that attention be extended to another stereotype grouped - mentally ill persons," shows that there has been a theme of a stigma in the media that isn 't a positive one that needs to be addressed. Abraham Lincoln to Adolf Hitler have been to said to have mental illnesses. Anything associated with Adolf Hitler was considered negative almost, but the fast some said he was insane just associated it to mental illness. My opinion the media absolutely creates a negative stereotype of mental illness. They say that People need to be educated properly and told to think critically about these types of diseases. Now when ever hear about people with a mental illness they seem to be afraid of them. As a society I believe that we need to come together and reduce the stigma of mental illness because it creates more problems for people who have to live with it in their daily lives. Maybe without these negative stereotypes they could recover faster from them and live a normal life. Altogether there is a stigma about mental illness in the media and it is a negative one. The many ways that it does this are misrepresenting it through movies, books, televisions, and news. Media outlets have a strong impact on our society today because we are so technologically advanced. People with this mental illness already struggle with this illness and don 't need to struggle with these stereotypes as well. Hopefully one day these stereotypes can be reversed and mental illnesses cases will decrease and find cures for it.

Bibliography:
Anderson, M. Mental Illness and the Media. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. June 2003.
Baun, Kismet. The Role of the Media in Forming Attitudes Towards Mental Illness. Canadian Mental Health Association of Ontario. http://www.ontario.cmha.ca/about_mental_health.asp?cID=25945. 2009
Byrne, Peter. Stigma of Mental Illness and the ways of Diminishing it. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/6/1/65.short. 2001.
Lefkowitis , J. Yonatan & Wahl, Otto. Impact of Television Film on Attitudes Toward Mental Illness. George Mason University.
Nairn, Raymond, Coverdale, John H., Claasen, Donna. What is the Role of Intertextuality in Media Depictions of Mental Illness? Implications for Forensic Psychiatry. Psychiatry, Psychology & Law; Nov2006, Vol. 13 Issue 2, p243-250, 8p.
Stewart, Catherine. Criminology and Contemporary Issues. Wilfred Laurier University. Nelson Education Limited. 2008
Wahl, Otto F. Media Madness: Public Images of Mental Illness. Rutgers University Press. 1995

Bibliography: Anderson, M. Mental Illness and the Media. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. June 2003. Baun, Kismet. The Role of the Media in Forming Attitudes Towards Mental Illness. Canadian Mental Health Association of Ontario. http://www.ontario.cmha.ca/about_mental_health.asp?cID=25945. 2009 Byrne, Peter. Stigma of Mental Illness and the ways of Diminishing it. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/6/1/65.short. 2001. Lefkowitis , J. Yonatan & Wahl, Otto. Impact of Television Film on Attitudes Toward Mental Illness. George Mason University. Nairn, Raymond, Coverdale, John H., Claasen, Donna. What is the Role of Intertextuality in Media Depictions of Mental Illness? Implications for Forensic Psychiatry. Psychiatry, Psychology & Law; Nov2006, Vol. 13 Issue 2, p243-250, 8p. Stewart, Catherine. Criminology and Contemporary Issues. Wilfred Laurier University. Nelson Education Limited. 2008 Wahl, Otto F. Media Madness: Public Images of Mental Illness. Rutgers University Press. 1995