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Topic Tuesday closed: The media and mental health

CherryBombSenior Contributor09 Oct 2015, 5:54 pm AEDT

Topic Tuesday closed: The media and mental health

Mental illness got a lot of media attention the week just passed during the Mental Health Week. As many of you may have seen it was the ABC's MentalAs week.

So what did you think about how the media reported mental illness? Have you ever wondered about a journalist's role in covering mental illness? What guidelines - if any - do they follow?

This month's Topic Tuesday we will be joined by @Former-Member, ex-ABC journalist, and the current coordinator of Stigma Watch - A SANE Australia project that monitors how mental illness is reported in the media.

This discussion will be opportunity to talk about the role of journalists in reporting mental illness, and it will be an opportunity for @Former-Member to hear your views of the media, which can help her in her role in Stigma Watch.

Join us 7 - 9pm AEST Tuesday, 12 October. Click 'like' if you can make it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WWKXyIXZX0

78 replies

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In response to: Topic Tuesday **closed**: The media and mental health

Unknown userMember13 Oct 2015, 8:16 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

There are some guidelines on the best way to do this:

https://www.sane.org/images/PDFs/SANE-Guide-to-Reducing-Stigma.pdf

In response to: Topic Tuesday **closed**: The media and mental health

chookmojoSenior Contributor13 Oct 2015, 8:18 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

Thanks for your time @Former-Member and for the interesting discussion everyone. I gotta scoot and rescue my dinner which is starting to smell a bit charcoaly...

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

katoSenior Contributor13 Oct 2015, 8:22 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

i too am off for a bit thank you for the topic, i enjoyed seeing everything and reading everyones viewpoints

In response to: Topic Tuesday **closed**: The media and mental health

CherryBombSenior Contributor13 Oct 2015, 8:23 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

I agree with @Sienna! Stigma can be challenged with education.

As @Former-Member mentioned earlier, journos are people too, and they are often not experts in mental health. Keeping this in mind, what should be the main objective in reporting mental illness?

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

CherryBombSenior Contributor13 Oct 2015, 8:24 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

Bye @chookmojo @kato! Thanks for joining us.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

Unknown userMember13 Oct 2015, 8:24 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

I think the objective of reporting on mental illness should be to de-stigmatise or to educate about mental illness. To enlighten an audience about the journey of mental illness, how it differs from person to person, providing many differing viewpoints. It should be the starter of conversations not the be-all and end-all of information on mental illness.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

MazaritaSenior Contributor13 Oct 2015, 8:25 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

Hi everyone. Just joining you (forgot about daylight savings in the south). I don't have anything to add just now but it's interesting reading everything. Cheers.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

CherryBombSenior Contributor13 Oct 2015, 8:26 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

time check: we got another 30 mins before the conversation ends, so if you have any questions/comments. Now is the time to get them in.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

CherryBombSenior Contributor13 Oct 2015, 8:27 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

@Former-Member you mentioned that an objective is to minimise stigma - What types of things can you as journalist and/or the community do to minimise stigma?

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

Unknown userMember13 Oct 2015, 8:29 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday 13/10: The media and mental health

@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.

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