Topic Tuesday // Stigma// Tues 14 May, 7pm AEST

I raised my concerns that my past (with MI) should not be impacting the process of me returning to work. It was not received favourably at all and I was made feel like I had gone backwards with the reposnse. It was not at all a supportive environemnt to be returning to work.

Hi @Former-Member @Former-Member and all

regarding your first question.

Reporting in the media has a severe effect on me. I haven’t got much self confidence left and when reports are irresponsible I feel vulnerable and worthless.

Reporting irresponsibily specifically on suicide triggers me and shames me as I’m a suicide attempt survivor.

I report to @Former-Member but often I feel to exhausted to even read media or too upset to report it. I find especially radio presenters extremely insensitive in those subjects, equally people who come on radio. There’s that show ‘what gets your ghoolies’ and people talk about what triggers them and I have to turn it off - they’ve got no idea what a trigger even means.

@Former-Member Anyone who reads, hears, or sees a portrayal of mental illness or suicide in the media that they believe is inaccurate, irresponsible or offensive, can report it to StigmaWatch.

The easiest way to send a report to us is to head to www.sane.org/stigmawatch and click “submit a report.”

You’ll be asked to provide a detailed description of the stigmatising or unsafe content, the publication name, when you saw it and a few more details, so that we can review the reporting against the Australian Press Council and Mindframe reporting guidelines. And rest assured, all StigmaWatch reports remain anonymous 🙂

If the coverage is found to breach media reporting guidelines, we will contact the appropriate journalist with constructive feedback and advice.

You can also sign up to become a StigmaWatcher, at the above link and join our community!

Hi everyone!! Just joining in now...

Have never been part of a forum so all new to me. Tonight's discussion pulled me in though...stigma plays such a massive part in a individuals recovery. I lost a job because of my illness after it was triggered at a work Xmas party. There needs to be more education for people or first aid for mental health as they call it...

@Owlunar - yes it can be very frustrating to feel like what is shown on TV isn't covering safety and wellbeing aspects or that a program might have gaps. Have you ever contact the program to highlight this? Sounds like it was quite triggering too.

@Zoe7 - that is not nice to not feel supported, and worse feel like your work is being considered through the lense of your MI. Did you coninute to communicate with your workplace on this to get to a resolution at all?

Hi @Former-Member

We really appreciate that you report media items to StigmaWatch, as it's our community that helps us make a real impact on journalists and other media professionals.

Your sentiment is echoed among those of us working in the sector and the community as a whole, which is why the StigmaWatch program is so valuable. Most of the time, media professionals are very receptive to the feedback and recommendations they receive from us. Rarely do they intend to cause harm, and most are very willing to learn and move forward more carefully with future stories or discussion about mental health

welcome @Former-Member and @Fracturedlight

@Fracturedlight great that this topic has brought you to our space here! That must have been extremely upsetting to lose your job, I am so sorry to hear that. You are right around education, you may have seen some of the @Former-Member team's responses here, that is a big focus for them when it comes to the media on helping to educate how they report. It is also something that needs to be done in the workplace...and generally! Let's keep this thought throughout tonights discussion

I requested moving schools @Former-Member and that was accommodated but has left me in a position where I do not have a guarantee of a workplace despite being permanent. Would love to stay at my new school because they are more than supportive - very mindful in fact that 'life' happens and all staff are encouraged to look after themselves first and the job second. The department I work for is another matter entirely - they have no idea how to deal with someone coming back to work after being on extended leave because of being unwell through MI.

Welcome @Fracturedlight it's great to have you here tonight and part of the discussion

I've actually found a lot of mental health organisations and professionals to be quite stigmatising in their practices and views. I've challenged a particular policy that a mental health organisation that provides me with support has in place. I was pretty much told that it just has to be that way. If a mental health organisation has stigmatising policies, why shouldn't the rest of society stigmatise me too?