The eight most common mistakes about mental health in the media

In the fight against stigma, the media plays a crucial role. Its wide reach, influence, and ability to shape societal attitudes compel the journalistic and publishing sectors to be especially responsible and fair in their reporting of news, realities, and personal stories.

For years, mental health associations have been working in this area, providing tools, advice, and training to prevent the media from trivializing and further stigmatizing people living with a mental health problem.

Guidelines and recommendations abound, but despite this, instances of malpractice continue to occur in some media outlets. These practices stem from a lack of knowledge, a desire for brevity, or even other interests unrelated to public health.

Journalists have their own codes of ethics, usually promoted by professional associations, which cover aspects such as respect for the truth and for people's privacy and image, for example. In turn, media outlets have their own style guides that help journalists maintain common standards in both style and ethical principles, although in many cases these sensitive issues are not addressed.

Choosing the right language is vital to avoid reinforcing stereotypes and stigma.

There are various guides with recommendations for the communications, advertising, and audiovisual industries. At the end of this article, you will find several reference materials.

Generally speaking, it's important to avoid referring to a person by their diagnosis ( " a psychotic, " " a schizophrenic " ). A person is much more than that; the diagnosis is not what defines them. Therefore, it's advisable to use "a person who has or has had psychosis."

We must avoid using terms related to mental health (schizophrenic, bipolar, depressive) to refer to chaotic, irrational, or extravagant situations or things. This is a negative association that perpetuates stereotypes.

There's a tendency to mention a mental health issue to create a catchy headline that grabs the reader's attention. This adds nothing to the understanding of the information, beyond simply grabbing attention or getting the user to click, especially in the online environment. This phenomenon also occurs when we talk about other groups affected by stigma or sexism: women, LGBTQ+ people, migrants, or minority or vulnerable groups.

Regarding the treatment of mental health, there are some recurring errors in the media , as explained in the Media Guide prepared by Obertament :

1. Treating mental health issues as a frequent or isolated phenomenon.
   Nothing could be further from the truth. One in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
2. To speak of people with a mental health diagnosis as violent, dangerous, or unpredictable.
   People with a mental health disorder are no more violent than the rest of society.
3. Using generalizing expressions, such as "the mentally ill are" or "schizophrenics behave"
   Mental health problems are experienced and affect each person differently.
4. Treating people with mental health problems with compassion and paternalism.
   Most people with mental health conditions are able to participate in community, work, and social settings. What often limits their access to these areas is stigma.
5. Confusing a mental disorder with a mental disability or dementia.
   Mental disorder does not diminish or impair a person's mental faculties, but rather alters them sporadically.
6. Consider that these are disabled people, that mental disorders are incurable and that they prevent them from having a normal life.
   With appropriate treatment and a supportive social and family environment, a person can overcome the limitations of mental disorder, work, maintain social relationships, take care of their children, etc.
7. Illustrating information about mental health with images that convey social isolation, suffering, darkness, or that evoke compassion or rejection.
   People with mental health problems do not want to be visually represented differently than the rest of society.
8. Using schizophrenic or bipolar to refer to dual or multiple personality .
   Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are not personality disorders. Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder, and bipolar disorder is a mood disorder.