The views represented herein solely represent the views of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
Production of this document is made possible through a financial contribution from Health Canada.
News Release
For immediate release
Mental Illness and Stigma in the News Media
Halifax, Nova Scotia, March 15, 2011 – Stigma is a major barrier that prevents people with mental health problems from seeking help. Many Canadians living with mental illness say the stigma they face is often worse than the illness itself. Does news coverage of mental health issues perpetuate stereotypes? Today, the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s anti-stigma initiative, Opening Minds, is hosting a symposium called Mental Health and Stigma in News Media at the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
“The media has considerable influence on shaping public opinion,” says Micheal Pietrus, Director of the Commission’s Opening Minds program. “Negative depictions of mental illness in the media can play a role in perpetuating misinformation.”
McGill University researcher Robert Whitley, PhD, is leading a Commission-funded project that is analyzing the language and tone used in news reports about mental illness. In a preview of his remarks at the symposium, Whitley said, “We’ve collected more than 5,000 news stories from English and French media in Canada that date back over the last six years. So far our analysis indicates a tendency for some of the news media to associate mental illness with violence, crime and homelessness.”
André Picard, the award-winning public health reporter for The Globe and Mail will be the keynote speaker at the symposium. Other speakers include two individuals from Nova Scotia with lived experience of mental illness and a photo journalist whose father has schizophrenia and has spent much of his life living on the streets of Montreal.
The MHCC will be tweeting live from the event. To virtually join the symposium, follow us at @mhcc_ on Twitter and look for #stigmahfx.
About the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC)
The Mental Health Commission of Canada is a catalyst for transformative change. Our mission is to work with stakeholders to change the attitudes of Canadians toward mental health problems and to improve services and support. Our goal is to promote mental health and help people who live with mental health problems lead meaningful and productive lives. The Mental Health Commission of Canada is funded by Health Canada.
Opening Minds is the MHCC’s Anti-Stigma Initiative designed to change the attitudes and behaviors of Cana- dians towards those living with mental illness. The initiative is currently evaluating anti-stigma programs across Canada to identify which are successful at changing attitudes and behaviors related to mental illnesses. The successful programs are replicated elsewhere in the country. Opening Minds is also working with journalism schools and the media to identify myths and misconceptions associated with mental illness to create a network of change and decrease stigma.
-30- Contact Kristin Bernhard, Communication Specialist Cell: 403 620 2339
