Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/290775
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 6 APRIL 2014 13 Interview cific cases, but admits that she is less than impressed by the way the media – both traditional and non-traditional, such as the social networks – tend to portray mental health issues in their reports. "It's not just the media. Films, tel- evision programmes, even children's cartoons, tend to only focus on the dramatic or sensational aspects. This in turn reinforces the stigma of men- tal illness being something sinister or dangerous… and the harm this does is very extensive. It may discourage other people from seeking help. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of respect for the media. They have a responsibility to in- form, and I'm not saying they shouldn't tackle the issue at all. But what is needed is accurate, non-sensational in- formation. And that is what has so far been lacking." As an example, she argues that news stories tend to focus on certain types of pathologies – namely, those associated with violent behaviour – while ignor- ing the fact that violent or hostile be- haviour is in fact a rarity in the broader picture of mental health. "Serious delu- sions already constitute a small minor- ity of the cases seeking help. Of these again, only a very small number will exhibit violent or anti-social behaviour. Usually, it is the other way round. It is mentally ill people who are the victims of violence. They are very rarely the perpetrators." But by selectively reporting only such cases, and in the way they present data, the media may unwittingly impart the message that mental illness can very easily lead to violent repercussions… when in fact the opposite is true. This tendency becomes arguably more pronounced in the setting of so- cial media, where blogs and sites like Facebook create fertile ground for mis- information to be spread like wildfire. "The social group dynamic is such that minor issues tend to very quickly get inflated into major problems. Social media open up the possibility of things flaring up very quickly, especially on issues which tap into emotions. And with the speed of information, it be- comes very difficult to control the situ- ation, or set the record straight." On this score, it would seem the ad- vances in medical attitudes have not been mirrored by corresponding ad- vances in other sectors. "Abroad, in places like the UK, there was acknowl- edgement that the media needed the right tools to address the issue. The re- sult was 'Lexecon', a set of media guide- lines on the portrayal of mental illness in the press…" Does she see the need for similar guidelines in Malta? She nods. "I do, for sure. The media can be a very ef- fective tool in educating people on the issue – and to be fair it often does ful- fil this role. It is good to see the media taking an interest in the subject; and it can help too, in the sense that people become more aware of health matters and of what services exist. But there is a responsibility to inform. I sometimes think that people, even those writing comments on blogs, should seriously reflect on what they actually putting down in writing. A lot of what is said is very harmful… not just for the people involved in the reported cases, but also for other people reading it, who may also suffer from mental health issues." With so much hostility often directed at the persons involved, the net result is invariably to heap more fear and igno- rance on an already much-misunder- stood issue. This naturally hinders at- tempts to intervene in other cases, too. "People reading all this may say: that is precisely why I don't seek help for my own problem. If I do, people will perceive me in exactly the same way. And yet there are many appropriate and helpful biopsychosocial treat- ments to address mental illness. People who need help should seek it as it is the only way to ensure a healthy and good quality life. The information and edu- cation which the media can provide can help to encourage people to access services." Attitudes towards mental health are changing, but there is evidence that old prejudices die hard. Dolores Gauci, Chief Operations Officer at Community Mental Health Services, urges a more realistic and less sensational approach to mental health issues PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD It's all in the mind