kathimerini.gr
Media's Misrepresentation of Mental Illness in Suicide Reporting
Greek media linked a young person's death to suicide due to their mental illness, prompting a psychiatry professor to criticize this common misinterpretation of statistics and the harmful stigmatization of mental health issues.
- What are the dangers of media's causal link between mental illness and suicide?
- Suffered from mental illness" and "received medication for the past five years" dominated online news, implicitly linking a young person's mysterious death to suicide. This isn't the first time; media frequently uses mental illness as an incriminating factor, linking it to suicides or crimes.
- How does the media's portrayal of mental illness contribute to the stigma surrounding it?
- Professor Argyris Striggaris, a professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, clarifies that this is a misinterpretation of statistics. People with serious mental illnesses die up to 20 years earlier, primarily (70%) due to natural causes like cardiovascular diseases and cancer, not suicide.
- What steps can be taken to improve media reporting on mental illness and suicide to prevent further stigmatization and potential harm?
- The automatic association of mental illness with suicide and crime, while psychologically understandable, is harmful. Professor Striggaris suggests a media agreement on reporting critical issues like suicide to combat stigmatization and prevent further tragedies caused by societal exclusion and mockery.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The headlines emphasizing medication and mental illness, as presented in the text, immediately frame the death as potentially self-inflicted. This prioritization sets a narrative that may not be supported by the available evidence.
Language Bias
The repeated use of phrases like "mysterious death" and the focus on mental illness as a primary explanation, without evidence, suggests a loaded and potentially biased narrative. More neutral language, such as "unexpected death" and a more balanced presentation of possible causes, would improve neutrality.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses on the connection between mental illness and death, but omits discussion of other potential causes of death for individuals with mental illness, such as physical health issues. This omission could mislead readers into believing suicide is the most likely outcome of mental illness.
False Dichotomy
The article implicitly presents a false dichotomy by associating mental illness primarily with suicide, neglecting the broader range of outcomes and contributing factors. This oversimplification reinforces harmful stereotypes.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article highlights the negative impact of media reporting on mental health, contributing to stigma and potentially harming individuals with mental illnesses. The misrepresentation of mental illness as a causal factor in suicide and crime leads to discrimination and prevents individuals from seeking help. The early mortality rate among individuals with serious mental illnesses, largely due to physical causes, is also discussed, emphasizing the overall negative impact on their health and well-being.