NSF(S): National Schizophrenia Fellowship (Scotland)

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Representation of people with schizophrenia in the media
You can also read the text of talks on stigma by a carer and a user.
People too - article for the Journalists Handbook
Schizophrenia is a complex and serious mental illness which affects over 20,000 people in Scotland at any one time. 50,000 Scots can expect to receive this diagnosis in their lifetimes. It affects approximately 1% of the population in every social class and in all countries of the world.
Schizophrenia has many symptoms: these may include hallucinations, delusions, disturbances of thought and communications, and withdrawal. While some people recover, others may be left with a range of disabling symptoms such as loss of energy and initiative, and difficulty in making and maintaining relationships. Sometimes people need hospital care.
The facts show that people with schizophrenia very rarely pose a risk of violence to members of the public - and that what risk there is, is declining year on year.
Medication can help some people to manage their illness, but this is not enough. Acceptance and support from the community at large, as well as good community care services, are vital in promoting the wellbeing of people with schizophrenia.
The families and carers of people with schizophrenia suffer too. They provide 'front line' support when other services are not available or accessible. Added to the stresses involved for all those directly or indirectly affected by this illness, the stigma attached to it is such that many are driven into secrecy and isolation.
By and large, people with mental ill health in general, and schizophrenia in particular, have not been well served by media images and presentation. How many readers can square the information given above with headlines which scream out from newspapers about 'psychos' and 'crazed killers'?
Even worse, this kind of sensationalist reporting itself adds to the ignorance and fear in which people with schizophrenia are held, and adds to myth and prejudice surrounding this illness. Graham Morgan, who has a diagnosis of schizophrenia, said at a recent Conference:
'...as we grew up and began to read the newspapers we began to read of "schizos" and "psychos" - we began to learn that community care didn't work and that these people were violent and had been released as potential time bombs into the community... eventually we, who had been brought up to think of these people as different and strange and frightening, who had been brought up to fear and ridicule the institutions and professionals and treatments, became ill ourselves.
The main problem is of course the shame and fear the diagnosis spawns in me - am I really the stuff that splashes themselves onto the newspapers, that goes into the thrillers and horror films? According to the media I am, but I feel a completely different person to the one they portray...'
Just over a year ago, the Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission attacked the media for its portrayal of people with mental illness and stated that it causes 'irrational and inaccurate alarm'. How much more the media could do - not to influence public opinion in a negative way, but to inform it in a positive one... especially the sub-editors, who appear (we are told) to be responsible for most of these appalling headlines.
It's so easy to get angry about bad reporting that we can forget to acknowledge that there are some journalists out there who have done a great deal to educate and inform about the reality of serious mental health problems.
It was to recognise and show appreciation of their contributions that a number of mental health organisations hosted in October 2000 the first Scottish Media Award for Mental Health - the Vincent Donnelly Award.
The award went to Nicola Barry of the Press and Journal, with commendations going to Marion Pallister of the Herald, Catherine Deveney of Scotland on Sunday and Dawn Thomson of the Press and Journal. Two newspapers received special commendations - the Press and Journal, and the Northern Scot.
So - the next time you journalists put pen to paper about people with schizophrenia or other serious mental health problems, remember that they are people too - and when you cut them, they bleed.
If you want information and advice to help you in your work, there are plenty of us out there who will be happy to help - and to thank you for your efforts.

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	Representation of people with schizophrenia in the media You can also read the text of talks on stigma by a carer and a user. People too - article for the Journalists Handbook Schizophrenia is a complex and serious mental illness which affects over 20,000 people in Scotland at any one time. 50,000 Scots can expect to receive this diagnosis in their lifetimes. It affects approximately 1% of the population in every social class and in all countries of the world. Schizophrenia has many symptoms: these may include hallucinations, delusions, disturbances of thought and communications, and withdrawal. While some people recover, others may be left with a range of disabling symptoms such as loss of energy and initiative, and difficulty in making and maintaining relationships. Sometimes people need hospital care. The facts show that people with schizophrenia very rarely pose a risk of violence to members of the public - and that what risk there is, is declining year on year. Medication can help some people to manage their illness, but this is not enough. Acceptance and support from the community at large, as well as good community care services, are vital in promoting the wellbeing of people with schizophrenia. The families and carers of people with schizophrenia suffer too. They provide 'front line' support when other services are not available or accessible. Added to the stresses involved for all those directly or indirectly affected by this illness, the stigma attached to it is such that many are driven into secrecy and isolation. By and large, people with mental ill health in general, and schizophrenia in particular, have not been well served by media images and presentation. How many readers can square the information given above with headlines which scream out from newspapers about 'psychos' and 'crazed killers'? Even worse, this kind of sensationalist reporting itself adds to the ignorance and fear in which people with schizophrenia are held, and adds to myth and prejudice surrounding this illness. Graham Morgan, who has a diagnosis of schizophrenia, said at a recent Conference: '...as we grew up and began to read the newspapers we began to read of "schizos" and "psychos" - we began to learn that community care didn't work and that these people were violent and had been released as potential time bombs into the community... eventually we, who had been brought up to think of these people as different and strange and frightening, who had been brought up to fear and ridicule the institutions and professionals and treatments, became ill ourselves. The main problem is of course the shame and fear the diagnosis spawns in me - am I really the stuff that splashes themselves onto the newspapers, that goes into the thrillers and horror films? According to the media I am, but I feel a completely different person to the one they portray...' Just over a year ago, the Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission attacked the media for its portrayal of people with mental illness and stated that it causes 'irrational and inaccurate alarm'. How much more the media could do - not to influence public opinion in a negative way, but to inform it in a positive one... especially the sub-editors, who appear (we are told) to be responsible for most of these appalling headlines. It's so easy to get angry about bad reporting that we can forget to acknowledge that there are some journalists out there who have done a great deal to educate and inform about the reality of serious mental health problems. It was to recognise and show appreciation of their contributions that a number of mental health organisations hosted in October 2000 the first Scottish Media Award for Mental Health - the Vincent Donnelly Award. The award went to Nicola Barry of the Press and Journal, with commendations going to Marion Pallister of the Herald, Catherine Deveney of Scotland on Sunday and Dawn Thomson of the Press and Journal. Two newspapers received special commendations - the Press and Journal, and the Northern Scot. So - the next time you journalists put pen to paper about people with schizophrenia or other serious mental health problems, remember that they are people too - and when you cut them, they bleed. If you want information and advice to help you in your work, there are plenty of us out there who will be happy to help - and to thank you for your efforts.
	Top of this page \| Home page