Member-only story
What the Media Gets Wrong About Mental Illness
Here in Canada, we celebrate an annual mental health awareness day called Bell Let’s Talk. Several years ago, I belonged to a non-profit organization that decided to open its doors for one day as a drop-in for people with mental illness. I have a lot of experience with mentally ill people, so I volunteered to be a listening ear and support to visitors for a few hours.
I was dismayed, however, when the female coordinator of the event told the volunteers to sit near the door “in case you need to escape.” Apparently, she had a scary encounter in an office with a person who had mental health issues. I, on the other hand, have spent over two decades visiting mental health wards and dealing with this condition in people close to me.
I have never been threatened or harmed in any way, even in the more potentially dangerous wards. It has been my experience that people with serious mental issues tend to withdraw and isolate themselves rather than lash out.
The media is the public’s main source of information about disorders such as depression, bipolar, and schizophrenia. At times, the media can do a good job of telling the stories of people with mental illness. Now and then, celebrities are honest and open about how their condition affects their lives. As a mental health advocate and writer, I have observed that despite…
