Schizophrenia stigmatised in the media
New research by mental health advocacy group, SANE Australia, finds that schizophrenia is the most stigmatised mental illness.
An analysis of complaints made by the public to SANE’s StigmaWatch program about media reporting of mental illness has found that nearly 1 in 4 relate to schizophrenia. By comparison, only 1 in 50 complaints are about the irresponsible media reporting of depression.
The report, SANE Research Bulletin 10: Stigma, the media and mental illness, found that 23% of the complaints made about schizophrenia involved sensationalised media reporting. Many of these complaints related to media reports that perpetuate violent or dangerous stereotypes, or incite community fear about the illness.
The number of media reports about schizophrenia that emphasise violence or threatening behaviour misrepresent the actual statistics: one in 100 people will experience schizophrenia but the lifetime risk of someone with schizophrenia seriously harming or killing another person is calculated to be just 0.005%.
