Essay Example on Mass Media: Essential Agents of Socialization and Mental Health

Introduction

Mass media is an essential agent of socialization. Mass media refers to various media with conveying information to the general public including Television, radio, newspaper, and all other forms of publications in this global age (Diefenbach & West, 2007). The platforms inform, influence and change most of the people's perceptions about a particular subject of discussion. One specific issue is psychological problems. According to the State of Mental Health in America, over 44 million adult Americans (1 out of 5) have psychological health problems. In their first report in 2015, these numbers have only witnessed a slight decrease in the number of adults with mental health problems, currently at 18.07% from 18.19% (Diefenbach & West, 2007).

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This paper focuses on the state of media portrayal of psychological issues. It discusses how the Television, films and newspapers portray people with mental problems in their coverages and how they have contributed to describing psychological conditions negatively.

The Role of Mass Media

Commission on Mental illness concluded that beliefs concerning psychological disorders in public are usually negatively portrayed and influenced in different media items (Diefenbach & West, 2007). Similarly, The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, (NAMI) reported that mass media has a strong and negative influence on the way people perceive mental illness which results in increasing stigma surrounding mental illness (2014). Mass media frequently depict people with mental illness as violent, dangerous, lazy, low intelligence, and unproductive members in society (Klin & Lemish, 2008). Since mass media platforms such as Television, newspapers, and films are readily accessible, these misrepresentations are frequent among the general public, thus making it had to change the perception or advocate to counter them. Also, the lack of contact with people with psychological problems among the public leaves media as the only reliable source of information regarding these cases (Caputo & Rouner, 2011). Caputo and Rouner (2011), in their survey, concluded that the majority of people get informed on psychological illness from Television, newspapers and magazines. Others get information from family and friends. These results indicate that few people out there get information on psychological problems from reliable sources and they heavily rely on entertainment and news media.

Despite the trust placed in the mass media, it does not take full responsibility to stop these stereotypes as they are only reflecting on the values and beliefs of society. Much cannot be said to blame the media since as business entities, they use the mental illnesses to create headlines that will gain attention and sell (Klin & Lemish, 2008). Below are some of the comments from people with psychological problems. Milly says "Before I had them myself, I feared people with mental health problems". Hannah said, "Stigma often stops people seeking help for eating disorders" while Penny said "People with mental illness are real people too" (Virzi, 2017).

From the above examples, people with psychological issues are very hurt, intimidated and fear to express themselves. They are not free to talk to their relatives or friends since they are stigmatized. When such cases are not reported correctly controlling or treating these psychological issues becomes a big challenge as many cases go unreported.

Television

Television is the leading worldwide source for media, with almost every household having one. Television broadcast dramas, images, cartoons and international news. In most of these segments, psychological issues occur in the context of violence (Klin & Lemish, 2008). Besides, Television has judgemental attitudes which impact people with mental problems negatively on the broader society. There are many TV shows where viewers have shown their concerns after watching particular episodes.

Virzi (2017) cites ITV's Girlfriends. In the beginning, Carol is depicted as a liar and obsessive towards men. She also has grandiose ideas about her singing career. Carol once had a psychosis diagnosis and had been in a mental institution on two occasions. Her mental health problem is associated with her strange and disturbing behaviour. She is described as "deranged" and "crazy woman." She is painted as "the other," bad, mad and dangerous. In one episode, she enters the home of the main character brandishing a knife planning to kill the woman but instead kills the cat. This was a gruesome incident that resulted in outrage from the public on Twitter, some quick to judge the character, terming her a "psycho" (Virzi, 2017)

Carol's storyline might not have been intended to be a mental health storyline, but it was stigmatizing. If the storyline were racist or homophobic, most broadcasters would not have dreamt of running such a storyline.

When watching a television show, it is easy to notice a character with a mental health problem. These characters are usually depicted as strange and outsiders in the show and dangerous. As it is often the cases, these people hurt their loved ones, not strangers. They are finally dragged and locked up in a mental facility against their will (Diefenbach & West, 2007). From recent research, the public opinion indicates schizophrenia is the most negatively portrayed mental health problem (Virzi, 2017).

Newspapers

Although Television is the most prominent form of media, newspapers have become a subsequent link between violence, mental health problem and criminality (Diefenbach & West, 2007). In this modern time, news reporting in the United States predominate violence cases associated with the psychological problem if not politics and business. Even in politics and business, it is not strange to find articles relating to mental illness (Ross et al., 2019). However, the newspapers do not put more focus on distinguishing terms such as psycho, lunatic, schizo, lunatic, mental ill, mental patient and the public on the receiving is left to interpret these terms (Ross et al., 2019). Cases of psychological illness are reported using words such as violent and dangerous. This violence and dangerousness imply that people without mental illnesses should stay away from those with psychological issues as there is a close link between illness and badness. Therefore, people sometimes have a wrong interpretation that any violent or horrific incident reported is done by people with mental-related illness, a belief constructed by the newspapers. As a result, such people's identity in society is labelled negatively (Ross et al., 2019).

Films

Today, public life is also portrayed through films movies (Caputo & Rouner, 2011). Usually, in these films, people with psychological issues are painted negatively. For instance, in "Split" directed by M. Night Shyamalan, following Wendel Crumb (James McAvoy), a person with dissociative identity disorder, (DID) formerly multiple personality disorder. With 23 distinct personalities, Kevin in the movie kidnaps and imprisons three teenage girls in a secluded underground facility. When the film was first released, more than 20,000 people threatened to boycott the film after signing a petition for the manner the movie portrayed DID and in promoting transphobia (Virzi, 2017). To those who had DID, the movie was harmful. The character is a villain and a predator because of his dissociative identity disorder. This is a misrepresentation of character because most people with DID are victims and survivors of childhood trauma. Therefore, to use the same character to kidnap others it is disrespectful and insulting to these people.

Movies like this develop fear among the public towards people with mental illness when in reality, these people are more likely to victims of violence than perpetrators. Thus stigmatization should remind people they are is still a long way to go in breaking the stigma.

Conclusion

From the above examples and analysis of the present situation, it is evident that mass media platforms are very influential in diverting or converging the public opinion on the subject of psychological problems. There is uniformity in way these media represent people with psychological issues. Since different forms have a significant impact on the way the public receives their message, the majority have the wrong perception on the subject. However, associating mental illness with dangerousness and violence in the public eyes in misleading.

Recommendation

For the negative public perceptions of mental health to change, efforts should be directed towards the media. As most images and stories portrayed by televisions and newspapers are inaccurate and stereotypical, there is a need to educate people in the media. Reporters, journalists, editors, students and academics need to be purposeful in addressing these issues. Some efforts taken by Time to Change campaigns are appreciated. Also, the recent efforts by the Sun in their Time to Talk Day Campaign has been excellent in educating the mass although they have not had the best history in reporting mental health. The Guardian has also been impressive in the Excellent Mental Health Section. Now it up to the organization such as the Mental Health Media Charter to be more purposeful in filtering the content in different media forms before the information is fed to be public.

References

Caputo, N. M., & Rouner, D. (2011). Narrative processing of entertainment media and mental illness stigma. Health Communication, 26, 595-604. DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2011.560787

Diefenbach, D.L. & West, M.D. (2007). Television and attitudes toward mental health issues: cultivation analysis and the third person effect. Journal of Community Psychology, 35(2), 181-195.

Klin, A., & Lemish, D. (2008). Mental disorders stigma in the media: Review of studies on production, content, and influences. Journal of Health Communication, 13, 434-449. DOI: 10.1080/10810730802198813

National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2014). Take action- mental illness facts and myths. Retrieved from: http://www.naminh.org/action-facts-myths.php

Ross, A. M., Morgan, A. J., Jorm, A. F., & Reavley, N. J. (2019). A systematic review of the impact of media reports of severe mental illness on stigma and discrimination, and interventions that aim to mitigate any adverse impact. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 54(1), 11-31. Retrieved from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00127-018-1608-9

Virzi, J. (2017, December 20). The 6 Best (and 4 Most Controversial) Portrayals of Mental Illness in 2017. Retrieved from: https://themighty.com/2017/12/the-best-and-most-controversial-portrayals-of-mental-illness-in-2017/