ROBYN THOMPSONPresentation

SANE

SANE Australia StigmaWatch community suicide prevention in action

Robyn ThompsonMedia Relations ManagerSANE Australia

February 2015

SANE Australia

• National mental health charity, advocating on behalf of, and supporting, people affected with mental illness so they lead better lives

• Suicide prevention is integral to all activities

Programs include

• Helpline - provide advice, comment and/or referral on mental illness and suicide – related issues. on the phone and online

• Online forums – offering peer support. connecting carers and people with lived experience, wherever they are

• Mindful Employer: encourage mentally healthy workplaces at work

• Suicide Prevention/Bereavement: resources and training

• StigmaWatch: a barometer of community attitudes

Mental illness is widespread: so is stigma

• Stigma stops people speaking about their concerns and asking for help

• Stigma contributes another major stress

• Stigma is a major barrier to recovery

• SANE Australia survey found almost 3 in every 4 respondents living with mental illness had experienced stigma

 ‘Stigma was for me the most agonising part of my disorder. It cost friendships, career opportunities, and – most importantly – my self-esteem.’

Play a powerful role in shaping attitudes towards suicide and people with mental illness

Can help to improve attitudes• Reporting accurate and positive stories

about people with mental illness • Providing an understanding of mental

illness

Can perpetuate stigma • Inaccurate or sensationalised reports• generate prejudice against mental illness

and result in self-stigma

The media

1999

2000

2001

2002

2005

Ongoing

SANE Australia establishes StigmaWatch

Australian government establishes Mindframe

Australian governmentInvites StigmaWatch to join Mindframe

StigmaWatchContinues evolving with new media

‘Good News’ reports introduced

Launch of SANE Guide to reducing stigma

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450StigmaWatch Good News

StigmaWatch reports 2002 -2014

Mindframe Media Monitoring Study 2001/02 & 2006/07*

Media reporting trends

• A review of mental illness and suicide reporting in the media* found that reports in 2006/7, compared with those in 2001/2 found the Australian media had• almost doubled it’s coverage of suicide• responsible reports increasing from 57 to 75%• reference to method had reduced substantially

*Pirkis, J et al. 2008. The Media Monitoring Project: Changes in Media Reporting of Suicideand Mental Health and Illness in Australia: 2006-07. Commonwealth of Australia

Types of stigma reported 2011-2014

Accuracy18%

Irrespon-sible23%

Privacy1%

Sensational5%

Trivialising46%

Violence6%

Unbalanced1%

2011 SANE Australia stigma survey *

58% said coverage of mental illness improved in the past two years

73% experienced stigma or discrimination because of mental illness

83% believed media coverage of Schizophrenia was ‘poor’

64% believed media coverage of Bipolar Disorder was ‘poor’

77% believed media coverage of Depression was ‘good’ or ‘fair’

Anxiety

Disord

er

Bipolar D

isord

er

Depre

ssion

Schizo

phrenia

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Media coverage by diagnosis

Good

Fair

Poor

Yes58%

No42%

Has media coverage improved?

* 400+ respondents

StigmaWatch

• Contributes to improving quality and quantity of reports and portrayals of mental illness and suicide in the media

• Empowers people living with mental illness

• Begins a ‘conversation’ with media professionals

Next steps• Developing/expanding program

• New focus on benefits of reduced stigma and positive reporting

• We need you!

• More info – www.sane.org/stigmawatch Robyn.thompson@sane.org

03 9682 5933

Questions