‘Get the Picture’: What Does Mental Illness Look Like?

A new mental health campaign is challenging the stereotypical representation of mental illness in the media, urging them to rethink about how the sensitive issue is represented.

Backed by Stephen Fry, 'Get the Picture' is urging people to join the campaign on social media, by uploading their pictures with the hashtag #goodbyeheadclutcher. Photograph courtesy of: Time To Change

As ‘Get the picture’ campaign is gaining momentum in the social media, The Nerdy Reporter looks at how the media has shaped certain stereotypes about mental illness and how it can break them.

‘Get the picture’ is the latest campaign that has been launched in an attempt to put a full stop to the ‘headclutcher’ image in the media. The initiative has been launched by Time To Change, the mental health anti-stigma programme run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness.

The ‘headclutcher’ is a term used for stock images that depict a solitary human figure, clutching their head in their hands.“The ‘headclutcher’ is an unfair and inaccurate representation of what life is like with a mental health condition – but it’s often the image most commonly associated with people who experience them,” said Rehaan Ansari, a medical student at Newcastle University. He is one of four people with experience of mental health problems to feature in the campaign.

In a recent survey of nearly 2,000 people, over 80% respondents said that the ‘headclutcher’ image did not convey how it feels to have a mental health problem. More than half of the respondents said that the ‘headclutcher’ image was “stigmatizing.” A further 76% people reported that it made others think that people with mental health problems should look depressed all the time.

Images that accompany articles in the media can have a great impact on the audience.

 “We believe that a picture can be just as damaging as words when used to depict stories about mental illness,” said Time To Change in a statement.

“The danger is that such images represent those suffering from a mental health condition in a very passive way, and as a victim of their illness,” said Dr Helen Jones, a media expert.

Mental health experts argue that this portrays people with mental health issues as “different from others”, furthering the distance between people who face mental distress and those who don’t.

“Potentially, such images can also have a negative and powerful effect on families and friends who see the images and worry that there is less hope than exists in reality,” said Dr Jones.

“One in four people experience mental ill health in their lifetimes, yet the majority recover or manage with success. Images such as “headclutching” do not portray this reality,” she added.

Studies indicate that media is one of the primary sources of information about mental health issues, thus influencing public’s perception about the subject, to a considerable extent.

Time To Change has introduced a wide range of images that can be used by the media for mental health related stories. Photograph courtesy of: Time To Change

There are also cases where the media conflates mental illness with violence. The Germanwings air crash being the latest instance. The “widespread media reporting speculating about the link with the pilot’s history of depression…has been overly simplistic,” said mental health charities, Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, in a joint statement.

“Clearly, assessment of all pilots’ physical and mental health is entirely appropriate – but assumptions about risk shouldn’t be made across the board for people with depression or any other illness.”

“There will be pilots with experience of depression who have flown safely for decades and assessments should be made on a case by case basis” they added.

The media coverage was peppered with graphic descriptions, emotional diction, and glaring headlines. Such headlines “risk adding to the stigma surrounding mental health problems, which millions of people experience each year,” said the charities.

“We see what we are trained to see – journalists need to train up to support a shift in the narrative around mental health and mental wellbeing in public facing mass media,” said media expert, Dr. Jones.

The scenario is similar in the world of popular culture as well. From psychopath killers and unhinged stalkers to insane girlfriends, this largely sums up the portrayal of people with mental health problems, in films and television.

For instance, The Joker in ‘The Dark Knight’ wreaks havoc for no concrete reason. Researchers find this depiction of symptoms like psychosis as markers of violence, problematic. Studies show that not only individuals with mental illness are less likely to commit violent crimes, they’re more likely to be at the receiving end.

Studies also show that people living with mental health issues find it more difficult to cope with the stigma than the symptoms of their illness. The fear of being feared and discriminated against deepens social isolation and distress. Consequently, impeding the process of recovery.

Illustrating a topic as broad and complex as Mental Health can be a challenge for the journalists. “We recognise that mental health can be a complex topic to illustrate, which is perhaps why we’ve seen so much use of an over-simplistic ‘headclutcher’ shot over the years,” said Sue Baker, Director of Time To Change.

To offer an alternative to the photo editors, Time to Change has released a wide range of images that they feel more accurately illustrate mental health. The images can be used for free by the journalists.

The campaign has been backed by the UK Picture Editors Guild, the first ever charity campaign in 40 years that the Guild has supported.

“The media are part of the social fabric of the UK…if journalists support an endeavour to change perceptions about mental illness, they are acting in a responsible and ethical way,” said Dr Jones.