Mental illnesses and substance use disorders are often inaccurately portrayed in the media. Films, television programs, books, magazines, and news programs often stereotype individuals with a mental illness or a substance use disorder as being violent, unpredictable, unreliable, or dangerous, unlike the great majority of those who experience these illnesses. As media is often the primary way people are exposed to individuals experiencing mental illnesses and substance use disorders, when portrayals are inaccurate, they further perpetuate stereotypes, stigma, and discriminatory behavior. Today’s resources highlight some of the ways media perpetuates stigma and how media can become a more responsible partner in the fight against stigma.

Learn More

READ:

How the Stigma of Mental Illness is Spread by the Media

Read this short article about how the media spreads damaging myths about mental illness and the impact of media on mental health.

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How the Media Portrays Substance Use Disorder: The Good, Bad and Honest

Read this short article about how the media portrays substance use disorders and often perpetuates stigma.

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How Media Can more Positively Portray Mental Illness

Read this toolkit to learn tips on how the media industry can more positively portray mental illness.

Take Action

Have a Conversation about the Media You See

Talk to your colleagues or friends about a recent movie or TV show you watched that included a person with mental illness or a person with substance use disorder. How were they portrayed? In what ways did it perpetuate stigma? In what ways did it reduce stigma?

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Write a Letter to the Editor

The next time you see a news article or newscast that uses stigmatizing language or stigmatizing portrayals of individuals with mental illness or substance use disorders, write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.

Question of the Day

What are your favorite TV shows to watch or podcasts to listen to? How do they portray people with mental illness or people with substance use disorders? What do you wish they did differently?

Join the Discussion

Record Your Activities for the Day

The challenge is designed to spur change – in mindsets, behaviors, opportunities and practices. Please help us keep track of how individuals are engaging with the 21-Day Stigma Challenge resources and actions. Each action you take, each resource you review, will add a ticket in your name to the drawing for one of five $100 gift cards at the end of the challenge.

Engagement Tracking Form

Do You Want To Learn More? Check Out These Additional Resources:

From Stigmatized to Sensationalized

Read this blog from NAMI to learn about how mental illness has been portrayed over the years in the media.

Create a Stigma Free Society

Go to the Stigma Free Society’s webpage and watch the first video Mental Health and Celebrities. This video includes some examples of how media stigmatizes mental illness.

Spread The Word!