ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with the depiction within the media of negative stereotypes and stigmatising imagery relating to mental health issues. Negative representation is the predominant message being relayed and can be found in all media source types from the print media, film, TV and radio, through to the new electronic media. These negative messages are reinforced through countless examples which can be located both in historical and current media types. The degree to which stigmatising mental health imagery is reflected in the media is outlined in a number of current publications and reports such as the Mindout for Mental Health's (2001a) Mindshift: a Guide to Open-Minded Coverage of Mental Health, the Royal College of Psychiatrists' (2001) Changing Minds: Every Family in the Land and Mind's (2000) Counting the Cost report. These look at the extent of negative coverage of mental health issues and the effects upon the individual experiencing psychological problems. The significance of the predominantly negative portrayal is the maintenance and influence of stigmatising attitudes within societal and individuals' views. As Sieff (2003) identifies, the frequently negative frames deployed by the mass media contribute towards the persistence of the public's negative attitudes regarding the mentally ill. This sets up a cyclical relationship whereby negative perceptions are reinforced.
