The Mental Health Media Charter

The Mental Health Media Charter

Take The Pledge Buy A Supporter Pack
Mental Health  media charter stamp
For World Mental Health Day 2017, Natasha launched the Mental Health Media Charter. This is a set of 7 simple guidelines for ensuring imagery and language used in mental health reporting is responsible, genuinely educational and stigma-reducing.

The Charter was put together with the help of the Samaritans, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England and Beat. It has been endorsed by Girguiding, the Coalition for Men & Boys & the Labour Campaign for Mental Health

The charter can be signed by individuals or organisations, including bloggers, youtubers and presenters. Those who sign up will receive a specially designed ‘stamp of approval’ drawn by Rubyetc for their website and social media.
supporter pack
The charter is listed in full below, along with a list of organisations and high profile individuals who have signed to date. 

You can show your support for the campaign by buying a supporter pack using the link below. Please note that The Mental Health Media Charter is not for profit and the cost of the pack merely covers production and postage.

Thanks to generous donations from No Panic and Bluebird Books, when you buy a badge you'll now receive a free wristband and limited edition postcard, featuring artwork from Natasha's book 'A Beginner's Guide to Being Mental' by Rubyetc.
Please note that, at present, badges can only be sent to addresses in the UK.
Show your support for the Mental Health Media Charter by purchasing a supporter pack for £5. All profits help us continue our work scrutinising media reporting on mental health. Price includes P&P. We regret we cannot ship outside the UK at this time. 
Supporter Pack Contains:
  • Pin badge
  • Wristband
  • Book mark
  • Post card
  • Large sticker
  • Lolly pop
Buy A Supporter Pack
Mental Health  media charter stamp

The Mental Health Media Charter

Mission Statement

In endorsing the Mental Health Media Charter you are signalling that you are committed to discussing and reporting stories relating to mental health responsibly, helpfully and in a way that takes into account the needs of the most vulnerable members of the population. You are acknowledging the power of language and imagery in shaping social attitudes and declaring your intention to genuinely educate and to reduce stigma around mental illness. 
If you work in a high-pressure, high turnover press office, it is understood that occasionally headlines or pictures will ‘slip through the net’. However, by signing up to the charter you are confirming you will do your best NOT to:

1. Use the phrase ‘commit suicide’ or ‘successful suicide’.

The term ‘commit’ suggests criminality and blame. We now understand that suicide happens when pain exceeds resources for coping with pain. It is not a criminal act in the UK and has not been since 1961. 

‘Successful suicide’ contravenes what we now understand about the act – Most people who take their own life are ambivalent, in that part of them wants to live. 

Best alternative: ‘Died by suicide’ 

Other options: ‘Attempted/completed suicide’, ‘took/ended their own life’.

2. Show ‘before’ images in eating disorder stories or pictures which could be triggering to people who self-harm.

For people who are in a healthy mindset, seeing ‘before’ pictures of people in the grips of anorexia or who have self-harmed can act as a deterrent. However, for people who are either experiencing, or in recovery from eating disorders or self-harm we now understand that these pictures can become something to ‘aspire to’, or cause distress which in turn sets back their recovery. 

We also now understand that eating disorders and self-harm are mental health conditions. The lowest weight or ‘severest’ self-harm doesn’t necessarily indicate the most psychological distress. The body cannot tell the mind’s story.

3. Use the term ‘anorexics’, ‘bulimics’, ‘depressives’ or ‘schizophrenics’….

It is important to understand that a person is distinct from their illness. To label someone an ‘anorexic’ for example, suggests that they are defined by their eating disorder. This is not only unhelpful in terms of the way they are perceived by others but it might also hinder their recovery process. 

Better alternative: ‘people experiencing anorexia/bulimia/depression/psychosis’.  

4. Give too much detail on suicide/self-harm or eating disorder methodology.

We now understand that giving a lot of detail about how people have harmed themselves can inspire imitational behaviour – There is a delicate balance to be struck with your responsibility to report the facts of the case. Try to avoid going into too much detail, which will ensure the report is safe for all audiences. For more information on how to strike this balance, please see the Samaritans’ media guidelines. 

As a general rule, stories should focus on ‘whys’ not ‘hows’.

5. Use generic terms like ‘mental health issues’ when describing terrorists and other violent criminals

99% of people with mental illnesses are more likely to harm themselves than others. In establishing a link between generic poor mental health and terrorism/violent crime, stigma and fear is increased. 
Instead be specific – what mental health ‘issue’ did the perpetrator have? Was it diagnosed or is it conjecture?

You might also add a disclaimer along the lines of ‘please note most people with mental health issues/personality disorders would not commit a crime of this nature, which occur as a result of a rare combination of circumstances. We understand that the largest contributory factor is radicalisation.’

And you are pledging that you will do your best to:

6. Understand the difference between mental health and mental ill health.

Everyone with a brain has a mental health, just as everyone with a body has a physical health. By using the term ‘mental health’ to describe mental illness, an important discussion which impacts 100% of the population is confined to one quarter of it.
 
Instead of ‘battles with mental health’ it is therefore much more helpful to say ‘issues with mental ill health’ so that the public can understand the distinction. 

7. Include links to good quality sources of support if content might trigger need for help in a reader/viewer.

The best charities and support organisations ensure their web forums are monitored for triggering content (ie users sharing self-harm or suicide techniques). They do not promote one form of therapy for financial gain but instead describe various treatment methods. They base their content on reliable evidence and have good links with research institutions. 

Charities who have this ethos and you may wish to signpost to include: Young Minds, The Samaritans, CALM, The Mix, The Self-Harm Network, Beat, Mind.

Charter Signees

theresa may on mental health media charter
Celebrities/Influencers 

Sean Fletcher (presenter, Sunday Morning Live, Good Morning Britain)
Rachel Riley (Countdown, 8 out of 10 Cats does Countdown) 
Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (Former Shadow Minister for Mental Health) 
Stephen Dixon (broadcaster) 
Sam Delaney (author and podcaster) 
Norman Lamb (MP for North Norfolk 2001-2019) 
Luciana Berger (former Shadow Minister for Mental Health) 
Stephanie Yeboah (plus size model, activist) 
Lucy McDonald (journalist and author) 
Stephanie Davis (journalist, ITN) 
Lucy Nichol (journalist and author)
Beverley Knight (Recording Artist, Radio Presenter and Musical Theatre Actress)
Poorna Bell (author and campaigner)
Dame Benny Refson(Founder and President of Place2Be)
Alex Holmes (journalist and presenter of Time to Talk podcast)
Dr Will Shield (Senior Educational Psychologist)
Online Publications 


Newspapers
 
Schools
Sydenham High School  
Little Hadham Primary School  
The Phoenix Primary School and Nursey  
High Peak Federation
Tenbury CE Primary Academy  
Ogbourne CE Primary School 

Note: In addition to the above a number of individuals, schools and work places have signed.
Share by: