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Published VersionCC BY-NC V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
When safe is not enough: an exploration of improving guidelines on reporting mental illness and suicide
Pacific Journalism Review, Vol.30(1 / 2), pp.81-95
2024
Related media
Expert Quote
Words count: Research recommends refining the way media reports suicide
UniSC News (Clare McKay)Abstract
Mental illness, coping, and suicide-related stigma are influenced by social discourse. Legacy, digital and social media create and amplify existing attitudes and contribute to mindsets and behaviour, including suicidality. While internationally there have been guidelines for several decades, the focus has been on ‘safe’ language and word choices that highlight problems. However, these guidelines have not prevented deaths by suicide and have contributed to the prevalence of catastrophising of normal unpleasant emotions and social problems as mental illness. With calls in government reviews and by consumers for greater focus on consumer-centred suicide prevention and the advent of increasing biopsychosocial stressors from COVID-19, consideration of other approaches to and inclusions in media guidelines are timely and prudent. In this article, we explore how a consumer-centred coping approach would augment existing media guidelines to influence community attitudes and behaviours in a way that contributes to health and wellbeing, as well as suicide prevention.
Details
- Title
- When safe is not enough: an exploration of improving guidelines on reporting mental illness and suicide
- Authors
- Elizabeth Jane Stephens - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Business and Creative IndustriesHelen M. Stallman - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
- Publication details
- Pacific Journalism Review, Vol.30(1 / 2), pp.81-95
- Publisher
- Tuwhera Open Access
- Date published
- 2024
- DOI
- 10.24135/pjr.v30i1and2.1275
- ISSN
- 2324-2035; 1023-9499
- Copyright note
- Copyright (c) 2024 Elizabeth Jane Stephens, Helen M. Stallman. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Business and Creative Industries; Healthy Ageing Research Cluster; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991066898002621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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