Category Archives: Mental Health Media

The Impact of the Media on the Celebrity Anxiety Disorders

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Take a look at the tabloid scene today and, chances are, you’ll see nothing but second-guesses and armchair diagnoses of Britney Spears’ mental health problems. Everything from anxiety disorder to depression, from bi-polar disorder to schizophrenia have been blamed for her recent (and not so recent) behavior. Just a few months prior, the tabloids were doing the exact same thing to Tom Cruise, especially after that infamous moment where he jumped up and down Oprah’s couch like a hyperactive, spoiled brat on a sugar high. However, according to the American Psychoanalytic Association, this act of “armchair psychoanalysis” may do more harm than good for Britney Spears, or pretty much anyone that is subjected to the same treatment.

One of the many things that the ASA, along with several other mental health professionals, finds disturbing is the fact that most of these diagnoses are invalid. In a number of cases, assigning problems like anxiety disorder or bi-polar disorder to someone other than the therapist or psychiatrist whom one has never met personally is unprofessional and dangerous. Even with the comprehesive coverage by news media, it still can’t detail everything that goes on in a person’s life, and even if it could, it still couldn’t reveal what exactly was going on in a person’s head. The ASA is also worried that these diagnoses showing up on the tabloids are being made by uninformed laymen, who have no idea how to properly discern the signs and symptoms of a mental illness. They contend that while Britney’s behavior might show “classic” signs of being bi-polar, it might actually be some rare form of anxiety disorder.

The ASA is concerned not only with the impact such accusations might have on Spears’ mental health (which they have declined to speculate on), but also on the public perception of psychology and psychiatry as a whole. According to them, a proper diagnosis emerges from several consultations and meetings with the patient, and not merely the observations of “ridiculous” behavior that the tabloids were making. Even licensed, experienced professionals cannot create a final diagnosis without having spent quite a bit of time with the patient. They also state that the behavior displayed by the media, which is selected to entice the largest reaction out of people, is limited and, thus, impossible to develop a proper diagnosis from.

Another problem that worries the ASA is the possibility that these diagnoses will be taken by the general public as fact. This stems from the fact that Britney Spears’ celebrity status, combined with the incorrect diagnoses and outright “labeling” by the tabloids, can give the general public drastic misconceptions on the nature of mood and anxiety disorders. It might also cause people to mistakenly attempt to “self-diagnose” their problems and attribute them to one disorder or another.

The ASA, along with the National Institute of Mental Health is concerned that this might lead to the general public developing a viewpoint that over-simplifies mental illnesses, which is not the case. The human mind, as well as all disorders or illnesses that it contracts, is a complex structure. They also point out that attempting to diagnose any mental illness when the patient might have a substance abuse problem is highly improbable during the best of circumstances, let alone under media-controlled scrutiny.

Post traumatic Stress Disorder in Media Personnel

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The terrorist activities allover the world has increased in frequency and intensity. Like other events these activities now play an important role in changing  the attitude and behavior of the people.

Thepsychological effects of terrorism has started attracting the attention of various fields for diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. The rates of posttraumaticstress disorder (PTSD) symptoms have been found to be increasing in the people who face the aftermath of these activities. (Arieh.Y. et. al, 2005).

Fear and anxiety is bound to develop in everybody who faces the situation whether directly or indirectly. In most of the instances the  distress developed out of these experiences fades with time, but may be extended to PTSD if does not disappear.

When considering the studies it is important to bear in mindthat stress symptoms measured in the immediate aftermath ofan attack are not necessarily ‘post-traumatic’.PTSD involves extreme threat, thatendures, despite the danger having passed (Vázquez et. al, 2006).

Transientsymptoms should in most cases therefore be regarded as a generaland not necessarily inappropriate stress response, partly reflectinginvolvement and concern with one’s own safety as wellas with the safety of the community, family and friends.

Symptomreporting will also be associated with actual losses of people,possessions and employment (Galea et al, 2002; De Lisi et al, 2003). The individuals will have experienced intense fear, helplessness of horror – an aspect of trauma which is now known to have significant implications for how that experience is stored in the

body’s and brain’s memory.

Media persons too, as common man will be affected by trauma work they get involved in. As with firefighters, soldiers or rescue workers, it is the media profession to witness and experience traumatic suffering and profound human distress.

Media persons have assumed macho culture, with some of the assumptions that they are not the story – so are not affected, are trained to keep a distance and only to report the facts, so are not touched. They might believe that it’s weak/ selfish/ inappropriate to feel emotions when the people they’re reporting have suffered such pain and anguish and they will risk careers if they acknowledge any kind of weakness. Media persons may want to believe they’re superhuman and unaffected by trauma. However, current research shows , not surprisingly,  they are not (Bleich, A., 2003).

Failure of self-care might be present which is dangerous. This evidence now permitssome estimate to be made of the mental health consequencesof terrorism and of the challenge for psychiatric services for media men.

The risk factors present for the sample are as-

Exposure to war (Feinstein et al., 2005; Simpson & Boggs, 1999). Exposure to a greater number of traumatic assignments (Newman et al., 2003; Pyevich et al., 2003, McMahon, 2001). Exposure to higher intensity assignments (Smith, R., 2008). Time spent in the field Younger journalists with less experience (Teegen & Wrotwinkel, 2001). Veteran journalists with more exposure (Simpson & Boggs, 1999). Exposure to traumatic events in one’s personal life (Newman et al., 2003; Pyevich et al., 2003; Teegen & Wrotwinkel, 2001). Low perceived social support (Newman et al., 2003). Negative beliefs about self, others, & the world following trauma (Pyevich et al., 2003). Negative emotionality (e.g., anger, hostility) (Marais & Stuart, 2005). Difficulty with emotional [removed]Teegen & Grotwinkel, 2001). High perceived organizational stress (Smith, R., 2008). Avoidant styles of coping (Smith, R., 2008). Low perceived social acknowledgment by supervisors and colleagues (Weidmann et al., 2008).

Suicide Prevention and Social Media

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“Walk into any American high school classroom and the odds are that two of the young people before you will have attempted suicide over the past 12 months.” This is according to Jack Heath, president of the Inspire USA Foundation.

It is very unsettling to consider that more than 24,000 suicide attempts are made on college and university campuses around the United States, annually.  These alarming figures are provided by the Journal of the American Medical Association.  

In fact, according to US government statistics, suicide is the second leading cause of death among 25- to 34-year-olds. It is also the third leading cause of death among American 15- to 24-year-olds.

The experts attribute the causation factors for college age suicides as stress of school, finances, and relationships.  These, among others, are certainly enough to get most college students feeling depressed about life at a time that already brings with it the many pressures of adult expectations as well as academic and social challenge.

Here’s the thing… most college students contemplating committing suicide are not likely to include their line of thinking in their Facebook status updates.  Among those that have, lives have been saved by online “friends,” who recognized what was happening and immediately intervened to avert horrible tragedies from taking place.

Case in point.  Resulting from her quick response, actress Demi Moore helped save the life of one of one of her Twitter followers who was contemplating suicide.  By keeping her engaged with Tweets, Moore enticed enough clues for other Tweeps to figure out where this woman lived.  Police were dispatched to her home, just in the nick of time.

In another case that snagged international newswires, a 16 year old British youth sent a suicide message to a young girl in Maryland. This eventually led to White House and British Embassy involvement via calls from the Maryland state police.  Both governments assigned special agents to help track down the suicidal young man before he took his own life.  As a result, a life was saved, due to the Social Media.