Charities call for end to media stigma of people with mental health problems

Mental health charities have urged new efforts to
tackle stigmatisation of people with mental health problems,
following the tabloid media’s treatment of former boxer Frank
Bruno after he was sectioned, writes Sally
Gillen.

‘The Sun’ reported the news of the former heavyweight
champion’s detention under the Mental Health Act with the
headline “Bonkers Bruno locked up”, but later changed
it after widespread condemnation.

Bowing to pressure from the public, the decision was taken to
change the headline to “Sad Bruno in mental home”.

Rethink chief executive Cliff Prior described the
newspaper’s treatment of Bruno as “shameful”, but
said the public’s response had been
“heartwarming”. The charity is now calling for a
government-funded national campaign to fight the discrimination
faced by the 630,000 people with a severe mental health
problem.

Meanwhile, Mind’s chief executive Richard Brook has
written to The Sun’s editor Rebekah Wade urging a long-term
improvement in the newspaper’s coverage of mental health
issues.