The role of the media

Ending our nation’s mental health crisis requires the power and support of our most dedicated media professionals. The medical answers to recovery are present. The public lacks the knowledge to understand that the behavioral problems are medical problems. Stigma has caused injustice in the legal system. Millions of people live with injustice because of their psychiatric diagnoses. Whether they are newly diagnosed, or have been recovered for decades, they face misunderstanding and discrimination.

Education is the solution to both mental wellness and fairness. The media is in the best position to educate our nation and world. When the media strongly and repeatedly tells the brain truths, the attitudes of misinformed leaders, the prejudiced judges, the spiritually misguided faith leaders, and uneducated educators will change. ….

It may take the media to educate the educators about psychiatry. Without the help of an informed media, most school administrators, university faculty, school superintendents, school board officials, boards of education, education department heads, doctoral recipients, and school students will not learn vital mental illness information. ....