Entry on mental illness is added to AP Stylebook

[HereSince1628]

The entry is already available in the AP Stylebook Online

A few highlights from the press release of the entry that might be considered by DUers opining on mental health stories in the news:
--------
http://www.ap.org/content/press-release/2013/entry-on-mental-illness-is-added-to-ap-stylebook

<snip>

Do not describe an individual as mentally ill unless it is clearly pertinent to a story and the diagnosis is properly sourced.
When used, identify the source for the diagnosis.

<snip>

Do not use derogatory terms, such as insane, crazy/crazed, nuts or deranged, unless they are part of a quotation that is essential to the story.

Do not assume that mental illness is a factor in a violent crime, and verify statements to that effect. A past history of mental illness is not necessarily a reliable indicator. Studies have shown that the vast majority of people with mental illness are not violent, and experts say most people who are violent do not suffer from mental illness.

<snip/more>

------------

Forbes magazine suggests that the AP has made a good start but doesn't go far enough. Checkout their suggestions about 4 paragraphs into their piece, for the most part these deal with being specific not only about diagnosis but also specific about treatments--because of great differences in treatment, writing that a person was treated for depression says very little.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/toddessig/2013/03/11/the-stigma-of-mental-illness-3-ways-to-improve-the-new-ap-stylebook-entry/

[Tobin S.]

1. That's awesome

It's as if they've been reading our posts on the matter. We've been saying a lot of that stuff for a while now.

[HereSince1628]

2. It does sound very familiar, doesn't it?

It's refreshing for anyone to propose that sort of sensitivity as an industry standard.

[fizzgig]

3. i like the suggestions put forward in the forbes article

but i am happy to see progress in the style book

[HereSince1628]

4. This grad student's LTE nicely rounds out the rationale

for the APs new style guideline on mental illness

From the opinion page of the Hartford Guardian:
http://www.thehartfordguardian.com/2013/03/12/mental-illness-is-not-the-root-of-violence-sandy-hook-shooting/

<snip>


{T}he frequent media portrayals and commonplace claims of mental illness as a leading cause of violence are simply not accurate. Out of the hundreds of mental disorders, there are only a few that are reliably linked to violence. It is important though, that if there are violent acts committed by someone with one of these conditions, then any discussion should use the specific name of the condition, rather then using the blanket term of “mental illness.” Using a blanket term makes inaccurate associations between those few conditions that are reliably linked to
violence with those many that aren’t, transferring the effects of stigma.

Additionally, any use of specific terms should be grounded in an understanding of those terms. Suggestions that the perpetrator of the Sandy Hook incident had Asperger’s disorder, and that this was a causal factor in such violence, clearly demonstrate a lack of understanding, as violence is not inherent to Asperger’s.

While acts are committed which cause many to conclude the perpetrator ”wasn’t right in the head,” that doesn’t mean it was a mental illness that was the cause, or even that it was present. Mental illnesses are specifically defined constructs, and labeling something as “mental illness,” without a solid grasp of those constructs, distorts public perception. Perhaps at least partially as a result, the term “mental illness” appears linked to public perceptions of dangerousness, and must be addressed, as it has important social effects. It matters how these discussions are framed. Unfortunately, much of the talk presently going on in the wake of the Sandy Hook incident may further embed misperceptions of mental illness and violence into the collective conscious.

While calls for greater emphasis on mental healthcare are welcome and long overdue, couching those calls in the horror of that awful event stands a strong chance of deepening many of the problems facing good people who happen to be suffering from mental health problems, and those people seeking to help them.