Bus beheader to remain in psychiatric care, board rules… (Winnipeg Free Press Published: Wednesday, June 03, 2009)

This headline and story from the Winnipeg Free Press is disturbing. I am disappointed that the media would perpetuate the impression that mental illness and violence automatically go hand –in –hand. I understand the desire to create snappy headlines but do not feel that this should take precedence over the use of respectful language. The stigma associated with mental illness is already profound and pervasive without referring to a person by an illness. It does not pay respect to any individual as a whole person, with both positive and negative attributes, to label them by one (admittedly horrific) action with the use of such a glib and tasteless phrase and , in cases like this, may prevent others from seeking help because the risk of stigma and misunderstanding may be increased. It is documented that approximately “one in five British Columbians is living with some form of mental disorder or other, but fewer than a third will ever get treatment…not due to the lack of mental health resources or effective treatments, but too often because people fear being labeled according to age old stereotypes of people with mental health problems.”

We would not think of referring to a person as cancerous – just think of the image that brings to mind. Yet, again and again, we are bombarded with public examples of this misuse of language associated with mental health concerns, and for that matter, other social issues that make us uncomfortable. The term ‘bus beheader’ in a headline is reductive and dismissive towards the lives of both men involved in the tragedy of that night last year. What happened was terrible and tragic, but also anomalous – the result of lack of better services for those with mental illness, of better understanding in general about mental illness, and a tragic illustration of how stigma has real impact on lives.

I am pleased that the The Mental Health Commission of Canada has recently begun a 10-year Anti-stigma / Anti-discrimination Initiative. I would urge you to take a few moments to check out their website and to help shape a positive change for those Canadians living with mental illness and those who love them.