Spotlight On: Mental Health in SWPA

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Mental Health in Southwestern Pennsylvania
When covering mental health remember to portray the full spectrum of what the individual is dealing with. Sometimes the symptoms of their illness can have far reaching effects on their career, family life, and status in the community. All of which must be understood and overcome in order to fully treat their symptoms. Consider the following when reporting on an individual who is living with a mental health condition: Try to avoid generalizations in your stories about mental health by focusing only on the individual at hand. Recognize that symptoms and the way they are expressed can vary depending on a person's circumstances, developmental stages and ongoing stressors. Someone living with mental illness is rarely isolated in their condition and it is important to report any help-seeking behavior or resources that are available, but were perhaps not utilized. This will help your audience understand that no one needs to suffer alone and encourage them to seek help for themselves or their loved ones. When covering treatment for mental illness remember to account for the full spectrum of techniques available. There are new ways of delivering information to a patient and tools for diagnosis and treatment that focus on treating the whole person helping them to reach overall wellness while also providing support for those closest to them. Find More Suggestions!
A Highlight from Last Year's Media & Mental Health Awards *A Soldiers Heart-Part 3 (PTSD), Andrew Rush, Michael A. Fuoco, and Rebecca Droke, Pittsburgh Post- Gazette* Internet News Story Winner for accurate reporting on behavioral health issues The stories of soldiers and their struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder after their service through multimedia presentation. This program features intimate interviews, documentaries and photographs to capture the inner thoughts and troubles plaguing soldiers in their attempts to adjust to a civilian role.
Developing News Stories Questions to ask: Does the audience see the effects of mental illness on relatives and friends as well as the role of these individuals in recovery?
The 2012 Media & Mental Health Awards The 2^nd Annual Media & Mental Health Awards ceremony will be held on November 8, 2012. Stay tuned for more information on submitting your stories!	Portions of this newsletter adapted from Picture This: Mental Health in Pittsburgh Click here for the full publication!
First Draft EIC's FREE resource to the media offering access to experts on this and many other topics. To set up your own FREE First Draft Consultation Contact: Susan Brozek Scott at sbscott@eiconline.org or call 412-486-2151 Visit Us Online! www.eiconline.org/swpa This is a project of In collaboration with
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