Using participatory video to challenge the stigma of mental illness: a case study

The diagnosis of mental ill health continues to attract substantial stigma in western society, with evidence suggesting public attitudes to be increasingly negative. Recent reviews have highlighted the extensive research on the nature of this stigma but with limited work on the development of strategies to challenge the stigma. The aim of this case study was to explore the potential of researchers and mental health service users (MHSUs) working collaboratively to identify the main problems the service users experience in their everyday lives and to produce a video challenging the negative image of mental ill health. Discussions were held with volunteers involved in a mental health media action group; all volunteers had been or were currently MHSU. These discussions identified a variety of problems including difficulties in everyday social interaction and negative portrayal of mental ill health in the media. A short video was developed with volunteers summarizing the issues they had raised: this was subsequently shown to a wider audience. The MHSUs reported considerable personal benefits of participation in the project. The paper discusses these findings and the process of producing the video.