Sayed Hussein Al-Qassab
A number of Bahraini media professionals participated in a dialogue session within the “You See Normal” forum, which was organized by Silwan Psychiatric Hospital in partnership with Al-Ayyam Foundation, where the forum addressed the issue of social stigma related to mental health in the Gulf media.
It aimed to highlight the pivotal role of the media in reducing the social stigma associated with mental disorders, and enhance media professionals’ understanding of mental health concepts and the importance of psychological care, in addition to building a communication network between the media and specialists to support future cooperation.
The speakers discussed the role of the press and media in changing the prevailing stereotype regarding mental illness and enhancing community awareness of the importance of psychological treatment as a natural part of health care.
The editor-in-chief of Al-Bilad newspaper, Mu’nis Al-Mardi, the head of the editors’ department at Al-Watan newspaper, Zahraa Habib, and the head of the journalistic investigations department at Akhbar Al-Khaleej newspaper, Muhammad Al-Sa’i, participated in the symposium. The session was moderated by Mona Salim, amid a wide media and community presence.
At the beginning of the symposium, the participants stressed that talking about mental health is no longer a luxury or a marginal topic in society, but rather has become an essential element of quality of life, noting that the media has an influential role in shaping public awareness regarding this sensitive issue.
They stressed that the absence of accurate data and statistics from health institutions reflects negatively on the media coverage of psychological issues, creating a knowledge gap that leads to superficial or unscientific coverage of relevant topics.
They also noted that one of the media’s major responsibilities is to correct misconceptions and publish positive stories about recovery and treatment, instead of focusing on tragic cases that perpetuate fear and stigma.
Editor-in-Chief of Al-Bilad newspaper, Munis Al-Mardi, explained that mental health has become an integral part of public health, stressing that media professionals have an essential role in creating community awareness, and not just reporting the news.
He pointed out that moral and professional responsibility in dealing with psychological issues represents the essence of responsible media work, calling for adherence to humanitarian principles that respect the dignity of the mentally ill patient and avoiding the use of words or images that harm him or his family.
Al-Mardi stated that journalistic professionalism requires accuracy and objectivity in publishing scientific information, and balance in presenting challenges and successes, in addition to the necessity of verifying scientific sources and consulting psychological experts to provide reliable content that is far from sensationalism.
He stressed the importance of the media’s role in breaking the stereotype about mentally ill patients and giving them a space to express their human experiences.
For her part, the head of the editors department at Al-Watan newspaper, Zahraa Habib, explained that the gap between health and media institutions represents one of the most prominent obstacles in spreading psychological awareness, noting that weak coordination between the two sides leads to the absence of integrated awareness plans.
She pointed out the importance of strengthening the media discourse on mental health, and addressing it responsibly and professionally that contributes to breaking social stigma, based on recent data issued by the World Health Organization, stating that more than a billion people around the world suffer from psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression, according to what was published in September 2025, while suicide during the year 2021 alone claimed the lives of about 727 thousand people around the world.
She stressed that the absence of accurate local statistics leaves the door open to misinformation and self-diagnosis, which weakens confidence in psychological treatment and reinforces negative stereotypes. She pointed out that the mental health media still lacks specialists capable of addressing these issues in scientific and human depth at the same time.
Zahraa Habib explained that reducing this gap requires building official partnerships between ministries of health and the media to unify awareness-raising discourse, training media professionals on basic concepts in mental health, in addition to involving psychiatrists in preparing media content to ensure accuracy and credibility.
In a related context, the head of the journalistic investigations department at Akhbar Al-Khaleej newspaper, Muhammad Al-Sa’i, pointed out that psychiatry still suffers from a deep-rooted social stigma, explaining that the media played a major role in perpetuating it over the past decades through the negative stereotypes presented by drama and artistic works about mentally ill patients. He stressed that the media situation today has begun to change gradually, as some media outlets have begun to play a positive role in spreading awareness and talking about psychological treatment as a necessity, not a shame.
Al-Saei explained that the old stereotype that confined the mentally ill to the “crazy” or “criminal” mold contributed to deepening fear and stigma within society. He stated that several studies, including a study published in the Journal of Media Research in 2019, confirmed that dramatic works contributed to strengthening the negative image of mentally ill people, and that the absence of positive awareness made the public associate mental illness with violence, isolation, or poverty.
He pointed out that these false images were reflected in society’s behavior, as many families fear presenting their children to psychiatrists for fear of “stigma,” which leads to worsening of cases or resorting to secret treatment. He stressed that the media has a major responsibility in reformulating the mental image of mental illness, by producing human content that focuses on stories of recovery and success, and seeking the help of experts and specialists to present a balanced scientific presentation that is far from exaggeration or ridicule.
The symposium concluded by emphasizing that promoting mental health is a shared societal responsibility, and that the media represents the bridge between medical knowledge and public awareness. The participants called for integrated efforts between media professionals, psychiatrists, and relevant institutions to develop a media discourse that supports acceptance of psychological treatment as a natural and human matter, and not a stigma or weakness.
Forum recommendations
The forum came out with fifteen recommendations, which were as follows: 1. Strengthening the institutional partnership between the media and health and psychological centres, through periodic meetings for coordination and cooperation.
2. Preparing a Gulf media guide for responsible coverage of mental health issues, ensuring professional presentation free of stereotyping and stigma.
3. Implementing joint awareness campaigns between newspapers, radio, television and digital platforms in cooperation with Silwan Hospital and health institutions.
4. Qualifying media professionals through training through workshops and specialized courses in formulating positive psychological content and conducting interviews with respect and objectivity.
5. Allocate fixed media spaces (pages – programs – paragraphs) to publish mental health topics on a regular and sustainable basis.
6. Taking advantage of technology and digital media to produce creative content (short clips, podcasts, interactive platforms) targeting various groups.
7. Highlighting success stories and positive experiences in recovering from psychological challenges, to spread hope and reduce societal fear.
8. Establishing a Gulf network for media professionals interested in mental health to exchange campaigns and experiences and unify positive messages.
9. Including mental health in university media curricula in cooperation with Bahraini and Gulf universities to train media professionals who are more aware of these issues.
10. Submit these recommendations to the relevant authorities, including ministries, regulatory and legislative bodies, to support national policies that promote mental health and combat stigma.
11. Involving civil society organizations and civil society organizations in awareness campaigns, ensuring that positive messages reach various segments and groups.
12. Develop a legal and ethical framework for media coverage of mental health issues, which includes clear privacy controls and the protection of patients and their families from defamation or exploitation.
13. Strengthening international cooperation with media centers and global health organizations (such as the World Health Organization) to adopt best practices and exchange experiences.
14. Employing the role of influencers on social media in a responsible and thoughtful manner to spread messages supporting mental health and combating stigma.
15. Launching awareness programs directed at children and adolescents, using age-appropriate means (animations, educational games, interactive content), to build early awareness of mental health.
