'Fearmongering', coronavirus and mental health issues.
Much has been made of the growing ‘
mental health crisis’ caused by Covid-19 and related enforced lockdowns around the country, indeed the world.
Research has shown a significant increase in mental health problems around the period of the pandemic,
particularly for youngsters, those on lower incomes, people with pre existing mental health issues, people living with children, and people from urbanised areas.
Being unable to see close family members and friends, who may provide an essential support network, not to mention paid mental health support workers, has obviously caused a rise in psychological distress amongst many of us. Concern over losing one’s job and primary source of income/ability to survive financially as a result of the pandemic and social distancing or isolating/subsequent lockdowns is also a major cause of stress and anxiety. But another factor is also the worry of whether one will catch the virus, or pass it onto a loved one, or indeed if their loved one will catch it elsewhere.
It’s inarguable that most people are informed in the main by media reports of the virus, including how it spreads, how to protect oneself and others from it, and the official government advice, rules, guidelines and legal restrictions relating to it. Something else which is also inarguable is that the media loves to draw people’s attention and put ‘bums on seats’, and humans
seem to be drawn to sensationalised, negative and dramatic news reporting. Publications like The Sun and Daily Mail often rely heavily on ‘human interest’ stories, that is reporting that intends to evoke an emotional response, and ‘pulls at the heart strings’ of the reader. One only has to look at the success of serial dramas like EastEnders and Coronation Street to understand that people like emotionally engaging drama, however unrealistic or ridiculous it may be.
One former soap star, Denise Welch, got herself into hot water with various media and ‘celebrity’ figures recently when
she openly criticised what she called the ‘fearmongering’ by the media and the government over the coronavirus pandemic, which she stated was adding to the rise in mental health problems which has been cited by so many organisations and research teams. Her words were somewhat misrepresented by some, for example,
Piers Morgan, who described her as a “dumb, deluded & dangerous Covid-denier”, when in fact she was not denying the existence of the virus - just a bit more balanced reporting and recognition of positive steps towards getting it under control, as the constant overly negative news was damaging to people’s state of mind.
The media would no doubt also argue that they are only providing the facts and after all, people are not interested in good news, they are only giving the public what they want. But the media is incredibly powerful and as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. Welch may not be a scientist or professor, but she does have a point; being exposed to constant negativity is not good for one’s health. Morgan of course, is a former newspaper editor, so it’s no surprise that he wants to shift the focus onto something which is not even a relevant argument in this case, as Welch is obviously no “Covid-denier”.
In my opinion Welch brings up various issues in the interview that are wider problems needing addressed. The idea that mental health should be viewed as important as physical health for a start. In reality physical health and mental health are completely intertwined; both impact on one another, so to suggest one should have more importance than the other in the first place is coming at things from the wrong position. If one has very poor physical health they are likely to have poorer mental health too, and vice versa. And obviously the more stressed one is about catching coronavirus, the more anxious they will be, which will impact their immunity to it. If they do catch the virus, they will panic more if they have been exposed to more negative and sensationalised reporting on it. This will hamper their ability to recover from it as a result. And the
lack of mental healthcare at present, partly caused by the decision to prioritise physical healthcare related to Covid-19 across the NHS, and the
lack of ability of mh services to implement infection control procedures and effective social distancing measures, simply compounds the issue; this pandemic has caused a perfect storm for the exacerbation of mh issues.
It’s important to acknowledge that the media isn’t in the business of healthcare or in charge of ensuring the wellbeing of the nation. However it does on the whole openly favour political parties which are working towards privatisation of public health services, through its unwavering support for neoliberal capitalists like the Conservative Party (and in the past (and future?) New Labour/‘centrist’ politics) - although it’s arguable that we now have fascist policies and actions from the Tories (for example through welfare policies - ‘eugenics by stealth’, prorogation of Parliament, the planned ‘Internal Market Bill’ and their breaking of International Law, and the mere fact that
people who have openly far right leanings are joining the Tory party). Insurance based healthcare is by its very nature discriminatory, as if someone cannot afford to pay for it, they are at increased risk of poor health and missing out on vital treatment which may in many cases be a matter of life or death. And given the media’s ability to manipulate the national psyche, it should bear some responsibility for the welfare and actions of the public. By default, in supporting political parties which wield eugenicist policies and, directly or otherwise, cause harm to certain sections of society, it also supports their policies and the ideology behind them.. and bears responsibility for their consequences.
Another wider point is that the constant negativity of news reporting in general, Covid crisis or not, impacts upon one’s health. This isn’t just a pandemic thing; it’s something that has always gone on. The media has always focused on bad news, and while people are more drawn to it, that does not absolve broadcasters and journalists from responsibility, especially when they actively contribute to some of the most horrific and anxiety inducing stories they report on, such as climate change effects, global conflicts, extreme poverty and deprivation, the election of racist demagogues, and the impending consequences of a No Deal Brexit (which of course open up the possibility of an NHS sell off). A media which is
controlled by billionaires with vested interests and which has the power to influence millions if not billions of people into voting against their best interests, and aiding the development of widespread mental health issues, is not a responsible one. In reality our relationship with the media is an abusive one; as news outlets refuse to take responsibility for their actions and manipulate us into acts of collective self harm, negatively affecting our mental health through daily streams of depressing and sensationalised reporting and encouraging us to engage in self defeating practices (e.g. electing elitist individuals who have no care for anything or anyone other than themselves and their rich associates, or hating our next door neighbour for having a different colour of skin instead of concentrating our ire on those who truly affect our welfare and ability to survive).
As a species we may gravitate towards negative stories, but it’s up for debate why this is the case, and it does not excuse the media from its role in taking advantage of that gravitation and using it to promote its own agenda, deliberately focusing on horrifying, trauma inducing news, and washing its hands of any part in causing widespread harm. It didn’t start with the coronavirus, but it’s a debate that needs to be had, as malevolent forces should be identified and held accountable for their actions, not only from a moral position, but also from a position of societal wellbeing.