Interviewing
Chapter 4
Unless we all become accustomed to seeing, hearing and reading about the personal experiences of people with mental illnesses – in much the same way as we now routinely hear from cancer patients and their families – it may be difficult to overcome centuries of prejudice and fear that have become ingrained in our society.
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RESOURCES
At the heart of the need to make these voices heard lies the fact that mental illness is far more widespread and far less to be feared than we have traditionally thought. If every Canadian is touched by mental illness in some way, as statistics clearly indicate, there is no natural divide between “us” and “them”.
INTERVIEWING PEOPLE WITH MENTAL DISORDERS
Including the voices of people with mental illness in our stories, of course, first involves learning how to approach and interview people with mental disorders confidently and with empathy. Some may feel a degree of trepidation – but if so, their fear is not founded in reality.
GAINING ACCESS
Getting the voices of people with mental illness into our stories implies having access to them. That often means giving mental health professionals reasons to trust us, and it may require a sustained effort to overcome institutional barriers. A host of ethical issues arises for journalists as well.