Stigma remains a barrier to help-seeking, treatment, and recovery when it comes to mental health conditions. Research shows that the type of image used to depict a condition can influence how that condition is perceived, which in turn can affect how persons living with the condition are treated.
With this in mind, Masiviwe partnered with the SA Federation for Mental Health to develop the South African Positive Mental Health Photo Library. Inspired by similar work done by The Mental Health Foundation, this library aims to destigmatise mental health and shares positive photographs of persons living with mental health conditions within the South African context.
“Stigma is incredibly harmful, but it does not have to be inevitable. Evidence from high-and low-income countries suggests that anti-stigma interventions can change public attitudes for the better.” – Michel’le Donnelly, Project Leader: Advocacy and Awareness at the South African Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH).
In 2022, a Lancet Commission on ending stigma and discrimination in mental health report was released. The report was the result of a collaboration between more than 50 people worldwide, and brought together evidence and experience of the impact of stigma and discrimination, along with outlining successful interventions for stigma reduction. One of the key recommendations from the report was for all media organisations to systematically remove stigmatising content and issue policy statements and action plans on how they will actively promote mental health and consistently contribute to the reduction of stigma and discrimination in mental health.
“We embarked on the Masiviwe mental health project in June 2022 and quickly discovered when creating content that most of the stock images available show people with their heads in their hands, or alternatively, people meditating on pristine beaches, both of which are not helpful when trying to educate people around mental health.”- Jennifer Charlton, project lead for Heartlines on the Masiviwe project.
We encourage the South African media and all persons active in the mental health space to download and use these photographs in positive stories focused on persons with lived experience of mental health conditions, whilst actively promoting good mental health for all.
https://masiviwe.org.za/positive-mental-health-image-library/