Adding Insult to Injury –
May 31, 2019 – When it comes to reprehensible celebrity mental health coverage, the media has more than earned its reputation. From sensationalized write-ups of rehab trips and “breakdowns” to derisive headlines and invasive tactics, there’s a long history of tabloid malfeasance. Worse, articles that poke fun at people who are seemingly in crisis, reinforcing pre-existing stigmas in the process, can have serious consequences. Some celebrities who have suffered under paparazzi surveillance and insensitive coverage have since spoken out about their experiences. A 2018 Paper magazine profile of Amanda Bynes referenced the “countless headlines over the years that attempted to put a psychological label to [Bynes]’ behavior,” with the actress saying, “It definitely isn’t fun when people diagnose you with what they think you are… If you deny anything and tell them what it actually is, they don’t believe you.” The Guardian’s Britney Spears article went on to juxtapose those nightmarish scenes from the early aughts with responses to recent reports that Spears had chosen to check in to a mental health facility. “The messages of love and support posted by fans seem supportive and empathetic; the tabloid reports relatively muted and factual … What a difference a decade can make.”
