See me would like to alert you to the coverage of Frank Bruno’s admittance to hospital as covered by The Sun today (Tuesday 23rd October 2003).

The front page headline reads, "Bonkers Bruno Locked Up", this, and the inside reporting, is clearly offensive.

See me will be complaining to The Editor. We thought you might wish to join us and other Stigma Stopwatchers in writing or emailing to complain. The address to write to is The Editor, The Sun, 124 Portman Street, Kinning Park, Glasgow, G41 1EJ. Or email scottishsunletters@the-sun.co.uk.

We would like to thank those reporters who have dealt with this issue with the sensitivity, understanding and respect we would expect from our newspapers. It is disappointing that a few still choose to use such stigmatising language when writing about mental ill health.

Thank you for your support.

Tonight, STV will show the Jim Carrey film "Me, Myself and Irene. Since its release in 2000, this film has been the subjects of international campaigning by user and carer groups because of its grossly insensitive,factually incorrect and cheaply humorous take on mental ill health.

It is therefore surprising, and concerning, that STV decided to screen this film as its key midweek feature in Scottish Mental Health Week.

The film follows the story of US police officer Charlie/Hank (Jim Carrey).

"Charlie" is kind and loving until he stops taking his medication. Then he turns into bad guy "Hank", aggressive and threatening.

Charlie/ Hank is described by both himself and by others in the film as having "involuntary schizoid personality disorder with narcissistic tendencies", a diagnosis that is fictitious nonsense.

Irene, his traveling companion consistently refers to him as "schizo" when explaining his behaviour to bystanders.

Original publicity for the film included a t-shirt bearing the slogan "I’m schizophrenic, so am I", a pill bottle of Jelly beans claiming to be a cure for schizophrenia warning of "genital elephantiasis" as a side effect, and the tag line "From Gentle to Mental".

Why is the film so offensive?

• Firstly it muddies public perceptions of mental health problems like schizophrenia, of which they have very little understanding and few positive role models.
• Secondly, it ridicules symptoms of psychosis, to the extent that some young people, at whom the film was targeted, might be discouraged from seeking help if they start to experience similar symptoms.
• Thirdly, it causes great upset to people with schizophrenia, personality disorders, and dissociative disorders. Aspects of their experiences have been distorted and cobbled together in this film to present a fictitious and highly stigmatising viewpoint of mental ill health.

‘see me’ TV adverts were originally scheduled to be broadcast during "Me,Myself and Irene". This would have been entirely inappropriate, so we have withdrawn our adverts from a prime time opportunity to reach the Scottish public, and rescheduled the slots elsewhere.

If you would like to make your views known, you may do so. Advice on making complaints can be found in the "Taking Action" section of the new ‘see me’ website (www.seemescotland.org.)

If you choose to take action, ‘see me’ would very much appreciate being kept informed.