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- - MS and Mental Illness - Article in my local paper (https://www.neurotalk.org/multiple-sclerosis/42976-ms-mental-illness-article-local-paper.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Bird (Post 255277)

Well, you guys guess how long my original letter was? 886 words!

Since they only want 200 words, I got it reduced to 500 something!!! LOL

I sent it to the letters to the editor, the President, and the Features Editor.....

Here it tis!!!

Knoxville News Sentinel
2332 News Sentinel Drive
Knoxville, TN, 37921

RE: ‘Who’s going to speak up for these people?’ in Sunday's paper 4/6/08

April 9, 2008

Dear Editor,

I am one of approximately 400,000 Americans living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS). This newspaper article insinuated that MS and mental illness go hand in hand, but yet on the home page of the NMSS under symptom list, mental illness, bipolar, nor schizophrenia are listed. Multiple Sclerosis is NOT a mental illness.

No facts were given on this man's mental illnesses. The only two facts about MS stated were “MS is a chronic, often disabling disease in which the body's immune system attacks the central nervous system...” and then “...Betaseron, a drug designed to slow the effects of MS. “ This did not explain the disease to the general public whatsoever. And the scariest thing is that it read as if Betaseron was responsible for his mental illness. The paper could have educated the public and advertised the MS walk that was held in Knoxville.

This article did not reflect thoughtful research. Instead it reeled in poor journalism and sensationalism, starting with the headline and the pictures of the sweet children sitting on their daddy's lap. Speak for what people? The reader doesn't ever get a clear understanding of the answer to this question, until they read the very last sentence, in which one can presume that she is referring to mental illness.

What exactly was this article supposed to be about? Seems like the family asked for an article on mental illness and to raise awareness of the limited options for severely mentally ill. Using Greg Wolf's story, a great article could have been made addressing the prison system's inability to deal with the mentally ill. This also would have been a wonderful opportunity to give factual information given on his mental illnesses and on MS.

I feel for Greg Wolf, if he should see this article. The first sentence in this insensitive, poorly researched piece is “His family speaks of him in the past tense without realizing it..” Mental illness nor multiple sclerosis equals stupidity. The sensitivity directed towards him was ill felt. I feel sorry for the family who tried to have the public informed and appeared to be reaching out for help.

This article is an atrocity for people living with multiple sclerosis or with mental illness. I feel strongly that this article reflected very negatively on the community of Msers and the community of mental illness.

What is really sad is that people who live in this readership, and know people with MS are sadly misinformed. And there are a LOT of people who BELIEVE what they read in the paper. They expect the paper to be a knowledgeable entity.

I certainly hope that your paper does not normally engage in this type of sensationalistic publishing, when it seems to be the most widely read paper in Knoxville. Sensationalism. That is all this article is. Sad thing, for the readers, is that all MSers aren't sensational!

:You-Rock: Absolutely WONDERFUL!! YOU should be a journalist!:Bow:

Thank you!!:hug:

Bird that was well worded, would be interested in the other 300 words, that have been omitted.

has anyone gotten any kind of a reply other than a standard thank you for your comment type of reply and did anyone else have trouble with the links I made the first night.

i sent off letters, then i went back to write a second one, the following night and my links didn't work, not sure if it was my system or my mistake.

Quote:

Originally Posted by weegot5kiz (Post 255301)

Bird that was well worded, would be interested in the other 300 words, that have been ommitted.

has anyone gotten any kind of a reply other than a standard thank you for your comment type of reply and did anyone else have trouble with the links I made the first night.

i sent off letters, then i went back to write a second one, the following night and my links didnt work, not sure if it was my system or my mistake.

Of course not! Well, maybe they thought the standard reply and that they were having a "special piece" on MS this Sunday would shut us up, but as you can see with Robin's excellant letter, it's not happening!

I've only received a standard reply from the writer, which is disappointing. I was wondering if the article this Sunday, was a hurry up and shut them up idea. Someone in my doctor's office thought that as well. Regardless, I hope it is a well written article with "Professional Input" and not "researched".

Thanks, Frank for writing a letter, I hope the links work and if you need any addresses, let me know!

Frank, your links work fine when you delete the extra http://

It took me a while to figure that out!!!!

no answer to mine - I don't expect one, but I'm hoping it will be in the paper on Sunday!

Bird that was great! You did an awesome job of not only discussing how the author was a poor writer but how she missed the point.

I am sure that no one will hear an answer from the paper. Sad but true. However, hopefully it has made them aware that research is vital when writing about medical issues, particularly when it is about someone personally.

I have spoken to several people about the article

Just a quick note to let everyone know that I have spoken to the writer, the editor, the people at Beta Seron, the President and the board chair of the local MS chapter.
The editer has been in several meetings since this article was printed. He has also spoken with the writer and the gentlemen from the local MS chapter.
The writer has been to my house to run a human interest story about someone living with MS.
The editor has asked me to write a 650 word article to go along with the story. I started that piece and then forwarded it on to the President of the local chapter so that he could make sure it said what he wanted it to.
The folkes at the Beta Seron office have decided to watch the article to see if any other papers run it.
The local MS chapter is trying to coordinate with the editor what gets published.
My husband had his letter to the editor published in the paper on Tuesday.
I am hoping with the MS Walk on April 26 that the article and sidebar will show up next Sunday, April 20.
I am doing everything I can think of to correct this gross misrepresentation of MS.
If anyone has any idea or thoughts please let me know.
Thanks

Fantastic, well done as far as I can see, short of having the editor live in our shoes for a week, you did great.

Thank You

I am unable to find a letter to the Editor dated Tuesday April 8th ref the story, MS, or mental illness. Do you have a link? Thank You Sheena

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheena (Post 257757)

I am unable to find a letter to the Editor dated Tuesday April 8th ref the story, MS, or mental illness. Do you have a link? Thank You Sheena

Hi Sheena,

Kathy's husband's letter was in the actual paper on Tuesday, but not on the knoxnews.com. It was a great letter and I will see if she will copy it here.

Thanks for the sweet PM. :hug:

Quote:

Originally Posted by SurvivingMSwithHOPE (Post 257789)

Hi Sheena,

Kathy's husband's letter was in the actual paper on Tuesday, but not on the knoxnews.com. It was a great letter and I will see if she will copy it here.

Thanks for the sweet PM. :hug:

Here is a copy of the letter my husband sent to the paper. Sorry it took so long.

Shame on Ansley Haman and the News-Sentinel for presenting Multiple
Sclerosis as a mental illness ("Who's going to speak up for these
people?"). Most of the picture captions and all of the front page text
talk about nothing but MS and the trouble this poor man has gotten
into - NOT as a result of his MS, but due to his bipolar and a
paranoid schizophrenic illnesses. Not until the very last page of the
article on the back page of Section B is the mental illness diagnosis
ever even mentioned. People that don't know much about MS and read
any, or even all, of the article are going to get the idea that the
disease is a form of mental illness. And they will now see anyone with
MS as mentally ill. Why do I care, and object to this false labeling?
My wife was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis 13 years ago and, ever
since then, she has researched the disease as thoroughly as anyone
possibly can. As a matter of fact, she routinely surprises her MS
doctors with her knowledge of the subject and frequently presents
research, findings and other information they were not aware of. So
she knows what is and is not involved where the disease is concerned.
As for MS and bipolar, paranoid schizophrenic or any mental illness,
there is NO KNOWN CONNECTION. And the only known mental concerns that
have presented with some patients taking Betaseron are depression and
suicidal thoughts. These would certainly not result in the kind of
actions described that led to the man's multiple arrests, as the
article would have you believe. At the very least, the News-Sentinel
should print a retraction and a public apology to the hundreds of
thousands suffering from MS. This man's plight is indeed great and
should be addressed. And public awareness does need to be raised for
both MS and mental illness. But the paper had no right casting the
mental illness label on Multiple Sclerosis sufferers - especially
since there is so little public awareness of the disease. In this
case, bad press is indeed worse than no press at all.