News anchor’s comments drive uptick in conversation about suicide
Other narratives drew attention to a study on mental health and gender-affirming surgery and praised a man who spoke openly about seeking mental health support.
Other narratives drew attention to a study on mental health and gender-affirming surgery and praised a man who spoke openly about seeking mental health support.
This past week, social media users criticized a news anchor who highlighted the suicides of police officers who responded to the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Plus, posts misinterpreted a study on gender-affirming surgery and mental health and expressed support for a high school football coach who spoke about his mental health in the wake of a school shooting.
In light of these conversations, communicators may recirculate suicide prevention resources and share mental health resources geared toward transgender people and men.
Insights brought to you by the reporters and science writers of Public Good News (PGN), a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to improving community health.
What’s trending nationally in conversations about mental health
A video of an MSNBC news anchor circulated on X this past week, sparking conversation about suicide. In the video, the anchor discussed the 13-year-old cancer survivor who President Donald Trump recently made an honorary Secret Service agent and who wants to become a police officer. She remarked that she hoped the child would never have to defend the U.S. Capitol against Trump’s supporters and later die by suicide, as several officers did in the aftermath of the January 6 attack. One X post sharing the video received approximately 3.4 million views, 86,000 likes, 19,000 reposts, and 11,000 comments as of March 12. Critics called the anchor’s comments “sickening” and “twisted” and scorned her for suggesting that a child may die by suicide after surviving cancer.
Recent posts discussed a study published last month in the Journal of Sexual Medicine that found that people with gender dysphoria who undergo gender-affirming surgery are more likely to experience mental health symptoms than those who do not receive surgery, “underscoring the need for ongoing, gender-sensitive mental health support for transgender individuals’[sic] post-surgery.” On X, some posts—which received hundreds of thousands of views—misinterpreted the study, alleging that gender-affirming surgery worsens mental health. Others correctly noted that stigma may contribute to trans people experiencing ongoing mental health symptoms before and after surgery and that the study did not account for participants’ mental health before surgery. Some cited previous research showing that gender-affirming surgery is associated with improved mental health and noted that regret rates for gender-affirming procedures are significantly lower than those for other types of surgeries.
Earlier this month, a Georgia high school football coach announced that he is stepping down from his position to focus on his mental health. The coach stated that he has experienced post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, grief, and anxiety in the six months since a shooting at the school where he worked, which killed four people. Facebook posts sharing articles about the coach’s decision received thousands of reactions and hundreds of comments. Most commenters expressed support for the coach’s willingness to speak openly about mental health, hoping that he will inspire others—especially men—to seek help.
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Recommendations for public health professionals
Each week, the Infodemiology.com team will provide messaging recommendations in response to some of the trending narratives outlined above. These helpful tips can be used when creating content, updating web and FAQ pages, and developing strategy for messaging about mental health.
A surge in online conversation about suicide provides an opportunity to share the warning signs of suicide and general mental health resources, such as sliding scale therapy, support groups, local mental health centers, and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Communicators may also want to recirculate resources for people who have lost loved ones to suicide.
Given ongoing conversations about gender-affirming care and mental health, communicators may continue sharing mental health resources geared toward trans people, such as local therapists who specialize in trans issues, support groups, the Trans Lifeline, the Trevor Project’s hotline for LGBTQ+ youth, and the LGBT National Help Center. These discussions are an opportunity to share local health clinics that offer gender-affirming care, tips for managing gender dysphoria, and advice for supporting loved ones who experience gender dysphoria.
In response to conversations about men’s mental health, communicators may outline the signs of mental health conditions in men. In addition to sharing general mental health resources, communicators may also want to direct people to therapist directories where they can search for local therapists who specialize in men’s issues or in specific mental health conditions like PTSD.