Author Topic: Don't Call Me Crazy - BBC 3 *triggering*  (Read 8994 times)

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Offline Gerard

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Don't Call Me Crazy - BBC 3 *triggering*
« on: June 29, 2013, 11:46:13 AM »
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01b86w5

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2013/26/dont-call-me-crazy.html

Did anyone see this? I thought it was pretty good. It may trigger for ED and SH (and references to suicide attempts), and some of it was quite sad. There are some difficult scenes such as when patients are restrained.

I think the good aspects were that the staff weren't in white coats and all of the young people were ultimately normal, really. Hopefully that'll help with countering stigma.
« Last Edit: June 29, 2013, 09:38:59 PM by Gerard »


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Offline Tallulah

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Re: Don't Call Me Crazy - BBC 3 *triggering*
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2013, 09:10:22 PM »
I thought it was brilliant :) pretty distressing at times but a fairly good representation.

Offline kirsty

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Re: Don't Call Me Crazy - BBC 3 *triggering*
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2013, 09:14:15 PM »
I found it really informative and well made. It was triggering, but the focus was on the struggle to get well,which i thought was good. Reminded me personally how far i have come!

Offline hayley

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Re: Don't Call Me Crazy - BBC 3 *triggering*
« Reply #3 on: June 30, 2013, 12:17:11 AM »
This was programme 1 of 3 - on Monday we 'meet' someone who sees people and animals

I was close to tears at last week's.  I think that's because they are all so young - my issues with SI and suicide came a lot later in life.  I always think its particularly sad when youngsters feel life aint worth living,
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Offline Terri

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Re: Don't Call Me Crazy - BBC 3 *triggering*
« Reply #4 on: June 30, 2013, 12:31:51 AM »
I watched the advert and that was enough. I don't think I could watch it. This forum is about the only contact I have with other people with MH stuff, and the only place I read about experiences of hospital etc. I think seeing something with pictures and listening to people with faces and not just avatars would be too much for me. Memories of hospital are too painful, though I was never in an adolescent unit as my stuff didn't start until my late teens.


It's good to hear that it's been well done though.
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Re: Don't Call Me Crazy - BBC 3 *triggering*
« Reply #5 on: July 02, 2013, 12:51:22 PM »
Same as Terri - I saw the advert and though out of interest I'd like to watch it, for the sake of self preservation I'm avoiding it completely. It does seem to be getting a positive response though which is good.

Offline Gerard

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Re: Don't Call Me Crazy - BBC 3 *triggering*
« Reply #6 on: July 02, 2013, 01:51:47 PM »
I've seen some criticism that it was a bit sensationalist. I don't really get that. I think sensationalism is partly based on intent, not just content. I don't really see a negative intent here. It's not to designed to shock for the sake of it. OK, so maybe they could have left out details about some of Beth's food behaviours (episode 1), and maybe some SH stuff. I'm sure there's a lot that's already been left out. But I didn't have an issue with them showing that the staff search for sharps, or the showing of scars. When people were restrained this was generally shown at a distance rather than having the camera shoved in their face, which seemed respectful whilst still showing reality.

I get the feeling that for some people the perception of a mental health hospital is a padded cell, straight jacket and patients drugged up to the eyeballs. This is not that. Yes, there are protocols to protect staff and patients, including more acute cases, and it's a controlled environment, but there is still some liberty that they can at least be themselves to a degree.

In a programme like this you're always going to have to make difficult choices. I'm not sure they have explored each patient's issues in-depth, although they give accounts of each one's circumstances...there still seems to be something missing to maybe explain the triggers, etc. That said, there needs to be a balance between giving people time on camera and not pushing too much.

I like how, in Beth's situation, we see the duality of her personality. The more rational part and then the distorted, automatic eating disorder thinking, and the conflict between the two. You've got to feel for the families who are also putting themselves on camera.



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Offline mbwa

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Re: Don't Call Me Crazy - BBC 3 *triggering*
« Reply #7 on: July 02, 2013, 02:09:48 PM »
I was in hospital for a total of 4 years between age 10 and 19. At 13 and 14, in an inpatient ED unit there were several documentaries filmed as well as two news reports which I felt pressured to take part in. At no point did the crew or producers pressure me, but the culture of the unit, and one unit manager certainly did.

I had some reservations at the time of filming, but the real reservations and regret started months and years later. I wish I had never been put in the position of being 'asked' to take part.

I'm not suggesting any impropriety on the part of BBC or this programme's production team, but there are issues around consent to taking part in a show like this, where delayed repercussions even months or years later are possible which are not straightforward. When an inpatient on a unit like this you can become easily institutionalised and lose some sense of the realities of the world outside and what consent to taking part in a show like this might involve for you when you are no longer on that unit. Perhaps when you apply for a job or a university place in a few years time. Especially when detained under the mental health act free consent to take part in a TV show is virtually impossible, there are so many different pressures and influences at work.

I'm not saying they shouldn't have made it, but I question the Unit and the health trust's wisdom in exposing the young people featured to the future risk, of which they may not yet be aware.  

Offline Gerard

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Re: Don't Call Me Crazy - BBC 3 *triggering*
« Reply #8 on: July 02, 2013, 08:43:12 PM »
You raise a reasonable point about consent, which is not always a black and white issue. I would hope all that was considered internally within the hospital prior to any filming taking place, and also during and afterwards. You'd have to imagine the production team, BBC and hospital team have been alert since the show went to air. Footage from the acute section seemed pretty limited. I'd also hope that the camera crew were told to get out of some parts of team meetings that were not for their consumption.


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Offline riot-grrrl

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Re: Don't Call Me Crazy - BBC 3 *triggering*
« Reply #9 on: July 04, 2013, 12:23:50 AM »
Excellent point mbwa.

I didn't watch this.

Horrifyingly I was at my parents house when it was starting and my mum said "ooh shall we watch this?" (my mum and  I have a horrible complex host of issues around sh...very unresolved.).. So I quickly had to pretend I wanted to watch something else. Crikey...
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