Oprah Winfrey has announced that she is collaborating with Apple to produce a series of documentaries on mental health. The programs will air on Apple TV Plus. The airing dates have not yet been announced. This is encouraging news. The project demonstrates how far our society has come in recognizing the importance of mental health.
Important Spotlight
Oprah is of course an iconic and influential public figure. She has a history of using her prominent public role for progressive causes. She is producing another documentary with Apple on the effects of sexual harassment in the workplace. Her ability to get to the heart of issues with compassion and insight should be ideally suited to addressing such important subjects. The spotlight she can bring to mental health issues can be greatly beneficial to the broader conversation on the subject.
Reducing Stigma
The announcement shows how far we’ve come in reducing the stigma around mental health. Important conversations on the subject have opened up in recent years. However, as anyone who is coping with a mental health disorder will be aware, there is a lot of work still to be done. An honest, compassionate dialogue and an effort to become informed are crucial aspects of this process. Hopefully Apple and Oprah’s project will provide this and contribute to further progress.
Avoiding Self-Medication
Many people who are not comfortable discussing or seeking help for mental health conditions turn to self-medication instead. This is a highly addictive and dangerous pattern. Addiction is usually based in underlying mental health disorders. This is why addiction treatment should follow a concurrent disorders model. Addiction also makes the symptoms of mental health disorders more severe. A more open dialogue around mental health helps people to identify and accept the support they need. More focus on these subjects also makes specific issues more visible. This helps treatment providers and governmental organizations to offer necessary supports.
Truth and Tolerance
Discussing the program, Oprah says, “I want to reach that sweet spot where insight and perspective, truth and tolerance, actually intersect.” This is an admirable ambition. Given Oprah’s skill as a broadcaster and her significant influence, it seems achievable. As she states, her collaboration with Apple “represents a major opportunity to make a genuine impact.” We look forward to seeing her and her collaborators take on subjects that should always be a central focus.
