Three charities challenge Britney coverage

Three mental health charities have castigated media coverage of the perceived mental health problems experienced by pop star Britney Spears.

Ms Spears’s hospitalisation in December led to a number of stories in The Sun newspaper, describing her as “berserk”, “crazed”, “psychotic” and as having “lost the plot”.

Paul Farmer, chief executive of MIND, said that “speculation” and the “use of inappropriate language such as ‘crazed’ and ‘meltdown’ are not helpful in promoting understanding about mental health problems”.

Jonathan Naess, who runs the user-led group Stand to Reason, condemned the “distasteful practice of arm-chair psychiatrists” openly speculating about the mental health of celebrities.

Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of SANE, criticised the media for exploiting the singer’s problems.

Stephen Brookes, chair of the Disabled Members Council of the National Union of Journalists, said: “The use of that kind of terminology in news stories is demeaning, insulting and discriminatory. Maybe it’s time that journalists who use this language be challenged under (anti-discrimination) law.”

The Sun declined to comment.