Seeking Healing. A radio documentary on addiction, mental health and trauma

Clarke, Susan (2016) Seeking Healing. A radio documentary on addiction, mental health and trauma. Masters thesis, Griffith College.

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Abstract

This paper provides evidence of the research conducted for this radio documentary on addiction, mental health and trauma. A depth of research was undertaken in order to define the problem of co-morbidity internationally, it reviews current treatments for co-morbidity and offers an explanation of childhood trauma as a link to addiction and mental health difficulties in later adulthood. This paper establishes the gaps in Irish media coverage of co-morbidity, despite much coverage of mental health this year and demonstrates the importance and relevance of reporting on this subject in this documentary. The process of making the documentary is outlined here, including why radio was chosen as the media for this subject, how interviewees were researched and contacted, and the process involved in deciding to share my personal experience as well as my professional experience in the documentary. Ethical issues are discussed and the limitations and challenges involved in the creation of this documentary are reviewed. Due to the amount of material recorded for this documentary key themes emerged and further programmes could be made on some of the issues raised by interviewees, for example, co-morbidity among the homeless and prison population, depression and addiction in older people, marijuana and un-prescribed tablet use among young people, mental health care among GP’s in Ireland, the separation of addiction and mental health from health in Ireland, etc.

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