Judges’ comments: Benedict Carey breaks new ground in the understanding of living with severe mental illness. As Carey reveals in five portraits told over six months, people with severe mental illness can live successful and fulfilling lives. But more than inspirational stories, Carey’s reports are crafted to share each person’s coping strategies in dealing with inner voices or compulsions. For people with severe mental illness, medications and therapies alone are not enough. Carey has found the real experts in the field and his reporting has had an impact.
As Carey tells us in his application, “The series resulted in changes in curriculum in some federal mental health programs – the stories became part of the program, as teaching tools. University professors, as well as dozens of mental health programs across the country, are also using them as educational material – to show how people can cope with severe diagnoses.”
Carey’s reporting has given new hope to scores of people living with diseases many thought barred them from living successful lives. We are delighted to award “Lives Restored” the first-place award.
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
The pieces appeared between June and December of 2011. There were five in all, the first published on June 23, the second August 7, the third October 23, the fourth November 26, the fifth December 20.
See this entry.
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
Each of the five stories tells the personal story of an individual who has been living with a secret – a severe mental illness – while living what appears from the outside to be a normal, successful life.
- Expert on Mental Illness Reveals Her Own Fight
- Learning to Cope With a Mind’s Taunting Voices
- Executive With Schizoaffective Disorder Uses Job to Cope
- Man Uses His Schizophrenia to Gather Clues for Daily Living
- Ex-Convict Uses Battle With Addiction and Mental Illness to Help Others
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
The primary documents used were extensive medical records and, in some cases, court records. These were used both to confirm elements of the story, and to provide detail from other sources like doctors or police.
Explain types of human sources used.
The main sources were the individual people profiled, who provided hours of testimony, some of which was taped to make mini-documentaries about their lives. Family members, friends, co-workers, scientists, and even long-ago childhood pals all contributed to the series.
Results (if any).
The series resulted in changes in curriculum in some federal mental health programs – the stories became part of the program, as teaching tools. University professors, as well as dozens of mental health programs across the country, are also using them as educational material – to show how people can cope with severe diagnoses.
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
No corrections, no challenges.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Ask whether a big topic can be explored from the inside – using the words, struggles, and worldview of the people inside it. Almost every person in this series, including the “experts,” has been diagnosed as mentally ill.