Campaign: Mad Headlines
Link: https://www.sportinmind.org/mad-headlines

Overview

Language shapes attitudes, behaviour and help‑seeking. Yet mental health is still too often portrayed negatively in sport and the media.

Mad Headlines was developed to challenge harmful language, raise awareness of stigma, and encourage a more responsible, informed approach to mental health storytelling in sport.

Evidence‑led approach

Mad Headlines was built on research, not reaction:

• Analysis of language used in sport and media
• Insight into how stigma affects participation and confidence
• Engagement with people with lived experience

What the campaign achieved

• Raised awareness of the impact of language
• Encouraged organisations to reflect on their communications
• Sparked national conversation about responsibility in sport media

Why this matters

Stigma remains one of the biggest barriers preventing people from being physically active. By changing how we talk about mental health, we help create environments where people feel safe to participate.

Sport in Mind’s position

Awareness work must be evidence‑led, not reactive. Through Mad Headlines and the research behind it, Sport in Mind continues to lead national conversations on stigma, language and inclusion in sport.

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