Insensitive reporting

I too am concerned about the reporting on your website. Recently, a troubled young man was described as “attention seeking”.

Now, I accept it wasn’t Shetland News that coined the term, but you did not need to repeat it.

I have been following this young man’s troubles for a while now, and wish I had spoken out sooner.

I really don’t know why the judiciary system has not addressed the issue that this young man has serious mental health problems.

I am referring to Nathan Hilditch, who has regularly been in trouble for a long time now with repeated bizarre behaviour. (‘Attention seeker’ jailed for eight months; SN, 28/9/16)

It is obvious he requires the support of mental health professionals instead of being jailed. If, as has been reported, he is attention seeking, this is indicative of someone who is not coping at all. This kind of ‘bad behaviour’ almost always speaks to deep unhappiness.

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I know the Shetland News has defended referring to the young man as ‘attention seeking’ but I wish the reporting team/editor had shown more sensitivity.

It doesn’t take an expert to understand that “attention seeking” behaviour means someone needs to attend to something – in this case a serious mental health issue.

I hope someone will take up the challenge of somehow helping this young man.

Dorothy O’Brien
Brae