“I saw you on TV – here’s my problem”: Exploring participant experiences with second stories following mental health disclosures on Norwegian television

Abstract

The emotional and confessional nature of mental health disclosures on television sometimes induces audiences to share their own personal stories of mental health struggles in return. The term testimony loop is suggested to conceptualise this phenomenon, whereby Norwegian television participants become receivers of many audience testimonies through private messages on social media platforms. The participants represent the programme to the public and perform emotional labour through interacting with the audience and engaging with the testimonies received. While some television participants in this study, particularly the females, genuinely appreciated their role as helpers, others found this appeal to interact emotionally strenuous. By way of the television participants’ own attestations, this study seeks to enrich the understanding of the complexities involved in confessing personal stories of illness, suffering, and trauma within the context of mass media.