Mental health seminar

[JOHNNYAITCH]

We just had a very enlightenting mental health seminar where the main speaker was Frank Bruno (along with mental health professionals who also spoke)

 

He spoke candidly and eloquently, successfully conveying just what he has been thru regarding mental health issues

 

If it helps one sufferer to cope better and/or one person to help sufferers more then all worth while. We need to be more open about these issues as the stats are startling.

[Tosh]

There definitely needs to be more openness and the stigma removed from mental illness, people talk openly about their general health but still seem reticent when it comes to mental problems, although it's much better than it was, which may be why there seems an increase, or are more people affected these days? I'm not sure!

[Little_Al]

Good post Tosh. The sooner people realise that mental health problems are a real illness and often a serious one the sooner we shall get the necessary resources devoted to it. I hope that Hodgson has high lighted the need by taking a sports psychologist to the world cup and note that Erikson has said that he should have done the same.

[eh up nah]

My partner suffers greatly with anxiety and depression. It certainly needs more resource. In July last year things became really bad and I was seriously concerned about what could happen.

 

She went to get help and I with her. I have to say I was shocked by how it all works. When she was telling me that nobody listened or cared I think part of me thought that it was just because past experiences of seeing a psychiatrist have been difficult for her. I kid you not, if I had to go through that system it would have broken me if I had her problems.

 

She was given an urgent referral. Basically her GP thought she was suicidal. It took 3 months to get seen! What good is that? How many people have harmed themselves whilst waiting to get help? She also feels that half the time even the professional people sees are very sceptical about whether there is anything actually wrong.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

eh up..she's very brave and should be applauded for seeking help..cos (and I'm speculating here) most people suffering in such a way just want to avoid situations and 'curl up' and lock out the world

 

Here in East Devon things are a little 'quicker' and smarter in that a sort of SWAT team pays anyone who is considered at risk an imemdiate visit..usually at home on the day of referral so that if they are at severe risk action can be taken immediately. We probably benefit from a less centralised service..lots of local hospitals and locally based services due to so many rural communities

 

The counselling I've heard about was very supportive and solution focussed (cognitive therapy, mindfulness and all that..I'm no expert)

 

What people have to understand is that anxiety and depression are very specific conditions and very different to being stressed or fed up; often there is a physical cause playing a major part which needs treating just like any other physical illness..it's just they manifest themselves in terms of behaviour as opposed to headaches, stomach upsets, vomiting..the things we associate with other types of ilness.

 

You and she can come thru this and emerge better for it..I wish you all the very best

[Tosh]

 

What people have to understand is that anxiety and depression are very specific conditions and very different to being stressed or fed up

 

Very much so, it drives me mad (pun intended) when the words depressed and depression get so misused, it's not about being ultra fed up in fact you don't need to have any problems to suffer which makes it even harder to understand and treat!

[Santa]

I think we need to talk more about the human condition. It's the key to self-knowledge.

 

I caught this on the radio the other weekend and I identified with a lot of it.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01zq6zv

[Warren]

Many people are dismissive of mental illness, though perhaps they are becoming fewer and understanding is growing. The thing is that an individual's reality is entirely internal to them. Everything else is external and only engaged with through the senses. Each person has an internal world and that world can have many forms of storms in it. I had a serious depression a quarter of century ago that required some time in hospital and it came from nowhere when on holiday. I attribute it to chemical imbalance brought about by drinking for a week some water that probably contained substances including metals I was not used to. In other words I poisoned myself and the fact it was this that was the problem is indicated by it not reoccurring. About a decade ago I smashed my brain about when I got a fractured skull playing football. Again the consequences of that were to subtly change my reality in ways it is difficult to explain because it is an experience only I can have. And that is one of the main difficulties with the mind, other people can see external changes in the way a person behaves and reacts, but they can't see what is really going on in the mind and it is easy underestimate the severity of a problem. Hence when a friend committed suicide I certainly underestimated what he had said to me a few days earlier.

[eh up nah]

Thanks JA. I dont doubt at all that there are good people working in mental health services. Also i think your right on the centralised services. The on the day visitation doesnt happen here (middlewich in cheshire).

 

There are charity run organisations like MIND locally and its normally pretty straight forward going to them.

 

Ive attended sessions with her and i have to say ive found it really good for us both. Its important that i get some form of help as well as i want to be sure i'm supporting her in the best way.

 

She does have those days where she "curls up" although they are less frequent at the moment.

 

It cant be emphasised enough that depression and anxiety are an illnesses. A person suffering with them is not in control oat all. They arent necessarily feeling that way because of anything in particular.

[valefandan]

I've gotta say this thread has helped me hugely. It's amazing how many others are affected in this way, you only feel like it's happening to you and it's incredibly difficult to explain to someone else.

 

Thank you

[geosname]

I've gotta say this thread has helped me hugely. It's amazing how many others are affected in this way, you only feel like it's happening to you and it's incredibly difficult to explain to someone else.

 

Thank you

 

You are not alone, it isnt just you, everyone else isnt "normal", its difficult to explain to others because its difficult to explain to yourself in a way you would understand....... some of the things I learned over the years that helped me.... some of the attitudes I noticed over the years include... its not gone green, you cant Xray it, it hasnt fell off, you look ok so pull yourself together.

When I was a kid there was a stigma about mental health, there probably still is to some extent, adults used to talk in hushed tones about people who suffered, kids used to joke about the men in white coats, the green van and St Edwards and draw imaginary circles whilst pointing a finger at their temple and going cross eyed.

Some of the treatments I was offered included... Valium, Librium, Lithium and a host of other ium's in pill and capsule form... none of them actually treated the problem, they stopped me feeling the way I felt by stopping me feeling anything.

Things have changed since I was first diagnosed, I dont think bipolar was "invented" when I was a kid, it was never talked about when I was an outpatient at St Edwards, I never got to see the green van either. Back in the day the magic bullets were Valium and/or Librium, my mother has been on Librium for over 50 years, she cant get off them, they cant get her off them, her reaction to the withdrawal is so damaging in her fragile condition [shes 86 with other physical problems] they still prescribe them.

All the above, Valefandan and others who suffer, is to simply say that although you feel you walk a lonely path there are others who walk unseen beside you. They may not be able to help directly but the fact that you know they are there will hopefully help with the feelings of isolation.

 

As a footnote.... I have stated quite openly on a couple of occasions a diagnoses I received some time ago... did anyone believe it?

[valefandan]

Superb post Geo, thanks again that's massively helpful. The times I've had the "you'll snap out of it" comments, they're infuriating. I understand a lot of people don't get it but their reaction sometimes makes you feel like you've got the plague!

[geosname]

Superb post Geo, thanks again that's massively helpful. The times I've had the "you'll snap out of it" comments, they're infuriating. I understand a lot of people don't get it but their reaction sometimes makes you feel like you've got the plague!

 

The one that used to irritate me most was... "what have you got to be depressed about?"... I even had that off a doctor early on.

 

This may sound like a very hollow offer.... but if you ever feel the need to say something to someone who isnt connected with you in any way... Im here, Ill listen [or read the email]... you wont get platitudes or sympathy like you might get from people you know... I doubt I can offer answers to anything and I wont try... but sometimes, just getting cack out of your head and into the open [to someone who doesnt matter] helps.

[Tosh]

I've gotta say this thread has helped me hugely.

 

Thank you

 

Excellent and this proves the point of being open and not afraid to talk. I did hope that it would help someone.:)

[valefandan]

The one that used to irritate me most was... "what have you got to be depressed about?"... I even had that off a doctor early on.

 

This may sound like a very hollow offer.... but if you ever feel the need to say something to someone who isnt connected with you in any way... Im here, Ill listen [or read the email]... you wont get platitudes or sympathy like you might get from people you know... I doubt I can offer answers to anything and I wont try... but sometimes, just getting cack out of your head and into the open [to someone who doesnt matter] helps.

 

Thanks Geo, that's really good of you & something I'll certainly take you up on. It is amazing the difference it makes by talking about it with people who've been through it