Mental Health

Quoted from Humbercod

Genuine question can anyone answer..... why we’re now reaching a point in time where you don’t know anyone who hasn’t suffered with some kind of mental health issue?

Did we still have these issues 50/60 years ago but never talked about
or were peoples coping mechanisms a lot stronger back then I really don’t know?

Good question Humbercod. I think its a lot of differing factors. Speaking from people living in this country I think there has been a breakdown in family structure due to more materialism, women working more and spending less time with the children,and even people being less religious. I come from mainly English and Latin heritage and I can see the same happening in Spain.

Up until the 1970s Spain had one of the highest birthrates in Europe but with general  Franco dying in the 1970s things changed.  Women started having less children and pursuing jobs . Likewise  materialism came more to the fore. Spain now has sadly one of the lowest birth rates in Europe. From speaking to people that live out there and also here as well I think there was more community spirit back then. Now often both parents work and they don't have the energy or are stressed which can affect how they interact with their neighbours and children.I know there's social media etc but that will never be the same as talking to someone face to face. I think as well its why there is a lot of pet ownership in this country . People are lonely and need love. Pets act as that substitute.

I’m not sure it’s that helpful to compare to be perfectly honest but if you look at suicide as a symptom of the wider issue, then mental ill health is more pervasive than it ever has been.

The reasons for this are myriad and made more complex by the fact people with psychological illness are not a homogeneous group.

As someone who suffers myself  I resent the insinuation that my problems are simply because I don’t have the requisite coping strategies or that I’m somehow weak of mind.  

Terms like ‘get a grip’ ‘man up’ or ‘pull yourself together’ make me laugh and annoy me in equal measure. Those sorts of attitudes and sayings can be damage doing in and of themselves but also sheds light on why such stigma is still attached to mental ill health and in particular male mental health.

Quoted from Sandford1981

I’m not sure it’s that helpful to compare to be perfectly honest but if you look at suicide as a symptom of the wider issue, then mental ill health is more pervasive than it ever has been.

The reasons for this are myriad and made more complex by the fact people with psychological illness are not a homogeneous group.

As someone who suffers myself  I resent the insinuation that my problems are simply because I don’t have the requisite coping strategies or that I’m somehow weak of mind.  

Terms like ‘get a grip’ ‘man up’ or ‘pull yourself together’ make me laugh and annoy me in equal measure. Those sorts of attitudes and sayings can be damage doing in and of themselves but also sheds light on why such stigma is still attached to mental ill health and in particular male mental health.

I think the underlying problems of mental illness are the same now as 50/60 years ago and are now more prevalently seen as are all issues of our health. The difference now is that they are more openly discussed and more people are aware of the problems.

This in itself has brought more problems to suffers from terms, as you say, of get a grip. From my own point of view, not having any cure for my illness, I don't ask for sympathy but understanding.

It is understanding that, in my opinion, people with mental issues need, that as well as compassion.

Quoted from DB

I think the underlying problems of mental illness are the same now as 50/60 years ago and are now more prevalently seen as are all issues of our health. The difference now is that they are more openly discussed and more people are aware of the problems.

This in itself has brought more problems to suffers from terms, as you say, of get a grip. From my own point of view, not having any cure for my illness, I don't ask for sympathy but understanding.

It is understanding that, in my opinion, people with mental issues need, that as well as compassion.

It is my understanding that, If all people treated others with understanding and compassion then you would have less cases of mental ill health.

Quoted from Sandford1981

It is my understanding that, If all people treated others with understanding and compassion then you would have less cases of mental ill health.

Absolutely agree.

Quoted from Rick12

Good question Humbercod. I think its a lot of differing factors. Speaking from people living in this country I think there has been a breakdown in family structure due to more materialism, women working more and spending less time with the children,and even people being less religious. I come from mainly English and Latin heritage and I can see the same happening in Spain.

Up until the 1970s Spain had one of the highest birthrates in Europe but with general  Franco dying in the 1970s things changed.  Women started having less children and pursuing jobs . Likewise  materialism came more to the fore. Spain now has sadly one of the lowest birth rates in Europe. From speaking to people that live out there and also here as well I think there was more community spirit back then. Now often both parents work and they don't have the energy or are stressed which can affect how they interact with their neighbours and children.I know there's social media etc but that will never be the same as talking to someone face to face. I think as well its why there is a lot of pet ownership in this country . People are lonely and need love. Pets act as that substitute.

I know you have a lot of sympathy for the police, but you’re not suggesting life was better under the Caudillo are you?

Millions of workers, trade unionists, atheists, homosexuals, socialists, communists, anarcho-syndacalists, liberals and Catalans & Basques of all corners of society would probably disagree.

I agree materialism is a contributing factor to the breakdown of social bonds. Rich people nowadays want to keep more and more of the money, placing more pressure on ordinary people who are at the same time encouraged to want things they can’t necessarily afford and to get into debt. Working with less secure employment, more antisocial hours (and no extra pay for working weekends, nights or bank holidays). Gambling pushed at people left right and centre. Then to cap it all, people with a caring attitude or who caress vulnerability are called snowflakes. We had a prime minister whose mantra was ‘there is no such thing as society’. Can’t remember her name now.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

I know you have a lot of sympathy for the police, but you’re not suggesting life was better under the Caudillo are you?

.

I only have sympathy for the police/army Kingston as you need law and order to maintain a healthy society.

From speaking to people  directly who lived during the time of general Franco there were good and and bad points. Good there was stronger community bonds among neighbour's etc. Women stayed at home more and had bigger families eg 4 or more was common and children tended to be better looked after. Materialism was not all the fore back then during general Francos reign. Bad were if you said anything against the state you could be shipped of by the army/police and detained for long periods.

Quoted from Rick12

I only have sympathy for the police/army Kingston as you need law and order to maintain a healthy society.

From speaking to people  directly who lived during the time of general Franco there were good and and bad points. Good there was stronger community bonds among neighbour's etc. Women stayed at home more and had bigger families eg 4 or more was common and children tended to be better looked after. Materialism was not all the fore back then during general Francos reign. Bad were if you said anything against the state you could be shipped of by the army/police and detained for long periods.

We had those closer bonds here. In a democracy. I’m old enough to remember those days. There is nothing special about fascism in promoting community. It’s the rise of materialism and free market economics that has broken community down not the absence of fascism.

People in poor countries tend to have big families. They need them to provide support to people in their old age. In all societies, as they become richer the birth rate drops. Spain was dirt poor until the 1980s. Dirt poor.

You and the people you speak to in Spain are in danger of conflating entirely unrelated things. Very worrying when people hark back to days under the fascists as the good old days.

People with the wrong views weren’t just arrested and locked away. They were tortured and executed too. Thousands of them. People were banned from using their native languages. This happened right through the regime. Not just when the fascists overthrew the democracy in a bloody coup and civil war.

I think you need to educate yourself young man.

It's amazing how the perception of mental health has changed over the years by the medical profession. I have finished reading a book about Lincolnshire airfields of WW2.

At Wickenby a medical officer, one summer, noticed a drop in morale mainly due to continued heavy losses of aircraft over a long period. He reported 5 cases of LMF ( lack of moral fibre ). The cure was the flight crews involved were humiliated and sent for a spell at punishment centre.

In those days mental problems were not recognised in the forces as they are today, thank goodness.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

We had those closer bonds here. In a democracy. I’m old enough to remember those days. There is nothing special about fascism in promoting community. It’s the rise of materialism and free market economics that has broken community down not the absence of fascism.

People in poor countries tend to have big families. They need them to provide support to people in their old age. In all societies, as they become richer the birth rate drops. Spain was dirt poor until the 1980s. Dirt poor.

You and the people you speak to in Spain are in danger of conflating entirely unrelated things. Very worrying when people hark back to days under the fascists as the good old days.

People with the wrong views weren’t just arrested and locked away. They were tortured and executed too. Thousands of them. People were banned from using their native languages. This happened right through the regime. Not just when the fascists overthrew the democracy in a bloody coup and civil war.

I think you need to educate yourself young man.

Your missing my point though Kingston.  I know that and Iam not a advocate of fascism or either left wing or right wing extreme ideologies. Ive always been a green party member.  All all Iam saying is there was a stronger family unit back then which has eroded somewhat due to the rise of materialism as you have pointed out.