Mental Health

We are quite happy to talk about physical health issues, and people are quite happy to listen.  But talk about mental health and they dont want to know.  Its not that they dont care, they do. They dont know w how to deal with it.  We need to educate people about this

Quoted from The_Laughing_Mariner

We are quite happy to talk about physical health issues, and people are quite happy to listen.  But talk about mental health and they dont want to know.  Its not that they dont care, they do. They dont know w how to deal with it.  We need to educate people about this

I think a guy put it best in a interview I heard . In his day he stated eg 1930s people use to communicate a lot more:

"we didn't need psychologists we talked to each other about our problems".

Iam not denying phycologists are useful in certain instances eg medical advancements has helped  people who suffer from bi polar disorder whereas before it went under the radar. But one of the main factors of crime is lack of community. Where people feel valued and loved and part of something crime tends to be lower.

Quoted from The_Laughing_Mariner

We are quite happy to talk about physical health issues, and people are quite happy to listen.  But talk about mental health and they dont want to know.  Its not that they dont care, they do. They dont know w how to deal with it.  We need to educate people about this

You are absolutely right, education is critical in terms of understanding the different types of illnesses, symptoms, treatments and the impact on the sufferers and their families. Although great strides have been made regarding mental health stigma, there is still some way to go, particularly amongst men. But the more we talk, the more people can open up without  fear of judgement or recriminations the better things will get.

I mentioned this on the footy side of things but through my missus and a friend, I have learned that 2 local men have taken their own lives this week. So sad.

Quoted from Sandford1981

I mentioned this on the footy side of things but through my missus and a friend, I have learned that 2 local men have taken their own lives this week. So sad.

That's tragic. And just before Christmas as well . I hope there in a better place now.

Its just a huge shame that someone didn't get to them in time or there was something in their lives that kept them going. I read this from British prisoners taken by the Japanese during the second world war and made to work on the Burmese railway . All around them their mates were dying through dysentery and being worked to death under horrendous conditions eg beaten ,little food and even crucified. The ones that survived  were the ones who never gave up on hope that this would all end and things would get eventually better.

Quoted from Rick12

That's tragic. And just before Christmas as well . I hope there in a better place now.

I sincerely hope so mate. I hope I never find out but I can only imagine what pain they must have been in to consider that their only way out. Frightening and very, very sad indeed.

I have suffered from anxiety and depression for many years and I am on medication, for years I kept this from close family members, friends and work colleagues. I felt ashamed that I was feeling depressed that I was healthy, had a good partner and two fantastic children what did I need to be depressed about, there is no answer, it can affect anybody no matter how good their lives are.

I found it such a relief and a huge weight lifted when I started to open up to people and not hide the fact I felt like i did. I think more is being highlighted with regards to mental health it seems less of a stigma, more campaigns to get people to talk and open up which is vital. I dread to think what lockdowns and Coronavirus has done to many people mental health it’s heartbreaking to read some of the stories I have read. I fear mental health is being pushed aside during the pandemic.

Quoted from Sammo

I have suffered from anxiety and depression for many years and I am on medication, for years I kept this from close family members, friends and work colleagues. I felt ashamed that I was feeling depressed that I was healthy, had a good partner and two fantastic children what did I need to be depressed about, there is no answer, it can affect anybody no matter how good their lives are.

I found it such a relief and a huge weight lifted when I started to open up to people and not hide the fact I felt like i did. I think more is being highlighted with regards to mental health it seems less of a stigma, more campaigns to get people to talk and open up which is vital. I dread to think what lockdowns and Coronavirus has done to many people mental health it’s heartbreaking to read some of the stories I have read. I fear mental health is being pushed aside during the pandemic.

I suspect you're right. It's possibly because it's not so easy to stick numbers on it as it is with 'physical'* illnesses, especially ones where people die directly of the illness. Pretty much like we use statistics about things like GDP or Profit & Loss rather than well-being. It may also be partly to do with which branches of science have the kudos, and the ear of decision makers. Cause and effect may be much harder to prove with the current level of understanding.

* I say 'physical', not because mental illness isn't physical (it can be, and can result in physical symptoms), I just don't know what the best term would be. I've suffered from anxiety in the past (and no doubt will do again at some point in the future), but I'm lucky in that has been psychological and not from some direct physiological cause. My wife suffers from depression (luckily less and less often) but doesn't take medication.

I have just looked on back threads and found this. It is such a shame that many do not realise what an illness Mental Heath is. I strongly believe it, in all its forms, is a forgotten illness by our politicians red and blue. Nobody see's it so it's not there, if it's not there it's not a problem.

As many have testified on this thread it is there if you scratch the surface, yet many poke fun at suffers; or the sufferer feels ashamed to mention it. Their is no shame in this illness, it comes upon from nowhere, it has no recognised beginning and no end. Medication may help and it may go away but is in the background waiting to pounce again for no reason.

As for myself I suffer from a syndrome of about 38 various symptoms, not all at once thank goodness, and medication is no good. A consultant told me ' The good news is it's not going to kill you, the bad news is we cannot cure it because we don't know what causes it'. I never ask for pity or sympathy but understanding. I take solace in some good old Latin saying ' nil carborundum desperandum' translated as Don't let the illegitimates grind you down.

My sincere thanks go to Sanford for starting this thread and may it never die.  I now expect my red cross forumites to indulge themselves once again as this post is meaningless to them.

Quoted from DB

I have just looked on back threads and found this. It is such a shame that many do not realise what an illness Mental Heath is. I strongly believe it, in all its forms, is a forgotten illness by our politicians red and blue. Nobody see's it so it's not there, if it's not there it's not a problem.

As many have testified on this thread it is there if you scratch the surface, yet many poke fun at suffers; or the sufferer feels ashamed to mention it. Their is no shame in this illness, it comes upon from nowhere, it has no recognised beginning and no end. Medication may help and it may go away but is in the background waiting to pounce again for no reason.

As for myself I suffer from a syndrome of about 38 various symptoms, not all at once thank goodness, and medication is no good. A consultant told me ' The good news is it's not going to kill you, the bad news is we cannot cure it because we don't know what causes it'. I never ask for pity or sympathy but understanding. I take solace in some good old Latin saying ' nil carborundum desperandum' translated as Don't let the illegitimates grind you down.

My sincere thanks go to Sanford for starting this thread and may it never die.  I now expect my red cross forumites to indulge themselves once again as this post is meaningless to them.

I don’t want to get all new age psychotherapist but this is a safe space.
Genuinely I think people who contribute to this side or this thread in particular understand because many have their own issues or know someone who has.
As I repeat often, a little bit of empathy and compassion can go a long way.

Quoted from DB

As many have testified on this thread it is there if you scratch the surface, yet many poke fun at suffers; or the sufferer feels ashamed to mention it. Their is no shame in this illness, it comes upon from nowhere, it has no recognised beginning and no end. Medication may help and it may go away but is in the background waiting to pounce again for no reason.

As for myself I suffer from a syndrome of about 38 various symptoms, not all at once thank goodness, and medication is no good. A consultant told me ' The good news is it's not going to kill you, the bad news is we cannot cure it because we don't know what causes it'. I never ask for pity or sympathy but understanding. I take solace in some good old Latin saying ' nil carborundum desperandum' translated as Don't let the illegitimates grind you down.

My sincere thanks go to Sanford for starting this thread and may it never die.  I now expect my red cross forumites to indulge themselves once again as this post is meaningless to them.

Moving post. Hope you keep fighting your challenges and never give up.