Mental Health

Quoted from DB

Your too modest Kingston. I thought it might be the opposite the way you kept on about Fenty, lack of facilities for training, etc. With the exception of Pen P and Fillipe I thought you might have cheered people up.

On a serious note, I think that sometimes the expectations that are put on people, particularly with money and luxuries, made out to be basics, are too much for them to cope with.

Societal pressures play a huge part in mental health. Whilst we can tell people, more often the younger elements that this desire for instant fame or cash isn’t healthy, it’s still seemingly important to them.

The fact ‘influencer’ is recognised as a job tells you everything.

The wife watches ‘Glow up’ on bbc3. The make up artists are very good and extremely creative but so many want to be a ‘household name’, like that’s the most important thing. They miss the irony in the fact that the geezer presenting the show isn’t really famous, not outside of make up circles but had had a long and illustrious career working for some enormous companies and brands etc.

This desire for instant fame and cash plays a huge pet in affecting mental health and self esteem. These ‘tiktokers’ who believe they’re a household name and have made a few quid, are they prepared for the fall which will inevitably happen in an ever more increasing material and one use world? Again, kind of ironic really, we’ve become much more aware of protecting the planet, multi use packaging etc, we have a greater understanding of mental health (albeit with huge funding cuts) yet we don’t tend to look after the self.

Worryingly as well, we see people use mental health/neurological disorders as justifications or use them in an throw away manner these days...all of which is rather offensive and crass. People like things in order, they say it’s OCD or people tell them it is. People love a routine, they just be autistic. People have mooods which fluctuate, they’re bi-polar...none of which is true.

Quoted from aldi_01

Societal pressures play a huge part in mental health. Whilst we can tell people, more often the younger elements that this desire for instant fame or cash isn’t healthy, it’s still seemingly important to them.

The fact ‘influencer’ is recognised as a job tells you everything.

The wife watches ‘Glow up’ on bbc3. The make up artists are very good and extremely creative but so many want to be a ‘household name’, like that’s the most important thing. They miss the irony in the fact that the geezer presenting the show isn’t really famous, not outside of make up circles but had had a long and illustrious career working for some enormous companies and brands etc.

This desire for instant fame and cash plays a huge pet in affecting mental health and self esteem. These ‘tiktokers’ who believe they’re a household name and have made a few quid, are they prepared for the fall which will inevitably happen in an ever more increasing material and one use world? Again, kind of ironic really, we’ve become much more aware of protecting the planet, multi use packaging etc, we have a greater understanding of mental health (albeit with huge funding cuts) yet we don’t tend to look after the self.

Worryingly as well, we see people use mental health/neurological disorders as justifications or use them in an throw away manner these days...all of which is rather offensive and crass. People like things in order, they say it’s OCD or people tell them it is. People love a routine, they just be autistic. People have mooods which fluctuate, they’re bi-polar...none of which is true.

You make a very valid point, even down to TV game shows and the likes of the, now off air, Jeremey Kyle show. Prizes on game shows decades ago were cars, mobile homes items beyond the price of the contestants could afford. Now they talk of £5K/£10 jackpots or much less as'In for a penny in for £1' etc.

I could never understand the mentality of people wanting to be on the JK show to be ridiculed, not allowed to answer back, and if you did it was edited out. That was until reports came out that many had not seen the inside of hotel room and were on full expenses for travel etc.

TV companies are only interested in viewing figures and profit. There is no respect from them about the mental health they put people through, the JK show had 'Graham'( I believe his name was) to comfort people but when deeply questioned about what they did and why as questions in a certain manner refused to answer!

At the end of the day, TV companies should be made accountable for the way they treat the public and not put unnecessary stress on their life's which could lead to mental problems. The desire for instant fame for some people is too much for them to cope with and should be acknowledged by the TV companies.

Just to interject momentarily, I posted the text below on my LinkedIn profile and I thought I'd share it here too in case it resonates with any of you, there a bit of buzzword bingo in there but hopefully the underlying message makes sense:

[i]I’ve suffered on and off with anxiety and depression since my teens.  They’ve been pretty regular companions for most of my adult life.  I started at a Big Four firm in 2001 as a graduate and left in 2004 after a difficult three years.  I never raised my mental health issues at work because I was worried about the stigma of it.  As is often the case, if only I knew then what I know now…

I returned in 2010 as an assistant manager after mixed spells in industry and as a maths teacher.  I resolved to be open about my mental health struggles and my colleagues have been so understanding.  Whenever I reach a tough patch, I know I can speak to people to get help.  I find admitting my difficulties is always the first step to feeling better.    

For the last 18 months I’ve struggled with acute anxiety and depression, Covid certainly hasn’t helped, particularly as I was coming to the end of my 2.5 year Performance Leader stint when the pandemic hit.  I tried my usual coping strategies but nothing worked.  Something had to change, and my colleague recommended the stronger minds program through our health insurance provider.  I’ve long been sceptical of therapy but this time it’s been a revelation.  I feel stronger mentally now than I have for years, and more able to deal with life’s setbacks.  I broke my foot a couple of week’s ago and whilst the lack of mobility has been frustrating, I haven’t fretted or worried in the same way I would have done before.

My one piece of advice to anyone struggling with these issues is to speak up to someone you trust.  Whilst it’s great if it’s your Performance Manager or Performance Leader, it doesn’t have to be.  Speak to someone, anyone.  It might be tough to do that but I’d encourage you to try.  If you’re the person they’ve reached out to, be proud of that, it’s a difficult step to take and they see you as more than just a colleague.  Listen as much as you can and support them, if you’re not sure how, please ask.  There are many of us out there that will understand and will help.

Quoted from Town Monkey

Just to interject momentarily, I posted the text below on my LinkedIn profile and I thought I'd share it here too in case it resonates with any of you, there a bit of buzzword bingo in there but hopefully the underlying message makes sense:

[i]I’ve suffered on and off with anxiety and depression since my teens.  They’ve been pretty regular companions for most of my adult life.  I started at a Big Four firm in 2001 as a graduate and left in 2004 after a difficult three years.  I never raised my mental health issues at work because I was worried about the stigma of it.  As is often the case, if only I knew then what I know now…

I returned in 2010 as an assistant manager after mixed spells in industry and as a maths teacher.  I resolved to be open about my mental health struggles and my colleagues have been so understanding.  Whenever I reach a tough patch, I know I can speak to people to get help.  I find admitting my difficulties is always the first step to feeling better.    

For the last 18 months I’ve struggled with acute anxiety and depression, Covid certainly hasn’t helped, particularly as I was coming to the end of my 2.5 year Performance Leader stint when the pandemic hit.  I tried my usual coping strategies but nothing worked.  Something had to change, and my colleague recommended the stronger minds program through our health insurance provider.  I’ve long been sceptical of therapy but this time it’s been a revelation.  I feel stronger mentally now than I have for years, and more able to deal with life’s setbacks.  I broke my foot a couple of week’s ago and whilst the lack of mobility has been frustrating, I haven’t fretted or worried in the same way I would have done before.

My one piece of advice to anyone struggling with these issues is to speak up to someone you trust.  Whilst it’s great if it’s your Performance Manager or Performance Leader, it doesn’t have to be.  Speak to someone, anyone.  It might be tough to do that but I’d encourage you to try.  If you’re the person they’ve reached out to, be proud of that, it’s a difficult step to take and they see you as more than just a colleague.  Listen as much as you can and support them, if you’re not sure how, please ask.  There are many of us out there that will understand and will help.

Amen to that!! Well said 👍🏻

One of our great loves Grimsby Town F. C.  can help or make our condition better or worse.

They are better than any tablet the doctor will give you if we are playing well and winning games.

The sad thing we have struggled the last five years only to cause our condition to get worse.

Looking forward with a caring board and a successful side they will brighten our mood for a while which can only be a good thing in the long run.

Covid has had a massive impact on mental health.

Shutting the humber bridge because of people jumping off tells you all you need to know.

I personally know of two people who have committed suicide.

I have added this to the book club thread but thought it pertinent to this discussion too. I would recommend it to anyone who has or does suffer with mental ill health:

My Sh*t Therapist
& other mental health stories
Michelle Thomas

Written in such a way that it balances the seriousness of mental illness with a good sense of humour and self awareness.
Lacks the depth of a text book but avoids the dryness of some self help literature.
The assistance here is in the reading, enjoyment and realisation that there are others as batsh*t as you are.

To add to Sandfords recent book list here is a website that I feel is apt for this thread:

The Forgiveness Project collects and shares stories from both victims/survivors and perpetrators of crime and conflict who have rebuilt their lives following hurt and trauma.

https://www.theforgivenessproject.com/our-purpose/

Apology's if anyone knows about it already.

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?

Be interesting to know how the suicide figures compared back then.

50/60 years ago I believe people's coping mentality was very much stronger. Many had relatives, who had come through WW2 and had to cope with all of which a war on your doorstep embraces.

Communities were stronger and helped each other. Whatever happened in those dark days you had to accept it (not like it) come to immediate terms with it and move on. Everybody knew somebody who had died, suffered injuries mental or physical.

The main thing told was 'Pull yourself together, or get a grip, etc.' if someone had problems. That sort of coping mechanism was around in the 50's and probably lasted until the late 60's mid 70's. After that era things started to change slowly and gradually to what we have today.

To give you some idea when I was 11 yrs old a classmate, who sat behind me, accidentally committed suicide over a weekend. Monday morning my class were kept back from our normal assembly place and went in last. The whole school was told of the full event and what happened, no rumours in those days, and then everybody went back into lessons. No counselling, no days off to cope no social carers etc. you were just on your own to cope the best you knew how. Back home mam and dad reiterated the stupidity of putting a plastic bag over your head, fill with a gas, for kicks.

Today is a different way of life, and many from my youth call it a 'nanny state'. Mentally in those days, you had to cope as there were no alternatives, no therapist or mental help whatsoever. If you were totally deemed to be severely mentally ill off you went to St Johns ( Commonly known as the looney bin ) Bracebridge Heath Lincoln, health-wise known as the Asylum; and you didn't want to go there as you didn't come out!

So to answer your question 50/60 years ago we had mental issues. But each individual just coped the best way they could and nobody with the slightest bit of sanity wanted to go to the looney bin.

Since those times St Johns opened its gates and inmates patients were sent out into society at large, the most dangerous went to Rampton I believe. The site was mostly demolished and is now a housing estate.