World Mental Health Day

Hi Liz,

I definitely agree that there are issues around mental health which will probably only be improved if people start talking more. I spent a couple of years when I was definitely depressed, as opposed to my now 'very grumpy' [but perhaps with after-effects lingering from that depression - I just can't tell for sure] - I would describe depression as 'interesting from the academic perspective' but I definitely wouldn't recommend that anyone should become depressed just to gain a better understanding of depression (and I know that makes no sense - you can't decide to be depressed - it just 'makes the point').

Various other mental health conditions are feared, and dementia is in my view 'an awful illness'.

So it is understandable that many people are scared of mental ill-health, that many people do not want to think about it, and that it is little-understood by many people.

So World Mental Health Day might help !

totally agree Mike that mental health is one of those things that has the power to really scare us, and that we don't talk about it enough. How often do you hear someone say 'how are you', and then not wait for or ignore the response. all to often the expected 'fine' or 'ok' is what is required and people really don't cope well with 'not good; let alone 'awful. I do so hope that today has enabled one or two people to have a real conversation and really listen.

Hi there,

I think that before we can move anywhere with mental health we will need to address the issues around the stigma that is still attached to these conditions. Condition which are very, very common indeed. The derogatory terms are still in widespread use and feature quite often in some elements of the press.

This was brought home to me during a search of my family tree. I discovered that my great, great, great grandfather spent almost 20 years (until his death in 1904) in the County Asylum. In the records his status is merely described as "Lunatic"

Kind regards to you all

Simon

There is some 'complexity' in that '... and really listen' - difficult to 'listen well' if you don't understand very well.

My earlier comment (I would describe depression as 'interesting from the academic perspective' but I definitely wouldn't recommend that anyone should become depressed just to gain a better understanding of depression) was made during a discussion on Nursing Times. My point was that I had an aunt who was depressive, and I only started to understand this after I myself became depressed [many years later]: so I suggested that nurses working with things such as depression, would understand it better if they themselves had suffered from the illness.

Hi Simon,

Your post happened while I was typing my previous post.

Yes, the words change - 'lunatic' isn't acceptable these days. However, clinicians develop 'a technical language' and once established, it tends to persist. And there is a need for 'labels', although offensive labels should be avoided.

I've just been involved in a BMJ discussion, when words such as 'frailty', 'acopia' and 'geriatric' were being written about. A complication with words, and this will surely be true in mental health, is that which words cause offence, is very much in the eye of the beholder.

I tend to describe myself as 'a grumpy old git' but healthcare professionals would never use that description [at least in public]. On the other hand, the mere idea that 'depression equates to mental incapacity' tends to raise my hackles - and quite a lot of clinicians seem to believe that one.

Your '... often in some elements of the press' is true and troublesome - but the press is often unhelpful !

I am a healthcare support worker that has suffered with severe depression in the past I hated telling people because of the stigma that was attached to it. I used to think people who knew me would be talking about me and saying that I have mental issues this used t make me feel worse. One of my relatives even called me the mad woman. I have learnt that it is good to talk and share experiences. I work in a small unit where I admitt patients for various procedures. I make it my duty to chat to all of them. It is amazing how depression and anxiety present itself with symptoms that you would not associate with them. I cannot believe the amount of patients that tell me they have not discussed their depression with their husband, wife , parents, sibblings, because of the stigma attached. Each and everyone of us has a duty of care to try and change this.

Am so glad we have started the debate, if we can start talking about the issues openly maybe we can get rid of some of the stigma that surrounds the words that have been used over the years. I will include something on this in the next Newsletter

I totally agree and yes we need to make every one aware.
I started just sharing with all my friends, how cruel it is when people judges you when you have this nasty illness and what they go through. So maybe if a everyone shares with their friends the awareness will soon grow.
Karl

I'm currently sitting at a computer in Coventry Central Library. There is a notice board about 50ft behind me: 'Stick by Me' which is for the mental health day. One of the people who writes on the board, points out that depression cannot be properly understood unless you have experienced it.

Even then, from what I've read about depression (which is not a main theme of my reading), it appears that different people experience depression differently.

I've read that many people 'blame themselves for their depression' - not the case for me, because I was quite clear that it was the behaviour 'of the NHS' which I blamed for my depression. I might hold myself responsible for any consequences of my decision to not seek 'curative interventions' when I became depressed - I don't like to 'mess with my own mind'.

The main symptom of my depression, was a total inability to 'enjoy anything': I did not enjoy anything, and I could not 'look forward to enjoying anything' either. This, in my opinion, resulted in the 'can't be bothered' attitude which accompanied my depression (and I have not recovered much of a 'can be bothered' attitude since).

I think (my memory isn't great) that it took about 18 months to 2 years, for the first sign that my depression was 'lifting': curiously, and I would not have anticipated this, the first sign seemed to be that I could again 'be [wryly] amused by' some things (not 'jokes' so much as the one where you see the guy sawing away at a branch, while sitting on the wrong side of the cut).

Question: was sharing that, useful ?

actually I think that sharing is important. I remember someone saying to me, how are you, and being quite shocked when I said - do you really want to know', that ended that conversation, but the next they asked, it was very different, they took time and listened, whilst I know it has to be about when you feel able, but the fat that someone cared did make a difference, although maybe I didn't recognise it immediately at the time. so the answer to your question Mike is Yes it is helpful.

Hi Liz,

Yes, I have to be with you: even if you don't really understand mental issues unless you have personally had them, unless people do 'share', the understanding of those who have never experienced them will be even worse.

That looks a bit odd, because I was trying to avoid using either 'illness' or 'disorder'.

I think my own sharing, tends to give the impression that I'm rather miserable, not very empathic and quite 'nerdy': as that is all true, I'm getting my 'sharing' wrong if people conclude something very different from that.

It looks like we are not the only one having the conversation about mental health. It is good to see that some well known people are also starting to talk openly about their experience of mental ill health. Here's hoping that they will help make mental health a more open and considered subject.