Time To Talk - Mental Health

[Dizmo]

The next statement is taken from - http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/timetotalkday

"Thank you for being part of Time to Talk Day 2015 by taking 5 minutes out of your day to have a conversation about mental health.

Mental health problems affect 1 in 4 people every year, yet too often people are afraid to talk about their experiences because they fear it will affect their jobs or relationships. That’s not right and it’s why we need your help today to break the silence and end the stigma.

We all have mental health, just like we all have physical health, so you don’t need to be an expert to have a conversation today. Take 5 with a friend to find out how they’re doing, watch and share our film or have a conversation online – these are all small things you can do to make a big difference.

Once you’ve had your conversation, don’t forget to come back and record it on our interactive counter. By midnight tonight, we want the counter to show at least 24 hours’ worth of conversations, so make sure you remember to log your 5 minutes!"

Let's cut the stigma of mental health!

[Retrochic]

Thank you murraymints for your kind thoughts. There are times when I've sat in my very comfortable home surrounded by loving support and thought about how worthless,how undeserving I was, everything I did was useless, how ungrateful I was when people were in a far worse situation than my own. Its a big black hole that sucks you in. I was lucky in a way -I had a seizure at work years ago,and it was diagnosed as severe anxiety and depression -me depressed? me anxious? I didn't have time! I had counselling and anti-depressant drugs and a total change of lifestyle helped. It came back after each child but I knew how to cope and why it was happening. My OH used to be of the 'pull your socks up woman' clan, now he knows differently,I wish so many other people would.

[cupid04]

Over 50n years ago my mum had electric shock therapy for severe post natal depression. It seems so barbaric. I would hope we've moved on and there are better treatments these days.

[Sqad]

cupid...that was ECT (ElectroConvulsive Therapy) and yes it is still used today.

It worked very well, still does......but medics don't know why.

[Mamyalynne]

The stigma that still exists in some is the result of both ignorance and fear ,hopefully this will continue to improve.

I have had bouts of deep dark depression and once again being the glue that held the family together had to hide it, till my face hurt with the forced smile.

I think the hardest to bear was the post natal depression as I knew it was robbing me of so much joy and people found it so hard to believe I could be so low and disinterested, thankfully it was a relatively short period in my life.

Lets make 'Time to talk day' - everyday

[Mamyalynne]

My Sister in Law had ECT , early 1980s - it did help.

[mazie]

I believe it's something that touches all of us at some time in our lives, to a greater or lesser degree.

[cupid04]

Thank you, I didn't know it was still used. I only have childhood memories of her coming home for the weekend and she was shaky. Still upsets me to think about it. She died when I was 12 of an unrelated illness.

[Mamyalynne]

Sad to hear Cupid,yes ECT is alarming to watch but has good results in some cases.

[pastafreak]

I have personal experience,and I work in an environment(drop in centre for homeless/vulnerable) where most of our clients have mental health issues. Whether their current lifestyles... sleeping rough,reliance on various chemicals,etc...are the result or cause of these issues...does not matter. They are treated with respect,and hopefully feel accepted by us all.
My own history includes agoraphobia and panic attacks from my 20's onwards. My treatment included Valium(not too useful),and just plain talking to a therapist(useful...for me anyway). My second husband would not get involved as he believed he would be blamed(!?:O ). But at least I had treatment that allowed me to know I was not dying when the panic set it...one way that living in the States was good as I gather acknowledgement of such issues were not to come until later here in the UK.
I have been up and down with it over a good 40 years...it is never really gone,as it seems to lurk in the shadows,waiting for me to be vulnerable. It still limits me in day to day living,avoidance of situations that scare me...like open spaces,and wide roads,and noise,or any chaotic environment. These fears almost sound silly as I write this,but I'm also taken back to a time when the NYC subway terrified me...but only going home. I'd take a cab home very night,rather than deal with the panic of being trapped underground...and there was the panic as I tried to get that cab...even that was stressful.. A panic attack in the middle of a crowded city street or in a dept store is not much better...and at home I'd find myself almost crawling on my knees as the panic made me feel dizzy standing. My two husbands both smacked me at least once..as *they* couldn't deal with it.
I don't talk to people about this...except possibly my workmates,as we've all some personal experience...one so badly he took his own life 2 years ago this past weekend.
I could keep on going,but I'm dredging up too many memories here.

[Mamyalynne]

Written from the heart Pasta. x

[murraymints]

hugs for Pasta xx

[boxtops]

Diz, well done to post this.

I've suffered mental health problems, as have others - clinical depression, panic attacks, agoraphobia - and I can vouch for the stigma associated with it.

It's better these days - but some of my friends and family in the 1970s gave me a very wide berth when they heard that I was seeing a psychiatrist. People are not so scared these days about admitting to having "issues" like this - but at the time, I felt like a pariah in certain quarters.