'Mental Health Culture Has Gone Too Far'

[Anna B]

1 minute ago, Anna B said:

I agree. Certainly there are major differences between clinical depression, reactive depression and 'feeling down', but it's for a doctor to decide, and as we all know it's very difficult to see a doctor for anything at the moment, let alone an illness which it's hard to explain and even harder to quantify. I agree that in some cases it's about self-help but to someone who's turned their face to the wall and doesn't have the energy or the will to face getting up in the morning, that is well beyond them.

 

We don't even have a measure of what 'normal mental health' is as a baseline. All I can say is if the mood doesn't lift by itself in spite of making some significant effort to cheer up and enjoy life*, and there's nothing dramatically 'wrong' with your life, it's time to share your concerns with someone and see a doctor. 

 

*For example:

Counting blessings.

Appreciating the wonderfullness of small / simple things.

Finding things that make you laugh.

Doing small jobs /activities that take your mind off things

Getting out and about.

Engaging with people, (even a simple 'Good morning' with a smile.)

Exercise / Forest walks, communing with nature.

Doing  little things that make you happy.

Doing little things that make other people happy. 

Accepting that life is full of ups and downs.

Appreciating that being a glass half full or half empty person is a choice you can make.

Putting things in perspective, always people worse off than you.

Challenges make you stronger and 

You're tougher than you think.

And lots of other stuff intended to help... hope that doesn't offend anyone who is really struggling. I do know what that's like.  

 

Free IAPT courses can work too. Ask your doctor or health worker what's available  

 

[Padders]

59 minutes ago, Anna B said:

 

Anna,

Your wanted on the "Imposter Syndrome".

That's a very good post..

 

[Padders]

5 minutes ago, Padders said:

Anna,

Your wanted on the "Imposter Syndrome".

That's a very good post..

 

Should have put "Weazel2006 Imposter Thread"

[El Cid]

3 hours ago, Anna B said:

Certainly there are major differences between clinical depression and reactive depression!

Do the doctors understand that? You may have depression because you dont exercise enough outdoors, so you lack vitanin D;  exercise also has a great effect on hormones.

You are also obese due to staying indoors 24/7!

[Mister M]

6 hours ago, leviathan13 said:

This is part of the problem - where is the boarder between genuine mental health and some people just needing to build some resilience?

I think both co-exist simultaneously. 

Frequently people whose mental health is deteriorating are beyond the point of building resilience. No 2 people, and no 2 people's circumstances are the same. Some people may have a genetic predisposition to mental illness, a more diffident personality, a childhood loaded with abuse and neglect, and the life circumstances which create stress. Telling those people the "just need to build a bit of resilience" is so wide of the mark. 

6 hours ago, leviathan13 said:

 

I have a mate who has been on medication for depression and anxiety for years, now, and it seems like it's more of a crutch than to actually help him. He's reluctant to go outside of his comfort zone and build mental toughness. I was on the same medication a while back and hated the numbness - it made me see that i'd rather try and tackle the lows whilst experiencing the highs and it's made me a much more outgoing person. I've also found exercise to be the key to improving my state of mind - if i'm feeling down i go and get an adrenaline rush which instantly perks me up.

Some people take medication as prophylactic, it's taken to prevent further episodes, I make no judgement about that. But I think you're right, there's no point in taking medication if you're not prepared to at least try and change the things present in your life which are contributing to the depression. Though often there are life circumstances beyond our control. 

6 hours ago, leviathan13 said:

 

From what i see and experience, we as a society need to almost better define what 'mental health/illness' means as feeling a bit down one day is different to someone with severe issues but those people struggle to access services and help because someone who feels a bit under the weather is taking up a valuable place.

My understanding is that people will struggle to get on many NHS mental health service waiting lists unless they're at death's door, or attempted suicide.

There is IAPT, not sure if it's still in existence, but for people with low level depression and anxiety it can be quite useful.

[Mister M]

Sheffield Council have recently published a few documents about mental health which are quite useful:

Family-Action-TaMHS-Emotional-Wellbeing-in-Schools-Toolkit.pdf

[Anna B]

11 hours ago, Padders said:

Should have put "Weazel2006 Imposter Thread"

Finally found it Padders in Interest groups section.

Thanks for the heads up.

Couldn't send a private message tho.'

Don't know why. So had to reply on the thread itself.

[mhrow]

On 07/04/2024 at 18:46, Mister M said:

Sheffield Council have recently published a few documents about mental health which are quite useful:

Family-Action-TaMHS-Emotional-Wellbeing-in-Schools-Toolkit.pdf

I've just got to reading some of that pdf.  Here it does look like the council have "gone too far" with mental health.  Almost 100 pages of dogma and no facts  to back it.  Maybe it keeps the "professionals" busy working, but it can't be any good for kids.

 

[Ridgewalk]

On 07/04/2024 at 16:30, Anna B said:

I agree. Certainly there are major differences between clinical depression, reactive depression and 'feeling down', but it's for a doctor to decide, and as we all know it's very difficult to see a doctor for anything at the moment, let alone an illness which it's hard to explain and even harder to quantify. I agree that in some cases it's about self-help but to someone who's turned their face to the wall and doesn't have the energy or the will to face getting up in the morning, that is well beyond them.

 

We don't even have a measure of what 'normal mental health' is as a baseline. All I can say is if the mood doesn't lift by itself in spite of making some significant effort to cheer up and enjoy life*, and there's nothing dramatically 'wrong' with your life, it's time to share your concerns with someone and see a doctor. 

 

*For example:

Counting blessings.

Appreciating the wonderfullness of small / simple things.

Finding things that make you laugh.

Doing small jobs /activities that take your mind off things

Getting out and about.

Engaging with people, (even a simple 'Good morning' with a smile.)

Exercise / Forest walks, communing with nature.

Doing  little things that make you happy.

Doing little things that make other people happy. 

Accepting that life is full of ups and downs.

Appreciating that being a glass half full or half empty person is a choice you can make.

Putting things in perspective, always people worse off than you.

Challenges make you stronger and 

You're tougher than you think.

And lots of other stuff intended to help... hope that doesn't offend anyone who is really struggling. I do know what that's like.  

 

Free IAPT courses can work too. Ask your doctor or health worker what's available through your doctor or 

‘…for a doctor to décidé … mmmm not too sure about that. Doctors seem to revert to the medical model , for obvious reasons. Hopefully modern psychiatrists have a broader view.

[Mister M]

10 hours ago, mhrow said:

I've just got to reading some of that pdf.  Here it does look like the council have "gone too far" with mental health.  Almost 100 pages of dogma and no facts  to back it.  Maybe it keeps the "professionals" busy working, but it can't be any good for kids.

 

As for facts which back it you obviously missed the section on mental health statistics; an outline of mental health conditions which people can suffer from; an outline of the risk and protective factors to those conditions; and the services to which concerned people can refer.

Never mind though.