Depression

[Lisa Cuddy]

Some depressed people (not all) often have a network of support to help them along. What about the partners of depressed people? Who supports us when we have absolutely nobody to talk to?

Well, you can come here. There will be other places you can get help too. The usual websites (Breathing Space, See Me, Mind and so on) can probably put you in touch with support if they don't offer it themselves.

[RH33]

Some depressed people (not all) often have a network of support to help them along. What about the partners of depressed people? Who supports us when we have absolutely nobody to talk to?

My husband and I had this conversation earlier. Think he feels lost as to when to push me, what to say, what to do. It's rough on him as we have 3 <5 which he picks up a lot of the slack with.

[invergowrie arab]

Some depressed people (not all) often have a network of support to help them along. What about the partners of depressed people? Who supports us when we have absolutely nobody to talk to?

Check out www.supportinmindscotland.org.UK they used to be a support network fir families affected by schizophrenia but have a remit so support anyone affected by mental health issues including carers abd families

[sky+remote]

I haven't read all of this thread, but parts of it absolutely astound me. I've felt that I have had some sort of mental issues for a number of years, I can recollect feeling suicidal in my early-mid teens, no "real" reasons for it. I'm one of those that haven't really been to the doctor, or spoken to anyone in any real great detail. Standard cliche that "I'm not a doctor going type" and I'm not, but I realise at some point I need help. My life isn't that bad, and to be honest that makes me feel even worse. Being frank, I feel like an utter c**t wanting to end my life when there are people suffering a hell of a lot worse than me.

I seem to go through cycles of feeling properly low and suicidal, then can be perfectly "OK" for months. But if I'm honest, even when I'm OK, my concentration/focus just isn't what it should be. I tend not to enjoy things that I used to, or get bored of them really quick when I find something I enjoy.At the begining of the year I split up with my girlfriend of seven years and I'm finding it really tough to get back out there. Not in the sense of girls, just out with people. I had kind of closed off most of my friendships and don't really want my old friends back, but I'm struggling to get myself out and around people. I manage a decent amount of banter with people at work, even get myself along to some nights out but pushing beyond that is really hard.

I am trying to develop myself, setting myself goals, weight loss being a biggie as well as learning new things(work and non work related) it seems to help. However, when I hit an obstacle, no matter how small, it appears as a giant mountain and I really struggle. I'd also like to join a class, not sure what, don't think it really matters, but it will take a lot of bucking up! I can't even get myself to hand in forms to join up to a new doctors surgery!

Anyway, blabbed enough for now, cheers.

[Swampy]

Get the forms filled in. In my non-expert opinion you have moderate depression, and treatment will help you.

[I'm Brian]

Breaking the stigma. Well done Asda

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24278768

Attitudes like this hardly want people to openly express themselves. I would hope the moron that thought this was a good idea has received their P45. Obviously they have never been in a psychiatric ward, but I'm sure anyone who may need to be admitted to one will be reassured if they saw this. From experience it is a scary place when you are first admitted, not because it is scary, but because of the picture that is portrayed of them.

I'm not one for boycotting things, but I may very well look elsewhere to do my shop now.

[KeeperDee]

Breaking the stigma. Well done Asda

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24278768

 

 

Attitudes like this hardly want people to openly express themselves. I would hope the moron that thought this was a good idea has received their P45. Obviously they have never been in a psychiatric ward, but I'm sure anyone who may need to be admitted to one will be reassured if they saw this. From experience it is a scary place when you are first admitted, not because it is scary, but because of the picture that is portrayed of them.

 

I'm  not one for boycotting things, but I may very well look elsewhere to do my shop now.

That is just terrible.

[DA Baracus]

I saw this Asda thing on the news this morning. Frankly I think it's a massive over-reaction. That is how mental patients used to be treated (in terms of getting stuffed into a straight jacket) and portrayed. Are to now boycott certain films that portray mental patients in the same way? Personally I think that's more what they were aiming for, i.e. a sort of film type mental patient as has been seen in loads of films.

I'll be back in Asda tonight buying shite I don't need.

[I'm Brian]

I saw this Asda thing on the news this morning. Frankly I think it's a massive over-reaction. That is how mental patients used to be treated (in terms of getting stuffed into a straight jacket) and portrayed. Are to now boycott certain films that portray mental patients in the same way? Personally I think that's more what they were aiming for, i.e. a sort of film type mental patient as has been seen in loads of films.

I'll be back in Asda tonight buying shite I don't need.

OK we'll start selling African American costumes that portray them as slaves. We'll complete the look with some chicken and watermelon and a bag that they can put the cotton into.

Or how about a German costume complete with Nazi memorabilia

Or even a cancer patient costume, complete with bald skull cap just to complete the look.

All three above scenarios have been portrayed in movies in the past. Imagine the uproar

[I'm Brian]

Yes, I'm sure there are people who genuinely think that mental patients run about soaked in blood with meat cleavers because of this fancy-dress costume

Would you care to have a wager on that? Money goes to a Mental Health Charity. I've read you like a charity bet

[carrier bag]

Whenever I feel low, I like to bottle things up and not burden anyone else. It works for me and I'm now feeling happy that I've sorted my problems and I don't have the shame of burdening one of my friends.

[I'm Brian]

You genuinely believe that people see that fancy dress costume and think that all mental patients run about covered in blood with machetes?

Yes I do, and I have experienced it.

[KeeperDee]

You genuinely believe that people see that fancy dress costume and think that all mental patients run about covered in blood with machetes?

The fact that the costume exists and is labelled as a mental patient costume infers that a stereotype exists. Obviously some people do, otherwise the stereotype wouldn't exist.

[The Old Northerner]

Whenever I feel low, I like to bottle things up and not burden anyone else. It works for me and I'm now feeling happy that I've sorted my problems and I don't have the shame of burdening one of my friends.

Good lad. Surprised you're not ashamed of posting on this thread though

[KeeperDee]

So you'll display the same outrage when Witch costumes appear for sale at Halloween?

Ignore function still working well, I see.

Comparing mental patients to witches?

And quite the opposite, there is no ignore function that works on the mobile app.

[KeeperDee]

There are real life "witches" these days who don't wear big black hats, broomsticks, have big noses and warts. I'm sure if Kilt was here he could tell you all about it.

So I assume you'll be suitably outraged about that stereotype when Halloween comes around?

Well at the hazard of having a curse or some dark magic cast upon me, I'm going to say no to your question, since you know, magic and the like isn't real.

However depicting mental patients as crazed murderers does no good for those who actually either have spent time in a mental ward, or those who are about to spend time there. It does no good for their already fragile frame of mind and it's one of the circles of society that should be exempt from stereotyping or any form of stigma.

[DA Baracus]

OK we'll start selling African American costumes that portray them as slaves. We'll complete the look with some chicken and watermelon and a bag that they can put the cotton into.

Or how about a German costume complete with Nazi memorabilia

Or even a cancer patient costume, complete with bald skull cap just to complete the look.

All three above scenarios have been portrayed in movies in the past. Imagine the uproar

Don't talk such utter shite.

It's a Halloween costume. You seem to have missed this fact. It's quite an important one in this story. It's a silly wee bit of fun. I don't recall the horror film where the enemy was characterised as such because they were black or had cancer. Also any German costume I've seen that has been stereotypcial has been lederhosen, not Nazi regalia. I think most are sensible enough to realise that not all Germans were Nazis.

These costumes are not saying that all mental patients run around with machetes with blood dripping from their face; they're saying that a popular horror 'character' is the crazed mental patient, which it is. There are plenty of films with crazed mental patients going around killing folk with various sharp metal objects.

If it wasn't a Halloween costume and was just released generally in say, June, then perhaps there might be a case. Even then, only the most precious would take to tears.

Stop talking nonsense.

[jamamafegan]

If I saw that costume I wouldn't automatically associate it with mental hospitals and patients. As DA Baracus said earlier, it's far more likely to be compared to something you would see in a horror film. I think people are getting to easily offended here.

[I'm Brian]

Go on then, do tell.

That because I was admitted to a psychiatric ward I was in some way a violent psychopath, people avoiding you or giving you a wide berth. Granted not everyone was the same and thankfully it was the minority, but the stereotypes are there, and this kind of thing does nothing to dispel the myth...in fact the exact opposite.

A fellow I was in the ward with, I passed in the street a few weeks after I left the hospital. I stopped and spoke to him and asked him how he was getting on. He actually thanked me for speaking to him. This really hit home how people with mental health issues are treated.

[KeeperDee]

It's real for the people that believe in it though, but because you don't believe in it means it doesn't matter? It's okay for you to use stereotypes about curses and dark magic but a Halloween costume of a guy covered in blood with a machete has you outraged?

It's a Halloween costume of a popular character from horror films, it's not an advert for mental health or a mental institution. Do you have trouble separating fantasy from reality?

The costume is labelled as a mental patient costume, not "popular character from horror films" costume. That's the issue I have here. I sure as hell was never dressed like that in my time in a psychiatric ward.

And sometimes I do if I'm in a manic episode.