Mental health awareness week - 13-19 May 2019

[blondebier]

On the face of it you'd be tempted to think all members on here are happy and enjoying their lives and their mental well-being probably never crossed your mind. (Me too!)

13-19 May 2019 is mental health awareness week and I thought I'd bring it up as this was raised recently at work and the response to it was staggering.

Mental health is as important as physical health and you need to look after it.

Help is out there and I'd encourage anyone struggling to reach out and seek support.

https://www.thecalmzone.net/

 

[Meoncoast]

Mental health is as important as physical health and you need to look after it.

Help is out there and I'd encourage anyone struggling to reach out and seek support.

I worked my whole career with mental health service both in hospitals and in the community - the best thing I did for my mental health was retire. In the public domain, at last one's mental wellbeing is being seen as important as one's physical self. Campervan life and its pace is great for one's mind in my view.

 

[MattBW]

I have in the past talked with friends and family openly about my mental health challenges and experiencing it gives a unique perspective that is so hard to understand if you haven't experienced it. I suffered for over 10 years with severe depression and PTSD (it is a common misconception that it is only soldiers who can get this).

I think sadly we have created a world that isn't always suited to the human "animal" and it has resulted in an epidemic of mental health problems for folks today.

My own depression is now under control and I am mostly in a good place but I will always live with it, it will always be there in some form or another. My advice to those suffering is try to get help, its hard to do but it will help. For those with friends suffering never say things like snap out of it, or have you tried being happy, this will only make someone feel worse. The guilt and self loathing whilst depressed can be very strong. When external folks give backup to that internal voice with such comments, it can make things much worse. Often the best thing you can do is just be available and listen, don't judge or find solutions, just listen. Leave that to the professionals.

I even tried once to communicate my mental illness through my photography but to be honest I completely failed to convey it. If I can wish one thing for you all, it is that you never experience it.

https://flic.kr/p/dNsNsG

https://flic.kr/p/dLSHeM

 

[LemonDrop]

Wow @MattBW - powerful images. And absolute respect to you for sharing that.

We all, every one of us, have experienced ourselves or have someone in our family/friends who have experienced mental health issues.

I put a small music event on at the weekend and we're donating our profits (£400) to The Samaritans to raise awareness this week.

 

[VW Guru]

I think this is possibly one of the most important weeks in the year having suffered from mental health problems my whole life and having attempted suicide on 3 different occasions this subject is very close to my heart. Luckily now after years of different types of therapy and anti depressants I can now say I’m happy in all be it on anti depressants for the rest of my life but depression never leaves you it’s a constant daily battle and one that is very hard to overcome when in the dark depths. It’s also very hard for people to understand if they have not been through it, although I think with the pressures of the modern world we all suffer the effects of mild depression from time to time deep dark depression where you get to the point of talking your life or your just paralyzed and don’t see the light of day for months on end is one of the hardest things your mind and body will ever go through. If there is one piece of advice I can give it’s talk to people air your feelings and don’t bottle it up with the whole British stiff upper lip. The more people that talk about mental health the easier it will be for all of us to open up and become more accepting of this horrible problem.

 

[Joker 1299]

I think this is possibly one of the most important weeks in the year having suffered from mental health problems my whole life and having attempted suicide on 3 different occasions this subject is very close to my heart. Luckily now after years of different types of therapy and anti depressants I can now say I’m happy in all be it on anti depressants for the rest of my life but depression never leaves you it’s a constant daily battle and one that is very hard to overcome when in the dark depths. It’s also very hard for people to understand if they have not been through it, although I think with the pressures of the modern world we all suffer the effects of mild depression from time to time deep dark depression where you get to the point of talking your life or your just paralyzed and don’t see the light of day for months on end is one of the hardest things your mind and body will ever go through. If there is one piece of advice I can give it’s talk to people air your feelings and don’t bottle it up with the whole British stiff upper lip. The more people that talk about mental health the easier it will be for all of us to open up and become more accepting of this horrible problem.

That’s a moving story. Thank you for sharing it so openly on here. Kind of puts many things, including roof corrosion, oil consumption and beach versus ocean debates, well into perspective.

 

[SailSki]

It is only over the past couple of years I have encountered sone of these issues first-hand as someone very close to me is now trying to learn to live with anxiety and depression that seemed to have come from nowhere.
It is very sobering, and I wish everyone well who is going through it themselves or trying to help their friends or loved ones.
As previous posts have said, by talking about it constructively perhaps we can help lift the load at least a little......

 

[California4x4]

I have in the past talked with friends and family openly about my mental health challenges and experiencing it gives a unique perspective that is so hard to understand if you haven't experienced it. I suffered for over 10 years with severe depression and PTSD (it is a common misconception that it is only soldiers who can get this).

I think sadly we have created a world that isn't always suited to the human "animal" and it has resulted in an epidemic of mental health problems for folks today.

My own depression is now under control and I am mostly in a good place but I will always live with it, it will always be there in some form or another. My advice to those suffering is try to get help, its hard to do but it will help. For those with friends suffering never say things like snap out of it, or have you tried being happy, this will only make someone feel worse. The guilt and self loathing whilst depressed can be very strong. When external folks give backup to that internal voice with such comments, it can make things much worse. Often the best thing you can do is just be available and listen, don't judge or find solutions, just listen. Leave that to the professionals.

I even tried once to communicate my mental illness through my photography but to be honest I completely failed to convey it. If I can wish one thing for you all, it is that you never experience it.

https://flic.kr/p/dNsNsG

https://flic.kr/p/dLSHeM

Matt, the images you created are very powerful.

 

[GrannyJen]

I think this is possibly one of the most important weeks in the year having suffered from mental health problems my whole life and having attempted suicide on 3 different occasions this subject is very close to my heart. Luckily now after years of different types of therapy and anti depressants I can now say I’m happy in all be it on anti depressants for the rest of my life but depression never leaves you it’s a constant daily battle and one that is very hard to overcome when in the dark depths. It’s also very hard for people to understand if they have not been through it, although I think with the pressures of the modern world we all suffer the effects of mild depression from time to time deep dark depression where you get to the point of talking your life or your just paralyzed and don’t see the light of day for months on end is one of the hardest things your mind and body will ever go through. If there is one piece of advice I can give it’s talk to people air your feelings and don’t bottle it up with the whole British stiff upper lip. The more people that talk about mental health the easier it will be for all of us to open up and become more accepting of this horrible problem.

Thank you x

 

[MattBW]

It is wonderful that when these posts come up that suddenly people are so very willing to share their experiences, raise money or support and listen.

Thanks @LemonDrop @VW Guru @SailSki for sharing, it is wonderful that you feel you can.

For those who have never experienced it, and I hope you never do this conveys a little what it can be like. It makes me tear up watching it even now.

 

[MattBW]

I worked my whole career with mental health service both in hospitals and in the community - the best thing I did for my mental health was retire. In the public domain, at last one's mental wellbeing is being seen as important as one's physical self. Campervan life and its pace is great for one's mind in my view.

Just wanted to say a massive thank you for your career and all the people you no doubt helped.

I have since my depression experienced it from the other side as a supporter and I have huge respect for those who do it for their job. It must be very hard. From me who has benefited from folks like you, a huge huge heartfelt thankyou!

 

[Bill R]

I have someone very dear to me who is suffering badly from mental health issues, particularly anxiety & depression and the complete lack of help out there is astonishing.
The provision for Mental Health on the NHS is so so depleted he is stuck on a long wait for any assistance with an eventual appointment which turned out to be a triage just so a waiting list target could be met I guess.
It is so sad to see his life being held back, when the provision of help doesn’t come close to matching the level of concern and desire for such provision of care from the public - usually people like those of you who have commented on here and suffered.
It seems it’s an invisible issue only known to and cared about by those it has touched and affected.
The Black Dog video is brilliant @MattBW

 

[2into1]

Well, who'd have thought that a bunch of generally successful and affluent folks living 'dream' lifestyles with their campervans would be so afflicted by depression and anxiety?

Well anyone who ever thought about it really. Its often said that mental health problems impact those from all walks of life and having a successful career is no barrier. I often think 'being successful' might actually be a good indicator of having such problems as we seek success in a vain attempt to compensate for difficulties nearer to home.

Some of us here are lucky enough to be re-creating happy holidays of their own childhoods. Others, like me, might view their camper as a means to escape from some of difficulties described above. Some years, the more nights I spend away in the van : the worse I'm often feeling.

I'm glad that it's so much more acceptable to discuss our mental health challenges. I only wish feeling better came as easy.

 

[Meoncoast]

Just wanted to say a massive thank you for your career and all the people you no doubt helped.

Thank you, Matt (and others) for sharing your challenges I am glad that some of the stigma I saw at the start of my working life has started changing over the years but there is still a way to go. Members having the courage to share such issues on a forum such as this is a very positive thing.