My friend is writing a blog about
her experience with depression in the hope that it will help people
going through a similar thing. I think she's really brave. But it did
push me to be brave enough to share some of my thoughts about it. In
theory, these days, depression and mental illness are supposed to be
much less stigmatised than they were, say 50 years ago. In
reality - I'm not sure how much of the stigma has been removed.
Whilst
locking people in asylums for not conforming to societal norms is no longer de rigeur - being sectioned is a
possibility. I know several people who have been going through a
really rough time and felt like they were going mad and that the men in
white coats really were going to come and lock them up in a padded
room. Whilst in the past, unmarried women were sectioned by their
relatives for daring to bring a "bastard" child into the world (and had their
child taken away at birth) and "sullying their family name". Despite
this no longer being a threat to unmarried mothers in the UK, there are still a
lot of issues regarding mental health that revolve around power.
There
have in recent years been several celebrities that have "come out" as
having mental health issues (sometimes through choice, sometimes through
being "outed" by lovely paparazzi or public looking to make a quick
buck) - Catherine Zeta Jones (Bipolar Disorder), Emma Thompson
(Depression), Ruby Wax (Bipolar Disorder), Stephen Fry (Bipolar
Disorder), Lenny Henry (Depression) - I could go on for ages. I have
always felt that in a way, it's kind of easier for celebrities to "come
out", as usually when they do, they are already well paid, well known, and get regular work
for their talent/ability/skill/connections. Their potential employers
can see their previous work that established their reputation - so
generally, the phone keeps ringing.
For
the average Joe - you're stuck between a rock and a hard place when it
comes to work - especially when applying for a new job. When applying
of a new job, there are often the obligatory equal opportunities and
health questionnaires. This puts you in a quandary. Do you declare
your health condition (in this case mental health condition), in the
hope that the powers that be won't use it against you and not give you
an interview (but for an entirely different reason, obviously, they
can't be seen to be discriminatory)? Or, do you not declare it, and
hope that you never have to have any time off work for said health
condition and that your employers end up finding out that it was a
pre-existing condition that you failed to declare, and subsequently all
hell breaks loose?
There is an initiative called "Time to Change" www.time-to-change.org.uk/ which is a Department of Health initiative (funded by the Department of Health, the Big Lottery Fund and Comic Relief) which is led by Mind ( www.mind.org.uk/) and Rethink Mental Illness (www.rethink.org/). The idea of the initiative is to reduce the stigma relating to mental health problems.
This, in theory is a very good idea. In theory, health providers are intended to get behind the campaign - GP's, Health Centres, Mental Health providers etc. But you can't remove age-old stigmas overnight. Many staff in the NHS, and specifically in Mental Health Trusts, suffer from some form of mental health condition - most frequently depression. Sometimes, staff become service users (the politically correct term for patients), in worst case scenarios they become in-patients. However, I know that staff have been let down by those same Trusts. When prejudices do result in you not getting a job or a promotion, or being judged as a certain type of person, or as unreliable, or just generally going unsupported during a difficult time.
In theory, an employer will say "if you're unwell, take time off work". But, you're not in a hospital bed, recovering from an operation, so, a quick phone call to ask you something is surely OK, right? You don't have flu, you can get out of bed, so you should just be able to answer a few emails. All this serves to reinforce the thought that you are hugely inconveniencing your employers. It piles on the guilt that you are already feeling, feeds the dislike that you already for yourself, and feeds the idea that you are just one big burden.
Guilt is a big thing with regards to mental health issues - from my own experience and many, many people that I have spoken to. A good way to lift your spirits is doing something that you have previously enjoyed - whether that's listening to your favourite songs; going out for a walk in the sun; seeing your friends; going fishing - whatever. But problem is that no-one can see that you're hurting/feeling worthless/wondering if you're ever going to be "normal" again. So you feel guilty for daring to leave your bed/sofa and, God forbid, leaving the house, lest someone see you and make the assumption that you're pulling a fast one and actually you're right as rain. And don't, for goodness sake get caught smiling or laughing!
A lot of people assume that if you have a mental health condition, you have an understanding family/group of friends to support you. Even if you are close to your family (which not everyone is) and/or your friends - they still won't necessarily understand what on earth you're going through. I was asked when going through a horrendous withdrawal from medication (that the side effects of doing so are apparently akin to coming off a class A drug cold turkey - paranoia, hallucinations, massive anxiety) if I could "behave myself" for an evening so my then partner could be taken out for a night out drinking. Words failed me - this request came from someone I cared about and trusted - as if I wouldn't turn off how scared, freaked out, physically ill, and depressed I felt if I could.
I am not naive enough to think that a person's depression has no effect on their nearest and dearest - I have been on both sides of the fence - the "patient", and the supportive friend/partner. I know that it can be difficult to try and support someone who is suffering from depression or other mental illness. And I know that carers need time out. But choose your words wisely, for you never know how deeply they can wound. Whilst I have had some great people in my life, who have been very supportive, you still don't want to bother people with your troubles, to be a nuisance.
Winston Churchill is well known for referring to his depression as a "black dog". The origins of this link go way back in time, but he is the most well known person in modern time to be associated with the link. Although it is a term that I have used myself, I always think that the terms people use regarding mental health are quite interesting. To me, dogs are friendly, comforting, and I have known some very nice black dogs. I don't know why Churchill made the link, but I'm guessing it had something to do with the fact that it stays by your side, is difficult to shake off - like a loyal dog.
And some of the terms/insults people use for people with mental health issues are ironic because several of them are food related - and when you're feeling low you often use food as a comfort. Personally, I'd rather be referred to as "crackers" than a "fruit cake". To me, fruit cake is dry, stodgy and bleugh, whereas crackers are tasty with some butter and a nice bit of cheese :) - and nutcase? well, I don't like nuts - and what if you're allergic to nuts? Imagine having anaphylactic shock in response to yourself - #Awkward!
Joking aside - why is it still so common for people to be discriminated against for what is a medical condition? It's no wonder people are scared to ask for help - they are scared of being derided by their friends and family, let alone strangers.
Mental illness doesn't stigmatise - why should you?
So is it time to change? Too bloody right!
/http://www.blackdogtribe.com/
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Depression/Pages/Introduction.aspx
http://www.depressionalliance.org/
http://www.carers.org/help-directory/mental-health-conditions
There is an initiative called "Time to Change" www.time-to-change.org.uk/ which is a Department of Health initiative (funded by the Department of Health, the Big Lottery Fund and Comic Relief) which is led by Mind ( www.mind.org.uk/) and Rethink Mental Illness (www.rethink.org/). The idea of the initiative is to reduce the stigma relating to mental health problems.
This, in theory is a very good idea. In theory, health providers are intended to get behind the campaign - GP's, Health Centres, Mental Health providers etc. But you can't remove age-old stigmas overnight. Many staff in the NHS, and specifically in Mental Health Trusts, suffer from some form of mental health condition - most frequently depression. Sometimes, staff become service users (the politically correct term for patients), in worst case scenarios they become in-patients. However, I know that staff have been let down by those same Trusts. When prejudices do result in you not getting a job or a promotion, or being judged as a certain type of person, or as unreliable, or just generally going unsupported during a difficult time.
In theory, an employer will say "if you're unwell, take time off work". But, you're not in a hospital bed, recovering from an operation, so, a quick phone call to ask you something is surely OK, right? You don't have flu, you can get out of bed, so you should just be able to answer a few emails. All this serves to reinforce the thought that you are hugely inconveniencing your employers. It piles on the guilt that you are already feeling, feeds the dislike that you already for yourself, and feeds the idea that you are just one big burden.
Guilt is a big thing with regards to mental health issues - from my own experience and many, many people that I have spoken to. A good way to lift your spirits is doing something that you have previously enjoyed - whether that's listening to your favourite songs; going out for a walk in the sun; seeing your friends; going fishing - whatever. But problem is that no-one can see that you're hurting/feeling worthless/wondering if you're ever going to be "normal" again. So you feel guilty for daring to leave your bed/sofa and, God forbid, leaving the house, lest someone see you and make the assumption that you're pulling a fast one and actually you're right as rain. And don't, for goodness sake get caught smiling or laughing!
A lot of people assume that if you have a mental health condition, you have an understanding family/group of friends to support you. Even if you are close to your family (which not everyone is) and/or your friends - they still won't necessarily understand what on earth you're going through. I was asked when going through a horrendous withdrawal from medication (that the side effects of doing so are apparently akin to coming off a class A drug cold turkey - paranoia, hallucinations, massive anxiety) if I could "behave myself" for an evening so my then partner could be taken out for a night out drinking. Words failed me - this request came from someone I cared about and trusted - as if I wouldn't turn off how scared, freaked out, physically ill, and depressed I felt if I could.
I am not naive enough to think that a person's depression has no effect on their nearest and dearest - I have been on both sides of the fence - the "patient", and the supportive friend/partner. I know that it can be difficult to try and support someone who is suffering from depression or other mental illness. And I know that carers need time out. But choose your words wisely, for you never know how deeply they can wound. Whilst I have had some great people in my life, who have been very supportive, you still don't want to bother people with your troubles, to be a nuisance.
Winston Churchill is well known for referring to his depression as a "black dog". The origins of this link go way back in time, but he is the most well known person in modern time to be associated with the link. Although it is a term that I have used myself, I always think that the terms people use regarding mental health are quite interesting. To me, dogs are friendly, comforting, and I have known some very nice black dogs. I don't know why Churchill made the link, but I'm guessing it had something to do with the fact that it stays by your side, is difficult to shake off - like a loyal dog.
And some of the terms/insults people use for people with mental health issues are ironic because several of them are food related - and when you're feeling low you often use food as a comfort. Personally, I'd rather be referred to as "crackers" than a "fruit cake". To me, fruit cake is dry, stodgy and bleugh, whereas crackers are tasty with some butter and a nice bit of cheese :) - and nutcase? well, I don't like nuts - and what if you're allergic to nuts? Imagine having anaphylactic shock in response to yourself - #Awkward!
Joking aside - why is it still so common for people to be discriminated against for what is a medical condition? It's no wonder people are scared to ask for help - they are scared of being derided by their friends and family, let alone strangers.
Mental illness doesn't stigmatise - why should you?
So is it time to change? Too bloody right!
/http://www.blackdogtribe.com/
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Depression/Pages/Introduction.aspx
http://www.depressionalliance.org/
http://www.carers.org/help-directory/mental-health-conditions
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