The Mental Health thread

[Keef]

Hang in there Dan,we don't care you've had loads of articles out,quality not quantity,and you can't go and leave us with just Southbank resistance as the only wolves blog,he writes one a week,and they tend towards being shite,I mean a blog about fighting by the university,come on

 

[YoungWolf]

I agree with Keef in that it's not about quantity, I just genuinely enjoy reading when you do post, and that is far more important to me. Obviously you would like to post more but it's better to leave it than try to force anything (IMO). Primary focus should be looking after yourself!!

 

[Stan Hullis]

https://agriefshared.com/

Not necessarily the right thread but reading what Simon Thomas is going through at the moment is very difficult but also very, very brave.

 

[fizzwolf]

I was raised by just one parent who, all of her life, suffered severe mental health problems. As a child that bought me a huge amount of physical and mental abuse. When it was happening I hated her for it and it was only when I grew up and saw her deteriorate further did I realise it wasn’t her fault.

 

[lemonjelly]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-42901550

A footballer has described being taunted by fellow players and fans after he spoke out publicly about his mental health struggles.

David Cox, who plays for Scottish League Two side Cowdenbeath, said he had been called a "psycho" and mocked about "slitting his wrists".

The 28-year-old has called for the game's authorities to act on the abuse in the same way they do against racism...
The footballer said attempts to deal with the stigma surrounding mental health had to be matched with efforts to challenge other social issues, such as racism and bigotry.

He said: "It's just as bad as being racist for me.

"If you were racist on the pitch, if a fan was racist at football games, you'd get done for it.

"People don't see mental health as an illness, you can't physically see it, it doesn't mean it's not there."

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Having an appalling day with this. I can't explain why. It's just horrendous. Everything makes me so angry and then all I want to do is crawl in the corner and weep.

 

[Derby Wolf]

Wasn't sure where to put this given it has multiple themes and could've gone here or in CA.

My brother has long term mental health issues and was put onto Universal Credit, after being on ESA. He had the customary 6 week wait between payments and in this time his prescription was due for renewal. He ticked the ESA box (because there is no UC box) and has been landed with an £86 fine by the NHS for 'fraudulently' claiming his medication, he was also ordered to repay the prescription costs of £17.20 it totalled over £103.

My brother is fortunate in that I volunteer with Citizens Advice and can argue his case for him and in the very worst case scenario cover the fine for him but I dread to think the untold alarm and distress this will cause the thousands of others I imagine will also receive these letters who don't have that support network and are on the bones of their arse, the alternative is people forgo vital medication.

It's shambolic the prescription forms haven't been updated in line with huge welfare reform, and that the NHS can't access the information on patients welfare status to prevent these letters.

 

[Keef]

Why £86? Seems a stupidly large random amount,£25 I could understand,even though that's wrong,you could explain that away as a admin/handling charge plus prescription charge.
It's just wrong on all sorts of levels

 

[lemonjelly]

Because the government are cunts keef.

 

[lemonjelly]

Nice to see another footballer talking about his experience. Hope he (and others) get the support they need:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42968278

 

[Trips]

Can't imagine the strength it takes for a professional footballer to discuss these things openly.

I've been at my present workplace just over 3 months, and haven't discussed once with anyone here what problems I have. At my last site I discussed it with one person in 18 months there. And I don't have thousands of people turning up to watch me work.

 

[lemonjelly]

Those kinds of issues are some of what we need to overcome trips.
Very often with MH, when experiencing adverse MH we want to do the opposite of what is likely to benefit us.
The fact MH isn't generally discussed re-enforces some of our anxieties and perceptions.

 

[Trips]

Those kinds of issues are some of what we need to overcome trips.
Very often with MH, when experiencing adverse MH we want to do the opposite of what is likely to benefit us.
The fact MH isn't generally discussed re-enforces some of our anxieties and perceptions.

Totally agree. I know I need to get better at discussing my issues. I've briefly gone into some things on here but I think that's because I don't really see many or know many people on here, and also the people on this thread have an understanding of things. It took me years to start explaining things to my wife, and although she's supportive she still doesn't really understand. If it took me that long to tell my wife, who doesn't get it, don't think I would ever really feel comfortable discussing with others who I have no idea if they will understand or not.

 

[lemonjelly]

Yep. The onus isn't on those with MH issues to talk. Equally, we all need to become better listeners.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

That Billy Kee video is basically me. It doesn't matter how many people tell me that they love my work, that I'm really talented, how lucky I am to be able to write like I do, that I have a load to offer, sometimes I just feel worthless. And don't get me wrong, I don't dislike getting compliments, I quite like having what I do validated. But if I'm having a bad time, it doesn't really matter what you say. I'll still feel like the biggest waste of space on the planet.

If logic and reason came into it, then I'd know immediately that would be rubbish. Because I know that although I don't quite hold my stuff in the same esteem that others seem to, I'm alright at least. Not totally shit anyway. But again...that doesn't come into it. At my worst I fancy deleting the whole thing, rubbing myself off the Internet, changing my mobile number, disappearing completely because I feel like such a letdown to everyone. It's stupid, I know it is. I can't help it though.

Fortunately it's all been a bit better over the last month or so. I can't say that it's good, because it isn't, but if early January was 1/10 (and 0/10 being "I want to do myself in", we didn't quite get there, not beyond a vague contemplation of the prospect), this is probably 4 or 5 out of 10. And I'll try to make that 6 or 7 over the next couple of months. It's a fucking hell of a lot of work to get myself into an acceptable state sometimes, I'm doing all this just to stand still a lot of the time. It takes a lot of energy. I don't really have a lot of choice though.

Thanks for sticking with me, I appreciate it. I know I must be a pain in the arse sometimes.

 

[Trips]

Good to hear things are starting to go in the right direction mate. 2 great articles last week is a positive step

 

[lemonjelly]

Thanks for sticking with me, I appreciate it. I know I must be a pain in the arse sometimes.

It's no more or less annoying than the rest of us can be.
I know when I was made redundant almost 3(!) years ago. I felt low, but many on here helped frequently unknowingly) a lot.
Still remember the day we were in a pub, and out the blue you explained how genuinely pleased for me when I got a new job. That meant a lot at the time, as did the support and encouragement many others gave.
That was a low for me, but I'll never forget how people around me supported and encouraged.

 

[Kenny]

Another tough read from Simon Thomas, this time on his battle with depression

https://agriefshared.com/2018/02/09/my-secret-battle/

 

[Trips]

Have really struggled the last 2-3 days. Friday and Saturday were tough but today was pretty much a write-off. Had to knock work on the head after about half an hour today, just couldn't get anything done.

 

[lemonjelly]

Be sure to be taking care of yourself fella! Remember to keep talking.