Mental health

Ponygurl

When I think of the word depression, the words "deep rest" comes to mind. Is this not a human emotion? Do we not need a calm after the storm of life, a safe harbor? This should be allowed as a form of healing, but then a person could become anchored to this feeling. When the emotion has served you, then we must look at all of the options on the horizon. With one paddle stroke at a time we can explore the world again. We can create a life we want to live in. Don't let others steer you, unless you want to be trapped on someone else's course. Believe in the vision of your life and you will start to create it. There are no timetables, you will know when it is time. Give of yourself and appreciate the small things...the smell of a rose, a fine cup of tea. First and foremost, Love yourself. We can be bombarded by negativity around us...love yourself enough to not listen and not believe any of it. You are capable of anything and everything my darlings!

^ Did that just sound like I'm some new-age stoner?! I hope not..haha! @};-

iuventus

:x

rewak

Minsku said:
However, I do feel like the society puts unrealistic pressure on people. It’s like as soon as you get any help at all, you are expected to just bounce back and become a productive citizen again. God forbid if it takes you a little longer to get better. Then the fault is automatically in you, your attitude or your negative thinking. Because how can you not recover when you have help?

Oh yeah that definitely happens, it's just a symptom of our quick fix society. There's been so many advances in physical health care that for a lot of things it is just a matter of take this and you'll be fine, so people have come to expect that. Sadly the advances in metal health have been slower, especially in the general understanding of it within the population, so people just don't get it. But again someone else's misunderstanding or lack of information on a subject is not your fault, and if someone doesn't get it you can always try to explain it to them. If they still don't get it that's fine, it is a pretty personal thing that can be hard to understand until you actually experience it yourself, and then everyone would describe it a little differently.

wild_corgi

ponygurl said

Ponygurl said:
When I think of the word depression, the words "deep rest" comes to mind. Is this not a human emotion? Do we not need a calm after the storm of life, a safe harbor?

That's exactly how my Scandinavian friends think of their winter melancholia! they treat it like a profound hibernation - and you're also so wise and right about the risk they get stuck in it.

Completely agree with rewak about how misleading it is to judge how quickly and effectively modern medicine can cure illness of the body with how it can treat illness of the mind and soul ... or to compare your own experiences of going through it with anybody else's. There's just too many variables when you are treating the most individual parts of people.

Can't agree often enough that if people don't know, or don't understand, it's not your fault: and it's not necessarily theirs either, they just not have the information they need to understand you.

Minsku

Ponygurl said:
When I think of the word depression, the words "deep rest" comes to mind. Is this not a human emotion? Do we not need a calm after the storm of life, a safe harbor? This should be allowed as a form of healing, but then a person could become anchored to this feeling. When the emotion has served you, then we must look at all of the options on the horizon. With one paddle stroke at a time we can explore the world again.

Very well said!

One of the biggest problems though, is to find the motivation and strength to actually paddle forward. When you are depressed it can be very difficult to find anything to look forward to in the future. Or even will to live for that matter.

So easy to let go, so hard to get back on track...

rewak said:
Oh yeah that definitely happens, it's just a symptom of our quick fix society. There's been so many advances in physical health care that for a lot of things it is just a matter of take this and you'll be fine, so people have come to expect that. Sadly the advances in metal health have been slower, especially in the general understanding of it within the population, so people just don't get it. But again someone else's misunderstanding or lack of information on a subject is not your fault, and if someone doesn't get it you can always try to explain it to them. If they still don't get it that's fine, it is a pretty personal thing that can be hard to understand until you actually experience it yourself, and then everyone would describe it a little differently.

The only problem I have is that these misunderstandings and false assumptions seem to be deep-rooted even in the minds of health care personnel. GP prescribes you some pills, then you talk to a therapist a few times and after that you are expected to be miraculously cured. If you’re not, you’re made to feel like it’s your fault and you should just suck it up and be done with it.

It’s true that people who have never suffered from mental health problems don’t really understand these issues and that’s fine. I’m not looking for people’s understanding as such, but it would be nice to get help without being judged and disapproved. At least not by the people we trust to be professionals.

Whickwithy

Minsku said:
However, I do feel like the society puts unrealistic pressure on people.

Modern society/culture is the greatest part of the problem. There's this mania...

Whickwithy · Post edited by Whickwithy at 2014-02-13 15:31:51

Ponygurl said:
When I think of the word depression, the words "deep rest" comes to mind......love yourself enough to not listen.....You are capable of anything and everything my darlings! .....haha! @};-

That was beautifully said, PG. I think, while mine was more succinct and of a similar vein. yours was much more elegant and uplifting.

iuventus

Sleep is one of the greatest healers. The general mental health of society would improve multifold if we each allowed ourselves adequate sleep.

NB, I did not use the words 'cure.'

cw37frapp

I agree about sleep. When you have had trouble it either keeps you awake all night or you sleep like a baby. If you do get a good night it does help. Not cure if it is a very serious problem.

Another example is if you have argued non-stop for a day with somebody it very rarely goes into a 2nd day. Again unless it is a serious row.

Sleep and any time-out temporarily solves.

Whickwithy

iuventus said:
Sleep is one of the greatest healers.

I agree sooooo much, which is why, as we have discussed before, I don't much care for caffeine. It's just another false high and is not very conducive to the state of slumber. I've tried, in excess, just about every high known to man and have decided they all suck. We discussed decaff before and I've even just about given that up. It very well might be that my system is very, very sensitive, I don't know.

cw37frapp

Well that is where i need to cut down. If i am in the house all day i must have close to 20 cups of coffee. Without sugar, i must add. Otherwise i have about 10.

Whickwithy

That's how I used to drink it. Black and all day long. I gotta admit, it was fun. But, then again, I didn't have the time to sleep much, anyways. Another bane of today's society.

KatRobin

My advice will prob sound trite and certainly unoriginal.... And I'm afraid it prob does hark back to the CBT I inevitably had to go through once upon a time.... But when I go to bed I do try to reflect back on the day I've had and count five positive things that've happened to be glad about. I had a bad day this week ( double dollops of sibling shit) and was extremely emotional and low. But a pupil in my class, little sweetie ( and one who has immeasurable problems himself) must've seen my low mood. He put together a little card with the names of all his classmates on in a big love heart and several kisses all wrapped up in a self made envelope. Bless him, he has SEN and spelling difficulties- he'd tried to write "Happy Day" on it but it came out as " fat day"! It made me smile and served as a timely warning not to reach for the biscuit tin every time low moods strike!!

Sparky

A couple of years ago in the depths of the recession I lost my dream job and shortly afterwards I was made homeless.

Even with anti-depressants and therapy, it was the worst period of my life, and I was searching online for something colourful and uplifting to keep me sane. When I couldn't find what I wanted, I ended up making it myself. I started a little blog on WordPress which exploded and became very popular (you've probably all seen my signature link plastered all over the forum) and the best thing about my blog was getting feedback from other people who found my stuff uplifting.

It's not all cupcakes and kittens, just me sharing some of the more positive moments in my life. Trying to take pretty pictures even if the weather's crap - that kind of thing. Remixes, artwork and cats. It's all been therapeutic for me and sometimes I imagine I'm the best amateur colourblind photographer in the world. Take a look if brightly-coloured fluffy nonsense is your thing!

http://thevibes.me

Hells_Bells · Post edited by Hells_Bells at 2014-02-18 18:11:05

One of my friends is going for her first counselling session tomorrow as she has been going through a bad bout of depression at the moment brought on by an acrimonious split from her partner, having just had an operation recently and her Mum also having had two major operations in the past two years.

She keeps saying to me whats it like going for counselling and I keep trying to tell her its a different experience for everyone due to different circumstances for why you have been referred for a session.

I said to her the first session will be difficult but take your time and talk about what you feel comfortable with. Its there to help you but dont expect miracles.

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