Recent news in the UK has been reporting the Government looking at depression again in terms of the cost to business/society/taxpayers etc and has found :
Mental illness accounts for a greater burden of disease than any other condition.
A fifth of early deaths are related to mental health problems, compared to under a sixth for both heart disease and cancer.
Now to many here hearing that depression is a big deal is hardly news, but to have the government continuing to increase its awareness and spending on the issue potentially is a big deal for a lot of us - as support services etc are improved and new ones rolled out.
Since 2001, spending on mental health services has increased by nearly 50%.
How do you feel about this? Do you feel the services and support available to you for your depression are as respected, researched and available as they would be for illness such as Heart Disease?
Do you feel with NICE doing reports about giving out blades and all this talking is actually getting is somewhere in terms of the help out there?
How do you feel about this? Do you feel the services and support available to you for your depression are as respected, researched and available as they would be for illness such as Heart Disease?
Certainly not. People still seem to be under the impression that mental illnesses are invalid and likely to be ficticious. Or underestimate them if they do believe they are real.
'Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you.'
['There is only one thing we say to death. Not today'.']
'We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell. Oscar Wilde
Its hard to dance with the devil on your back. Sydney Carter
I'm glad they are taking notice and are concerned about it, however the report i heard on it the government wanted all this change but aren't going to be putting more money into.
There is room for improvements on all levels i think i have been lucky as the CMHT in my area are very good at helping me in the areas i need help, however Dr's are completely the opposite and don't seem to understand it as well as they should. Maybe this will change as well as improve how employers view mental illness.
I am taking part in a Viewpoint survey which is looking into how well people with mental illness are treated in all areas of life. It will be good to see these results once they have completed it.
I think things are definately improving mental health service wise. For example I see a psychologist through a team called Health in Mind which were founded as part of a government initiative called "Improving Access to Psychological Therapies" and they work with all sorts of people, from those with severe mental illness through to people who maybe have something less debilitating. So me having access to this new service is proof that things are happening!
There is still a lot of stigma though and it can be very easy to fall through the gaps in services and it can be a battle to get things organised. What I found was that I didn't get any decent help for a very long time, but once I was under my current psychiatrist and mental health advisor (who are both wonderful!) they were very good at finding out what help I needed and were able to advocate for me and liase with other teams. I think people who aren't getting adequate support should look at getting a mental health advocate involved, sometimes things are a lot easier when you have someone to fight your corner!
I've had a lot of support, but I also know of people that haven't. Like a lot of things to do with the NHS and systems like that, it seems to depend where you live. I certainly think it's good that they're taking it more seriously, though.
Personally, I don't think the system works that well. When I went to get help, I was basically told "You're on the counselling list, we'll call you when you get someone."
I ended up getting a lot worse, and I was only called once I moved to Manchester, but it wasn't helping me too much then. Now I've moved back and I have to restart the waiting list, it's so frustrating!
Although, saying that, the system in Manchester was better. I was put on medication within the 3 months I was living there and it was helping. It was continued over here, but they've stopped it now until I can get a psychologist, meaning they've stopped any progress I was making.
I also don't agree with giving out blades. Yes, you want people to have clean blades and stuff, but personally, I never got an infection from dirty blades, I was always able to keep my own clean. If someone was giving out free blades, I'd just be more inclined to get them. I think it would encourage self-harm, or even make it seem 'normal'.
How do you feel about this? Do you feel the services and support available to you for your depression are as respected, researched and available as they would be for illness such as Heart Disease?
In a word, no.
Probably the problem is that heart disease, comparatively, is fairly straightforward. There are a finite number of causes, treatments and methods of prevention.
Depression however, is different for everyone who suffers. And it, being a mental disorder, is so misunderstood. Many people do not realise that it is as much a physical problem as a mental one. At least with heart disease or whatever there is always a feeling of it not being one's fault (despite the fact that diet, smoking etc. can be a factor).
It's a matter of understanding. I don't have an answer though.
(edited)
You cant compare something like cancer with mental illnesses.
Mental illness can be played up and played down and they can, regrettably, be made up.
If you have cancer, you have it.
Giving out free blades is, in a word, disgusting.
In the same way as the needle exchange programme disgusts me.
Anyone who self harms should take responsibility for the tools they use, doing a blade exchange simply makes it seem okay to not even bother and just get a new, sharper one each time.
As someone who has a mental illness, im not saying everyone makes them up, i know how much of a big deal they are and do agree that more research needs to be put into how to help people cope with them.
Just seems to me a hell of a lot of people don't even try to cope on their own. You gotta put a little in to get anything out.
Last edited by typsee : 28-12-2009 at 10:27 PM.
Reason: edited
I'd much prefer to have more government spending in cancer research than mental health. Maybe that's just me...
The two are completely incomparable.
This is a ridiculous topic as everyone on this website is going to be all 'woe woe no one will help me'.
I have BPD, big woop.
Comparing mental illness to cancer or heart disease is insulting.
Hmm. I think it is probably a bit of a postcode lottery. I've been lucky and had access to some really helpful, specialised services. But then, I know people who have had hardly any of the help they needed because they don't live in an area that provides it.
I guess free blades are kind of encouraging self harm, but people who aren't functioning well enough to take care of their wounds need someone else to make sure they don't get nasty infections. In general, I take precautions, but I appreciate that there are people who can't, so making sure they have access to clean blades when they can't think straight to make sure they do themselves is probably a good idea. Just it needs to sort of go alongside help for them to stop.
I still think it's good they're going to fund it more...just hopefully in the right places!
"That is why, for Christ's sake,
I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,
in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong"
(2 Corinthians 12:13)
(edited)
You cant compare something like cancer with mental illnesses.
Mental illness can be played up and played down and they can, regrettably, be made up.
If you have cancer, you have it.
Giving out free blades is, in a word, disgusting.
In the same way as the needle exchange programme disgusts me.
Anyone who self harms should take responsibility for the tools they use, doing a blade exchange simply makes it seem okay to not even bother and just get a new, sharper one each time.
As someone who has a mental illness, im not saying everyone makes them up, i know how much of a big deal they are and do agree that more research needs to be put into how to help people cope with them.
Just seems to me a hell of a lot of people don't even try to cope on their own. You gotta put a little in to get anything out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BeautyFiend
I'd much prefer to have more government spending in cancer research than mental health. Maybe that's just me...
The two are completely incomparable.
This is a ridiculous topic as everyone on this website is going to be all 'woe woe no one will help me'.
I have BPD, big woop.
Comparing mental illness to cancer or heart disease is insulting.
Well, considering suicide (Which is more often than not, brought on BY depression) is the biggest killer of people under the age of 35 I would say it is just as serious, and this is not factoring in the other depressed members of society who just cope, albeit often negatively whilst being debilitated by their illness.
Just from the people who die via suicide, makes it just as serious as cancer etc, not to mention the amount of time people spend off work and disabled due to it.
No, It's not insulting, and yes. It is as serious. Get over it.
Last edited by Dan : 02-01-2010 at 08:27 PM.
Reason: Tidying the post up.
On a long enough time line, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.
