Time to Talk.


It’s a common misconception that suffering a mental health problem is a sign of weakness, when combating it takes real strength.

One of the cruelest aspects to depression or anxiety is you’re often made to feel you’re to blame, by tactless others, or by you; that isn’t true. I find it endlessly frustrating that despite it being fashionable for MPs and health professionals to express the need for things to change and for the stigma to end, in reality, we’re still at square one. The lack of resources available to people with mental health conditions is shocking; you often have to fight for help, and if you don’t, you fall by the wayside.

Anyone who doesn’t think the situation is this serious should take a look at the statistics.

·      1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem each year.
·      3 out of 4 people fear the reactions of friends and family on discussing their mental health.
·      9 out of 10 people suffering from mental health problems experience discrimination and stigma.
·      In 2015, 75% of all suicides were male. In fact, it’s the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK.
·      UK Mental health budgets were cut by 8.5% between 2011 and 2015.
·      2100 beds for mental health patients were lost in the last five years.
·      In 1990, 416 million people suffered from depression or anxiety worldwide. 23 years later, this had risen to 615 million.
·      David did a lot of Googling to source these facts.

Sometimes, all it takes is a friend or family member asking how you’re doing, to take the sting off. They don’t have to provide answers, so much as an empathetic ear. You don’t even necessarily have to bring the subject of that person’s mental health up; distraction can also help. But try not to criticize; it’s likely the person suffering lives in a constant state of self-criticism as it is, Be mindful: a judgemental word is more likely to stick to a depressed person than a kind one.

I don’t know why there’s such a distinction between mental and physical health anyway; the last time I checked, my brain was part of my body; I did a lobotomy on myself to be certain.

Popular posts from this blog

Shakerpuppetmaker.

Image
Have Parker from Thunderbirds and Noel Gallagher ever been seen in the same room? The resemblance is uncanny. So much so, I think something’s afoot. If my suspicions are correct, I've stumbled across a secret that will blow the music and puppet industry wide apart. In the mid-60s / mid-90s at least. It doesn’t take long to see the signposts. There’s the similarity between the name of Oasis’ first single, Supersonic, and Supermarianation, Gerry Anderson’s puppetry technique. The Gallagher brothers would often wear Parkas . Live Forever was clearly a reference to Captain Scarlet and Standing on the Shoulder of Giants to the size difference between Noel and his bandmates. The more you think about it, the more brazen it gets. It’s fishier than Area 51, Paul is Dead and JFK's assassination put together. The only glitch to the theory is scale . According to Wikipedia, Anderson’s marionettes were 1’10” and Gallagher is 5’8”. How does he maintain an illusion of avera...
Read more

Stevenage: A (Tiny) River Runs Through it.

If ever a river was mis-sold, it’s the Roaring Meg in Stevenage. I just walked past it on my way to the retail park that has taken its name. They’re similarly uninspiring. The river is less of a roar and more of a dribble; cystitis sufferers produce greater flow. The retail park is soulless. What was once a thriving enterprise is nearly devoid of atmosphere, save an underlying essence of emptiness and despair. With a Toys R Us. When it was first built I was excited. Back then, the thought of a bowling alley, an ice rink, a Harvester and a Blockbuster Video within a small surface area was enticing. I celebrated many birthdays on site. There was an indoor cricket pitch there for a while where I once had a joint party with a friend. Why someone with an almost pathological fear of sport would agree to such a venture is beyond me, but I did it. Now, there’s very little at the Roaring Meg of note. The river would be a metaphor for the shopping ce...
Read more

Hoo-ray and up She Rises.

So much has happened since my last post in March that this blog risks sounding like an itinerary. The main news is that Hitchin Mostly Comedy will return in the summer at a new venue, the Queen Mother Theatre . The road to this decision was convoluted, though enough fell into place en route to leave me optimistic about this new start. The catalyst was a survey I ran via our mailing list a few months back, in which I asked, "If the club returned in the current climate, with tickets still around £15 (and with similar line-ups), would you still attend?"; the response to which, in simple terms, was a resounding yes. Nearly 250 mailing list subscribers responded in a single week, with around a hundred also taking the option to leave some feedback. And only two people were abusive, which counts as a win when you consider they posted their comments online anonymously. Imagine how many more insults we would have received if the comedy club was a woman. Particularly if she was Diane ...
Read more