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Don’t Suffer in Silence

Antonia_Alumni
Antonia_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 1,780 Pioneering

This guest post may be upsetting, mentions of depression and suicide.  

Marcus Tisson is the founder of Don’t Suffer in Silence, a mental health awareness campaign with his childhood friend and co-founder Carly Balfourth. Marcus also teaches speech, language and literacy at a secondary school.

In his spare time, he films comedy sketches and host club events to raise funds for mental health charities. Marcus who has experience with mental health, shares his story about the loss of his parents and his campaign.

        

My mother tragically took her own life on the 21st August 2016, at Mile End Underground Station by throwing herself in front of a train after challenging years of depression. A month after this, my father passed away having suffered from mental health issues for pretty much all my adult life.

The heart-breaking news of my mother’s passing came as a major shock to my family and I, as it wasn't known to any of us that she was going through the nightmare of depression alone. Since my mother passed away, it has been brought to my attention that she was by no means the only person battling this  alone and has inspired my campaign; Don't Suffer in Silence.

                                 

When I was younger, I never thought I’d lose both my parents at the age of thirty-seven, especially under those circumstances. But every cloud has a silver lining; this experience has made me realise that life’s too short and that no one knows what’s around the corner.

By raising mental health awareness, organising fundraisers and offering people advice on how to seek help, we aim to stop families from having to go through what mine have.

According to the Mental Health Foundation: " Each of us can play close attention to the overall mental health of our loved ones. An empathetic approach and being open to understanding suicide and suicidal ideation can help those at risk by letting them know it is okay for them to share."

You can contact your GP, Samaritans, go to the nearest hospital or call 999 - if you feel your love one or yourself are in danger.

To find more information about Marcus and his campaign, you can on his website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Can you relate to Marcus’ experiences?  Please share your story with us in the comments section below.

 

 

 

 

 

 


Comments

  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 10,821 Scope online community team
    Thank you for sharing. It's so vital that we don't deal with mental health by ourselves, but it's equally important that when someone actually tries to seek help, that there's at least a service or someone there to support them. Campaigns like this are key.
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  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger
    edited May 2019

    Hello @Antonia_Scope.. Thank you so much for sharing this story.

    I know my own mental health in the past felt had to cope.  Alone had nothing to discuss.  Being from a family where discussing, talking about how you are was hidden.

    Never discussed or talked about. Made to feel inadequate and not comfortable to share emotions, feelings and anything else.

    Only resurfaced when my father meeting me first time.  After thirty years not speaking. Saw the prescriptions on the kitchen unit. After confessing I have issues and problems his face was one of stunned shocked and surprise. His attitude all wrong.

    That was his problem not mine.

    Understand what changed for me was I am not alone with anything like the symptoms of mental health.

    Since being part of a mental health charities. Various ones. I knew that had to admit and be open, honest how I am.

    This is something that is encouraged by support workers who gave me opportunities to talk about the symptoms of mental health.

    In an open and sensible practical way.

    This is what I think is important right now. Talking how you are and how you feel.

    SCOPE this forum . Has helped me enormously because I can discuss what is bothering me anytime.

    Share and care with others.

    One part of my life that has always irked and annoyed me is the time had joined all men's support groups. Set up with funding by local councils.

    To help and support each other. To cope with isolation, loneliness.

    Imagine my surprise and shocking attitude of those who ran such places. No talking about issues that matter. Surely that was the point I argued.

    I had met many with addiction histories like myself.  With same mental health issues. Who had been misunderstood . Had joined similar support groups.

    What hurt me was they continue to harm themselves yet the opportunities were missed.

    We need to identify the problems and issues seek the help and guidance, information.

    Please there is nothing wrong saying how you are?

    If you have a problem or issue or need to talk my view and opinion please do.  There is help and support out there. Speak to some one. Understand we all need to talk .

    There is nothing wrong admitting you need some one to listen and be supportive.

    This campaign I wish it all the success. It will I hope bring attention to those that know there is nothing wrong being honest and open.

    Pleasure to talk to you.

    Take care.

    @thespiceman


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  • Antonia_Alumni
    Antonia_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 1,780 Pioneering
    Thank you so much for sharing your story with us @thespiceman I am happy to hear you have some support, I know it's not that easy for some to admit or talk about. Sorry to hear about your dads reaction and the men's support group.

    We are so lucky to have you here. :)
  • dolfrog
    dolfrog Community member Posts: 441 Pioneering
    The problem for me is that there is no support for those who have my disability - Auditory Processing Disorder - only pure ignorance from the so called health professionals who should be part of a multi discipline support team audiologists, speech and language, and psychologists. (Here in the UK they are just iignorant, incompetent, and professionally negligent)  My disability is the main underlying cause of deverlopmental dyslexia (60% of dyslexics have auditory processing disorder as the underlying cognitive cause). So what does Scope do to try to help those of us who have this disability???
  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger

    Hello @dolfrog  Pleased to meet you.

    Please can I thank you for bringing your disability to the attention of the forum.

    I know there are so many disabilities, illness and conditions. The community knows very little about.

    As a community champion of the forum. One aspect of my role I do . Is try to understand and help those with certain disabilities, illness and conditions.

    By accessing any additional support, advice and information. Going onto the internet.

    I had no idea what this was. You have, sorry to say and I apologise if we as a community no nothing.

    Had to look this up to find out.

    Please can I suggest you contact our team at SCOPE.

    Might be useful as a team member can give you some idea how to  acknowledge the disability you have.

    Sharing your story on the forum

    By becoming a Guest Blog on the forum.

    Helpline 0800 800 3333

    or you can Email them at community@scope.org.uk.

    Take care.

    @thespiceman



    Community Champion
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  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger

    Hello @dolfrog.  Have been on to the internet to see anything else we as a community can offer and advise be supportive.

    There is a APD Support UK.

    https://www.apdsupportuk.yolasite.com.

    Have you been in touch with them.?

    Please take care.

    @thespiceman

    Community Champion
    SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
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  • dolfrog
    dolfrog Community member Posts: 441 Pioneering
    Hi @thespiceman The group you mentioned above resulted from a fallout between me and the other main contibutor to Auditory Processing Disorder in the UK (APDUK) They did not want to acknowledge the type of Auditory Processing Disorder that me and my family have. And it was a very personal falling out about 5 years ago.

    I was the first adult in the UK to be diagnosed as having Auditory Processing Disorder back in 2003, which is also the underlying clincialcause of my dyslexic symptom. 60% of dyslexic have Auditrory Processing Dsorder as theunderlying cause of their dyslexia, what the dyslexia industry call a phonological processing deficit.

    If you want  to find out more about Auditory Processing Disorders you could have a look at both my Evernote research paper compilation lisingresearch paper country by country at
    and as a result of the CiteULike web site closing down March 2019, I have created a new set of Auditory Processing Disorders research papers by topic at Zotero, and again the links to the various subcollections are listed on another Evernote web page at
    I have the Temporal type of Auditory Processing Disorder, having problems processing the gaps between sounds, which can inlcude the gaps between words in rapid speech (which yo me is just one continuous unitelligable noise). And why I am cognitively not able to sound out new  words from text, the written word. Those of us  who have this type of APD are not able to use phonics, nor able to phonetically sound out words from text. 


  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger

    Hello @dolfrog Thank you for reply. Sorry to hear this. Understand there can always be difficulties with in disability groups.

    Understand that myself.  My many experiences from those who supposed to be understanding, caring, kind be supportive. Yet cause me more problems and grief. A lot of aguish and hurt, harm.

    I am have partial deafness and also a disability .  As well as mental health issues.

    Always interested in supporting those who struggle and strive to get recognition .

    One of the reasons  suggested speak to one of our team . Could be useful and never know what might happen.

    We are a community.  Are here to help, be supportive.

    I know many members have disabilities, conditions or illness once talking about them selves get a good response.

    What they go through. Every day their experiences.

    Lot of support.

    Something to consider.

    Pleasure to meet you.

    Take care.

    @thespiceman

    Community Champion
    SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
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  • dolfrog
    dolfrog Community member Posts: 441 Pioneering
    the main problem for me is the lack of anyone who knows anything about my disability.
    I spent over 10 years running a support organisation, for those who have Auditory Processing Disorder, APDUK, which was initially set up to help the Medical Research Council gain government funding for  a 5 year  Auditory Processing Disorder research program 2004 - 2009, which was based at Nottingham University.

    I even began to read research papers, initially supplied by the researchers to help me understandmy disability, and help me explain it to others. since then i have research paper collections galour, especially at PubMed cover a wide range of Invisible Disabilities, and a bit of neurology. (some are listed on my Wikipedia User page

    My problem is more about finding medical and support professional (supposed to be audiologists, speech and language, and psychologists, the medical research council recommemndmulti discipline support team), who know as much about APD as I do, or even better more than me. So far I have only come accros local professional ignorance and negligence. All of my family also have an clinical diagnosis of having APd 3 sons and my wife. so who will help them if anything should happen to me.  

    I have been running an APd support group on Facebook which currently has over 12,500 members, an international membership, mainly from the USA.

    So I need the so called medical professioaals to understand my disability and to understand me, Currently I have only come accross disability discrimination and even victimisation from our local NHS medical professionals. 
     

  • Craig72
    Craig72 Community member Posts: 43 Connected
    Wow reading all this just brings me right back to all my assessments. there is no right or wrong way of dealing with the questions they ask you trust me, they told me I had good eye coordination and dressed well, regardless of your disability if they can find away of not giving you disability benefit trust me they will. I've been to four and never been accepted they were all E. S. A an SC have P. I. P assessment soon it's as joke all of it plus they lie and falsefie paperwork......FACTS I am at the lower end of disability, I've got advance osteoarthritis in my knees very painful and spondylitis in my back.... I've had depression for a long time and with all this on top of my disability it's not great. I've said on here before the on here D. W. P and benefit system in general have broken me, I don't want to be negative but it hard not to my partner has chronic fatigue syndrome and I have stepdaughter with severe A. D. H. D and O. D. D I've sent loafs of paperwork and they lost it, I've  been on the phone for an 1 hour and 20 mins to just be cut off,  I've contacted my pm 3 mandatory reconsiderations 4 assessments 1 tribunal which I couldn't attend so they went on paperwork...... and guess what yes failed it.... 
  • dolfrog
    dolfrog Community member Posts: 441 Pioneering
    currently in the UK there is no support in the UK for those of us who have Auditory Processing Disorders, especially the temporal type of auditory processing disorder. Part of the the problem is the ingorance andd incompetence of the Uk's Audioogists,. Speech and Language pathologists, and Psychologists. They only want to market their services and hide their ignorance and incompetence (there is even one here on Scope). They ignore international research and ignore the complex issues that our disabiliescan cause especially as there is no cure, which means thye have not cure to sell as part of their career marketing. 
  • shahnaz20
    shahnaz20 Community member Posts: 8 Connected
    Hi, I do suffer from sever depression for years and recently I got worse. I did try to get help but it seems to me no one listen. I just have a 19 years old son. So when he gose to uni I am even more scared and left alone. So I think I do not have any chance beside suffer in silence and God knows what will happen
  • Craig72
    Craig72 Community member Posts: 43 Connected
    They just leave you to it, they don't want the responsibility of so many people with problems you can't see.... ?
  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger

    Hello @shahnaz20 Pleased to meet you welcome. Sorry to hear you suffering with your mental health.

    The big issues and problems are with mental health is that every one should get the support, advice and guidance to deal with any thing.

    As I know myself choices and decisions have to be made. 

    Which is one of the other big problems.

    I do understand. We as a community are here to listen and be supportive.

    How can we help you ?. Give you some advice or finds some guidance with your mental health.

    I as a community member as a community champion may not have all the answers but do know there is support out there.

    It is finding the right support. Understand I really do feel for you.

    Have you used mental heath charities can sometimes by accessing different avenues and paths to look at what you can do.

    Just suggestions.

    Have used this one before might be useful have a look if that helps you.

    https://www.richmondfellowship.org.uk.

    I used them when no one was listening.

    Had closed doors.  Many times.

    Please if I can help with anything please ask be happy to help.

    Please take care.

    @thespiceman

    Community Champion
    SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
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