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It's time to talk...

Ross_Alumni
Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,652 Disability Gamechanger

Time to Talk Day

This is a day that is designed to encourage people to discuss their mental health. Many of us may be struggling, whether that be publically or in private, and it's never been more important to be open with the people around us about what we're going through.
The goal is to end the stigma surrounding talking about your mental health, and make sure that people know that support is out there for them.
silhouette of two people sitting on a chair underneath a tree

Rethink Mental Illness

This is an organisation set up over 50 years ago, dedicated to supporting people with their mental health and mental illness. People with experience of mental illness, and those who care for them, are at the heart of everything Rethink does. They shape the organisation's expert advice, information and training, and over 200 services.
Their vision is for "equality, rights, the fair treatment and maximum quality of life for all those affected by mental illness, their carers, family and friends. As one of the largest charitable providers of services for people living with mental illness, we are well placed to make a direct impact on the care people receive."
The help and support Rethink Mental Illness offers include:

It's time to talk

You can visit this thread from January about banishing winter blues, this thread about Movember to discuss men's mental health, and find information here from Scope about managing your mental health during the pandemic.
  • Does society need to rethink mental health?
  • Do you think the stigma around talking about your mental health has somewhat eased over the last year?
  • Is everything okay with you at the moment? :) 
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Comments

  • leeCal
    leeCal Community member Posts: 7,550 Disability Gamechanger
    edited February 2021
    I think there is a lot of talk about mental health these days but little has changed with respect to mental health services, they are still difficult to access. In my opinion unless services receive further and increased funding they will remain unable to cope with current needs let alone increased needs due to the lockdowns. 

    Incidentally i was once signposted to Rethink who then signposted me to Mind who then signposted me to Rethink. It was a complete waste of time.

    further, I had regular sessions with a clinical psychologist for two years which was absolutely useless. I was ‘lucky’ I was told to have this privilege but frankly I could have had a better outcome talking to a pet.

    “This is my simple religion. No need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy. Your own mind, your own heart is the temple. Your philosophy is simple kindness.” 
    ― Dalai Lama XIV

  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    edited February 2021
    Have you tried here @leeCalhttps://www.richmondfellowship.org.uk/  not in all areas, but there's a postcode checker.

  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
    @Ross_Scope I commented on a thread that cher scope  posted wales have alot of mental health support and the Welsh government have put in over a million pounds to help support mental health  there is also  a link on the thread  that @woodbine kindly put on the thread to evidence this i still can't put threads on here doesnt work for me 
  • leeCal
    leeCal Community member Posts: 7,550 Disability Gamechanger
    Thank you @chiarieds I’ll take a look. 

    “This is my simple religion. No need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy. Your own mind, your own heart is the temple. Your philosophy is simple kindness.” 
    ― Dalai Lama XIV

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    It all needs sorting so much in media about talking and getting help but in reality there is no help unless you say you are going to harm yourself 

    My friends 17 year old son been through young minds had his 6 counselling sessions now they have said nothing more they can do but he is worse than when he started 

    I had dealings with crisis team took them 48 hours to call me back then just gave me some helpline numbers 

    So many times we hear on here about how hard it is to get access to help 
  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
    Sorry that you cant get help  for mental health  like we do  here we have 24hr help  if you were crisis with mental health here  some one from the area would come to the housr within the hour whilst the other person  would talk to you until yhst person arrived 

    We have support workers that come out in the daytime  to see youvif you phone on the morning they are with you by the afternoon  and we have face time support  its pretty good 
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    I remember you saying that Jane....6 sessions to try & help a young man, & that's all you get is worse than abysmal. Also leeCal being passed from pillar to post, & he's meant to feel 'grateful' that he had 'useless' sessions of supposed help. I also agree with leeCal, if it's bad enough now, what will it be like after we eventually get through these lockdowns, where so many haven't been able to access the mental health care they need?
    I know this thread is about mental health issues, but unfortunately it's just as bad if you don't have a well-recognised physical problem, as I know from personal experience. So, sadly, many disabled people are let down.
  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,521 Disability Gamechanger
    There maybe hope, a leaked document suggest today that Boris's govt. intends to undo much of the damage camerons tories did to the NHS, hopefully that will include improving social care and mental health issues. I don't think we yet realise the damage that the pandemic has done to the nations mental health, I know mine seems to be shot to ribbons. We currently have a problem within the family that if I even started to unload it would have me in floods of tears.
    Luckily me and senior management have each other to talk to, which really helps at the moment.
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    For now @woodbine, stay strong with senior management; you can't help how your children turn out despite the best you've shown/advised them. My daughter spends money she can ill afford, her younger brother is like me, & saves. He can't understand her either..... I'm giving them both a half share in a bungalow; my son, & his wife are incredibly grateful; my daughter is unsure as she would lose child, & working class credits. Something that I hoped would give me pleasure, as you can't see any inheritance after you've popped your clogs, is not what I imagined....

  • Seanchai
    Seanchai Community member Posts: 411 Pioneering
    I,m afraid I have depression and PTSD....I have breathing prooblems .?..and anxiety 'One exacerbates the other , like a viscious circle .  
    I,m slowly getting worse . This pandemic has taken its toll on man, many  peoples nervous system . I am one of the lucky ones who can call any of my family for help and they would be at the door  within minutes. 
    We have always been there for them thriught their life. They know I'd they are in a fix, they would help me out . Any seriious decisions made by my family would br discussed with us ....we would always advise ...but we made sure they knew our advice . .....but....the final decision is down to them . My father ran my life for me , he wanted me to be like my brother and every decision was made for me ....or inwiukd be thrown out the house.  I would willingly give my life for any of my children . 
    I see Boris is going to shake up the NHS in England ....of course that was on the cards for a long time now , I just hope he does not privatise more departments .
    I just do not trust him ???
  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
    @woodbine sorry to hear that you have problems  but glad you have your wife to talk to and  your wife has you  I hope that things get better for you 

    I am here if you need any help or support 
  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Community member Posts: 2,586 Disability Gamechanger
    The time to 'talk' has long passed, what we need now is action.

    As with the experiences above, I just got passed from pillar to post in 2019/20 before eventually being told there's nothing available because of my 'complex' needs.  Just given a number for crisis for if I ever reached that point...  Previously had a similar experience but thought things might have moved on.  They hadn't. 

    Tried to find a specialist through a condition-specific charity but just told there aren't any in my area.  And again, they'd be unlikely to help due to my complex issues.

    Rethink doesn't operate in my area.  Mind aren't any help at all.

    My GP isn't understanding.  Anything I mention must automatically be caused by anxiety so he's not willing to do anything else until I take SSRI's.  I'm not able to do that because of my other conditions but he's not interested in offering alternatives.

    So I'm just left to try find a way through on my own.


    As for the stigma around mental health, I don't think it has changed much.  I think it's more acceptable to mention the 'standard' anxiety or depression, especially for young lads...but anything worse than that still scares people.

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