The Mental Health Thread

[TAFKARM]

37 minutes ago, KugaWestie said:

 

Howcome you are not working?

Took voluntary redundancy and having a career break. 

[Richard (OldStager)]

Hi all,

I have wanted to post on this thread for quite sometime now, actually since Adam first started this thread. As others have said it a credit to Adam and the forum members for this awful affliction to become as normal to talk about as the weather.

 

My own issues started way back in 2002 ( actually was instigated in 1970 !!) when I tried the most stupid thing of trying to end it all, fortunately all that happened was a night in hospital and a stomach pump, I tried counseling immediately after this as my GP fast tracked me to the correct department. Sadly however, the guy I was given ( as I found out later) was just out of training and I simply could not connect with him , I was learn that he left the NHS shortly afterwards. This put me off getting any further professional help for quite sometime. Then another rather sad affair saw me in hospital again wearing an oxygen mask after trying to do the same trick using my car exhaust ( actually, it is rather embarrassing to see those words in print here for me !)

 

Fast forward to 2014 and I had enough of feeling like this all the time and went to my GP again, I was once again given some help in what they now called CBT, and I have to say after many many sessions over two years, it really did help.

There really isn't one session or one thing I was told to think about that did the trick, I think it was perhaps the opportunity of just simply telling 'my story' to someone who not only listened , but understood - and the most important aspect was that they had empathy, a word that is lacking these days ( or was).

 

 So an an ex 'service user', PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do get help should you going down the slippery slope of self harm or worse. I never ever thought I could be cured as it were , but the brain really is just a rather wet computer and as such can be reprogrammed with new instructions, it may well take time to delete those unwanted files but once done you end up with a nice organised system, capable of dealing with any problems that its given without crashing all the time.

 

All I need to do now is start working again, as that all stopped in 2002, this Covid has somewhat delayed that as I finally felt able to cope with a work environment again  , but I will get there.

 

When we can all meet up again Adam, remind me to buy you a beer at the Green Man for starting this thread, yes we have met before at a Lancs meet once.

 

Richard

 

 

 

[Nick Mace]

I'm full of admiration for you Richard and everyone else who has contributed their stories to this thread.

[Richard (OldStager)]

Thank you nick, but life isn't easy and some folks cope better than others when bad stuff happens, I wasn't one of them. Even in the early stages back in 2002, I had a Auntie who told me "You just need a good kick up the ( you know what)". Now quite frankly of all the people I knew, she was last person I expected to come out with that. She did admit many years later she should never have said that but the point is that perhaps the illness is turning a corner and becoming more of an excepted thing to talk about openly - because it hasn't always been like that and be viewed in the same way as talking about any other subject.

 

[Marcus Barlow - Show and Events Co-ordinator]

19 hours ago, OldStager said:

 

I think it was perhaps the opportunity of just simply telling 'my story' to someone who not only listened , but understood - and the most important aspect was that they had empathy,

 

 

Richard @OldStager this statement  ^^^^^^  is the gamechanger (the empathy) that I have seen bring people back from the brink.. thank you so much for telling your story 🙂

 

[Richard (OldStager)]

Thank you, the first guy I saw back in 2002 I said I could not connect with, and it was empathy he lacked, he was new to the career and I think it takes more than passing exams to be a good counselor. The second guy in 2014 was just fantastic, in fact during that period one of my dogs passed away, I recounted the story of what happened to him and HE burst into tears. Now that is a person with empathy.

I should have written this in my main post, but if you feel you aren't 'clicking' with the person you are given, DO go back to your GP and tell them, DONT do what I did and sit on your hands for over a decade wasting your life away.

[Marcus Barlow - Show and Events Co-ordinator]

Exactly Richard, the empathy of others I have found to be very helpful, with no disrespect to the doctors and various professionals and even family who love you, if you can talk to someone who has experienced the same as you and can empathise it can be very very beneficial 🙂

[Jude - The Mad Widow]

Brace yourself I'm back! 

It's been a difficult year and I let my membership lapse. 

Lockdown 1 triggered a bipolar episode during which I dumped a boyfriend it had taken 2 years to find. So I was yet again alone which gave me ptsd from the loss of Brian. Its been utter s1t. I've had another episode half way through last year and seem to have cried for a year. 

The good news is, thanks to legal drugs, a vaccine, my family and friends I've popped back up like a champagne Cork in a jacuzzi! 

I found a family classic car restoration business near me and they serviced the Westfield and put right some long term issues. Nearly 6 years now since Brian was killed and at last I found a place I can take the car! 

It took me 2 years to create a new life using my Westfield as a way forward. Suddenly it was all taken away and I was plunged into loneliness. Absolutely horrid. 

I'm back now, it's been tough on us all and I can't wait to see you all again. Carpe diem 

[Captain Colonial]

We’ve been worried about you @Jude - The Mad Widow - it’s great to have you back and know you’re so much better. 😊

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Good to see you and your car back with us.

[Richard (OldStager)]

Welcome back Jude, so glad  to see you got through it. Never nice to read those stories and worse if you experienced it also. Despite my history with depression I seemed to have coped reasonably well  in respect of Covid, unlike an Auntie of mine who threw herself in Leeds canal during lockdown 1.

 

Lets hope we can all get and play soon , nothing beats my bad thoughts more than a darn good run out in the car - all at legal speeds of course ...

Keep safe please.

Richard

[Jude - The Mad Widow]

11 minutes ago, Scott Young said:

We’ve been worried about you @Jude - The Mad Widow - it’s great to have you back and know you’re so much better. 😊

That's so kind. It's been torture hasn't it. I've got my car on the road for essential shopping 😜

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Glad to see you back Jude, it had gone worryingly quiet. Glad to hear you’re feeling a bit more up, now! Long may it continue.

[Richard (OldStager)]

As long as he sticks to his word ( a big ask in politics) Mr Hancock has promised 79 million will be given to mental health services.

 

Not a second too soon, as when I went through the system, the cut backs and lack of staff were far too easy to see. Maybe waiting times will come down and they can pay for good staff again.

Although he also mentioned that some of this money will be spent on the 'online' help - this worries me as my sister tried this last year and it was hopeless and you get no sense of the other person showing empathy as easy.

Lets see what happens, but a good promise given anyhow.

Richard

[Richard (OldStager)]

Pure coincidence this evening saw me watching one of my favorite Youtube channels, and an apt discussion on today's video.

If you have ever listened to BBC Radio 4's The Infinite Monkey Cage with Prof Brain Cox , then his side kick on that is the presenter of the Cosmic Shambles Network, Robin Ince.

 

Please note the following video contains discussion about suicide.