World Mental Health Day 2016

What is the point in MH Day when those who are really suffering face it every day. Oh look the whole world cares for just one day, I feel so much better now. No.

When today is over those suffering from MH issues still have to carry on with the woefully underfunded services provided my the NHS, the huge waiting lists to see trained professional which only exacerbate the issues they are facing. And all the people who got involved with WMHD will go back to their normal lives feeling better that they recognised for one day that their friends and family may be suffering from the hidden illness that is MH.

This is not a day for those truly suffering, it is a day for those who just want to make themselves feel a little bit better like they are really making a difference in the world.

And tomorrow when I wake up, I will still be depressed and nothing will have changed. The funding which we needed a decade ago will not have arrived and young people taking their own lives will still be our biggest killer.

I feel you and some other users are missing the point of this, tbh. Sometimes, to achieve better quality, minority/under-represented groups need to have their own "day" or "month" etc. in order to get people to sit up and take notice. No, it may not change the world immediately and no, we should have to have a special day in the first place. But if we didn't have these days and weeks for mental health, would the funding situation be any better? No, it would not. Would the waiting times be any shorter? No.

Having a World Mental Health Day does not change the practical day-to-day implications of having a mental health problem, no. Few things can. But it does not do any harm to anyone, but it CAN make the world of difference. What it CAN do is show people that they are not alone, that there is no need for stigma, and that there is hope and help to be had. And that could literally save someone's life. And even if it's just literally one person's life that is saved, then it is worth doing, imho

What would really help is someone actually being there, not this ridiculous solidarity bandwagon that comes around once a year.

I still feel just as alone yesterday as I do today on WMHD, and I will just as lonely tomorrow as I do every other day. WMHD will pass and nothing will have changed anywhere. The only thing that makes a real difference to the people who are suffering is capital being invested in key services. But hey, we needed that a decade ago. I'm sure those in charge can wait another 10 years before they actually do something.

But its ok we have WMHD, we are all saved.

You're very cynical but also rather naive imho. I'm sorry you personally feel alone, but that doesn't mean everyone does, or that it's not worth doing

Posted from TSR Mobile

It is a waist of time and probably money, I assume someone had to spend some cold cash publishing all the material. Could have been better suited to actual support.

Hiya,

Real-life, unpaid person here that really cares about mental health and the users of this site. This material, all of it, was published out of the goodness of our volunteers' hearts. None of us are paid and all of us work day in, day out, supporting members of TSR with everything we can. That includes support in the Mental Health forum (see the MHSS). We do it because we care, because it's important and because awareness is needed. We do it because we want to, not because we have to.

I hope that clears things up.

Alas WMHD has passed and been forgotten till next year when we can all jump on the band wagon again.

I've read elsewhere that you've had a bad experience with mh services etc. I was sorry to read that, because I have had my fair share of being messed around also.

However, no one here on TSR is jumping on the bandwagon when it comes to mental health and promoting it in order to reduce the stigma. We actively promote this throughout the year. This is not a one off, a yearly thing, for us. Your bitterness, in a way, disrespects the hard work put in by the site to raise mental health awareness.

If you feel as if though that people are bandwagon jumping, then there is a simple step you can take: talk about mental health yourself. Be open about it. Because the more open we are, the less bandwagon jumping as people will be more willing to discuss such things daily, rather than on a certain day or week of the year.

Anyway, I've said my piece. We are all entitled to our opinions. I respect yours. I just don't agree with it.

Alas WMHD has passed and been forgotten till next year when we can all jump on the band wagon again.