Time to Talk Day 2016 (Thurs 4th Feb): let's talk about mental wellbeing!

I was kinda similar but in my home life: I used to be very silent (still am, tbh) because if I don't say anything, people can't shout at me

Awww thankies didn't mean to write a novel but you know what I am like, once I start talking, well typing, I can't stop lol

#AsianParents. I'm exactly like this.

Indeed

Totes didn't know you are Asian - how did I miss that?!?!

I've just been tweeting about my mental health (here if you're interested) and it's like therapy in itself. It helps me and I hope it helps others too. Talking is always the way forward.

One thing that has really helped me deal with my mental health problems has been the ability to share how I am feeling. I feel like there is still such a stigma against people asking for help because it makes them look weak etc, but in fact you are strong if you are able to come to terms with the fact that something is wrong and you want to change. I have also been incredibly lucky that I have a few friends who I am able to tell anything to and they won't judge me for what I am saying (I hope not anyway ). Obviously, we have to be careful with who we can talk to as so many people don't truly understand what it is like to go through a mental illness and have really dark thoughts etc, but sharing how you are feeling is incredibly helpful. It doesn't necessarily have to be to a professional, it can even just be in your journal, just by getting out your feelings, you can feel so much better. I probably wouldn't be here if it wasn't for one of my friends who was willing to spend so much time talking to me when I was at my most vulnerable.

You did know, but you just don't recognise me. I've vented to you before via PM (thanks for that by the way ).

Also, I didn't know you actually knew who I was on here. xD I thought our interactions were too infrequent for that.

Ah my bad, sorry I didn't remember about you PMing me. I get so many PMs each academic year on a variety of subjects and like I said in an earlier post, my memory is shot for things like who-is-who post-Oxford breakdown

I've seen your posts in the religion areas

Thanks for taking the time to write this - it's so true! I really do believe a problem shared is a problem halved (not literally halved, maybe - but at least it'll be less intense).

I too have found reaching out to people in times of distress to be very important for keeping going/afloat

I couldn't expect you to remember anyway -- I was using a different account, so don't worry about it.

Oh...

How come you're still talking to me? xD They hate me in the religion subforum. For what it's worth, you're one of the nicest religious people I've met, either on TSR or in real life.

Have been meaning to write in this thread for a while, but was busy at uni so couldn't.

I definitely agree. I don't know where I would be if I didn't share how I was feeling. There are obviously times when you feel like you can't talk to anyone else though.

Ah OK, that would explain it, haha



I don't mind people arguing against religion, as long as they do so in an intelligent and eloquent matter. Like I don't really agree with a lot of the stuff that you say, or that Planta says, for example, or The Angry Stoic (back in the day ), but your posts command respect

Aww, thanks, that's very kind of you to say

Do stereotypes frustrate you?
Yeah, definitely. I haven't told anyone my age about my depression and don't disclose it in job applications because I don't think they'd take me because of it. I got 5 university rejection this year (don't worry I did apply for above my BBB prediction). My AS results were poor because I got depressed again at college and I only started the antidepressants up again about 2 months before the exam. They didn't hit me till after the vital revision period (April - May) and because of that I was cramming, staying up way too late round exams, obviously having an adverse effect on my ability.

Despite this I could never shake the feeling that if it had been pneumonia, a family tragedy - something people understood that I'd have been giving an offer from just one of them.

What can we do to challenge stigma and stereotyping?
Talk about it and educate in schools. Teach people that bullying is not ok because bullying is often the start of a mental illness. The problem is that in schools its the 'snitch' that's looked down upon rather than the bully because usually the bullies are the popular, confident ones that others are too scared to disagree with over fear of damaging their own social standing.

I also think fictional portrayals are important and should be presented accurately. People without a mental illness won't acitvely seek information about mental health because it doesn't effect them. Fiction can show people how it is if done correctly. (Carrie's Bipolar in Homeland was done excellently imo and Bojack Horsemen is the best representation of Depression I've seen)

Do you ever feel pigeon-holed or boxed in by your diagnosis/diagnoses?
As I said above I don't disclose it because of this. I feel people see having a mental health problem as being a 'nutter'. I've had teachers who are not understanding and will scowl at you for not doing their work because you're lazy when in actual fact you felt too de-energised and too hopeless to do anything.

I for one am quite conscious that I'm a bit unusual, in terms of people with psychosis. Even those working in mental health quite surprised when I talk about experiencing psychosis, or list off some of my symptoms. There seems to be a psychotic person box that people want to fit me into (especially some psychiatrists, which is highly infuriating) and because I don't fit into it, people have (in the past) decided that there's nothing wrong with me The general public, on the other hand, have a tendency to freak out when they hear the word 'psychosis' or the words 'hearing voices'. They assume that you're gonna murder them or something, or that you should be locked up

All this said, I am very guilty of stereotyping mentally ill people, even though I am one myself! But I am trying to challenge my assumptions by learning more, reading up on conditions that people I know have, and trying to listen more as to how to support them.

I do this too haha. I don't know why, perhaps, its sort of built in too us indirectly so we have to rationalise things consciously too begin with until we understand the illness.

With things like depression, it's actually impossible to hide. ( evenbefore we go into self harm) I have met a few people with Bi Polar where it's not been obvious at all. And did used to have a friend with Schizophrenia where I only knew because he told me.

Thanks for your post - I think discussion of eating disorders is really important as the statistics apparently show that 1 in 5 young people show signs of an eating disorder That's a lot higher than I had realised

I don't personally consider myself to have an eating disorder, so I don't feel qualified to lead on that discussion. Perhaps you might like to write a bit more about your thoughts and experiences, to get a conversation going in this thread? I think it's really important that we address the issue of eating disorders, given how prevalent they are!

Do you mind if I follow you?

Of course not.

They assume that you're gonna murder them or something, or that you should be locked up