Just a couple of months ago there was a series of programmes on TV about mental health. In one programme, the theme focussed on whether people with mental health problems are able to hold down regular jobs, and whether employers would employ people who disclose current or past mental health problems. A picture of a group of men and women was shown to a panel of “experts”; psychiatrists; social workers; people working in the mental health sector and members of the public. They were asked to pick out those in the group who they believed had suffered from mental health problems. Have you guessed it yet? You’re right. No one was able to tell just by looking which people in the group had experienced mental health problems.
The programme suggests that there is still a lot of ignorance and fear surrounding mental health issues. This can and does make people who are suffering either with depression, anxiety or feelings of unhappiness feel very different and they are often afraid to tell anyone about how they are feeling. This fear often creates an ongoing myth about what mental health is, who suffers from it and what should be done about it. It also creates a circle of silence where people feel unable to talk about their feelings because they are afraid of what other people might think about them. The silence then extends outwards so that close friends and family members might suspect that something is wrong, but they do not know how to approach the subject. This might be because of fear of making the person feel worse, or causing something frightening to happen.
At The Well Being Therapy Centre we often hear clients say about themselves, “I should be able to pull myself together” or “I have a good job, family and friends, I shouldn’t feel like this”. The reality is that most of us at some time or other will experience some form of mental health problem, be it just feeling down, feeling sad without quite knowing why, or feelings of not being able to cope at all. Some people might have an episode of depression which might last for a day, or days, or weeks or even months. In the most severe cases people need to be fully assessed by a doctor.
The health professions now recognise that for many people suffering with mental health problems, being able to talk about how they feel really does help them. “Talking therapies” are increasingly being offered to people by their GPs. If you feel that you have been holding on to negative emotions or thoughts, feel unable to cope, or feel anxious about work or relationships, it may be beneficial to talk to a counsellor. Counselling provides a safe, non-judgemental and confidential environment for you to explore your feelings.
Many of you might remember the TV series “Frasier”. To borrow a wonderful phrase he uses when signing off his radio programme, “I wish you good mental health”.