Lets tackle the topic that everyone avoids talking about, yes of course I'm talking about mental health. “So why is mental health on the rise?”
Right then. So there’s a couple of reasons why this isn’t as straight-forward a question as it seems, and I’m going to try and work through them below.
For a illness that has taken many lifes over the world, from the edlerly to the young, to the poor to the rich and famous. You're not safe from the devil that is Mental health. In this decade alone it's increased substancual amount, yet weirdly you will still get the odd doubter that will state "It's nothing" or my personal favourite "How can anyone believe you have something wrong with you without being able to speak about it"
Mental health isn't visual it doesn't possess the same symptoms for everyone, just like everyday life everyone is different. However, they won't suddenly sneeze and come down with a fever and be like "Sorry guys, it's my depresssion again" What's crazy about it all 30% of older people reported never feeling overwhelmed or unable to cope in the past year, compared to 7% of young adults. Therefore you don't have to be a certain age or demographic to fall victim for mental health.
Of course I am not an expert, far from it in fact. Yet I'm someone who has been left and felt the pain and darkness of the missery of Mental health from losing close friends and family members through it I wanted to write something that would make people more aware. I guess that's why I'm passionate when it comes to addressing this to the public.
it seems to be getting more common - or atleast among those with severe symptoms. While the proportion of people affected does not appear to have risen in the past few years, if you go back a little further there has certainely been a steady increase.
Severe mental health illnesses on the rise since the early 1990's proportion of people with severe symptoms of common mental health disorders.
Mental health problems prompt thousands of people to take their own lives
in fact there are about 6,000 suicides in the UK each year and its the biggest killer, of men up to the age of 49. Men Account for three-quarter of the total figure
Furthermore however mental health services are the poor relation when it comes to funding extra money has also been embarked for adult services in England. Together with the investments in Children services it means by 2020-21 £1.28bn more should spent in real terms than was in 2015-16
ministers says the money will be used to put mental health services in A&E, more crisis teams in the community and focus on helping new mothers, with one in five reporting problems in the first year after the birth of their baby
but an analysis last year by the king's fund health think tank found 40% of mental health trusts in England had actually seen their budgets cut in 2015-16
Women are now more likely to have a common mental illness.
one in five women report they have, compared with one in eight men in England. If you include only with severe symptoms, the difference is less acute, but still apparent.
After all this information I've thrown your direction, it's a clear indication we're heading in the right direction but so much more needs to be done. Us as a nation are only beginning to open up and share more about this daunting topic because we watched a TV character take their own life on Coronation Street. Why I feel that was remarkable they did that was because watching TV shows such as Eastenders, Coronation Street etc they're out escapism where we go to turn off from the real world for a while. We escape and relax and just watch someone else lives unfold. Of course nine times ten of the time it's fiction and not real, however when they reflect something hard hitting and something that's able for us to relate we tend to talk more, ask our sons or our daughters if they're okay. I feel a lot more needs to be done regarding this especially if it's just awareness to the illness as a whole.
As you've discovered this blog post will be focused on many different terms of mental health.
Depression
Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.
Common Symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:
Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
Loss of energy or increased fatigue
Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., hand-wringing or pacing) or slowed movements and speech (actions observable by others)
Feeling worthless or guilty
Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
Thoughts of death or suicide
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder where you regularly have sudden attacks of panic or fear.
Everyone experiences feelings of anxiety and panic at certain times. It's a natural response to stressful or dangerous situations.
But for someone with panic disorder, feelings of anxiety, stress and panic occur regularly and at any time, often for no apparent reason.
Common Symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:
a racing heartbeat
feeling faint
sweating
nausea
chest pain
shortness of breath
trembling
hot flushes
chills
shaky limbs
a choking sensation
dizziness
numbness or pins and needles
dry mouth
a need to go to the toilet
ringing in your ears
a feeling of dread or a fear of dying
a churning stomach
a tingling sensation in your fingers
feeling like you're not connected to your body
Bipolar Disorder.
Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, is a condition that affects your moods, which can swing from one extreme to another.
common symptoms are
depression – feeling very low and lethargic
mania – feeling very high and overactive (less severe mania is known as hypomania)
Eating Disorders.
An eating disorder is when you have an unhealthy attitude to food, which can take over your life and make you ill.
It can involve eating too much or too little, or becoming obsessed with your weight and body shape.
But there are treatments that can help, and you can recover from an eating disorder.
Men and women of any age can get an eating disorder, but they most commonly affect young women aged 13 to 17 years old.
Symptoms of eating disorders include:
spending a lot of time worrying about your weight and body shape
avoiding socialising when you think food will be involved
eating very little food
deliberately making yourself sick or taking laxatives after you eat
exercising too much
having very strict habits or routines around food
changes in your mood
You may also notice physical signs, including:
feeling cold, tired or dizzy
problems with your digestion
your weight being very high or very low for someone of your age and height
not getting your period for women and girls
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a severe long-term mental health condition. It causes a range of different psychological symptoms.
Doctors often describe schizophrenia as a type of psychosis. This means the person may not always be able to distinguish their own thoughts and ideas from reality.
Symptoms of schizophrenia include:
hallucinations – hearing or seeing things that don't exist
delusions – unusual beliefs not based on reality
muddled thoughts based on hallucinations or delusions
changes in behaviour
Some people think schizophrenia causes a "split personality" or violent behaviour. This is not true.
The cause of any violent behaviour is usually drug or alcohol misuse.
Substance Abuse & Addiction.
Each drug will have its own set of specific symptoms, but these are usually found in most drug abusers. For example:
People who abuse methamphetamine's may seem high strung or wired.
Cocaine abusers usually exhibit a loss of appetite.
Those who abuse tranquilizers or barbiturates may be lethargic and disoriented.
Signs and Symptoms of Drug Abuse
When someone is abusing drugs, there are often telltale signs and symptoms that are both physical and behavioral, including:
Sudden mood swings.
Changes in normal behavior.
Lack of hygiene and grooming.
Withdrawal from friends and family.
Loss of interest in normal social activities and hobbies.
Changes in sleeping patterns.
Bloodshot or glassy eyes.
Constant sniffles or runny nose.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Some of the types of obsessions people describe experiencing include:
Concern over safety of friends and family, or that they will accidentally or deliberately harm themselves or others.
Unwelcome and intrusive thoughts about unintentionally carrying out violent, sexual or blasphemous acts.
Fears about contamination, infection or disease.
Worries about things being in the right place, in order, or symmetrical.
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Symptoms include:
Reliving the traumatic event through flashbacks, intrusive thoughts or nightmares.
Constantly feeling on edge and alert, experiencing high anxiety or panic attacks.
Avoiding feelings or memories of the event through keeping busy or avoiding talking about the event.
Not being able to remember the event, through dissociation or feeling physically or emotionally numb.
PTSD can begin immediately after the traumatic event has happened, or it might begin weeks, months or years later.
Self-Harm
Self-harm is when someone purposely hurts themselves, usually in order to cope with intense emotional distress.
How common is self-harm?
It is difficult to know how common self-harm is, as many people describe it in different ways and many will never ask for help. However, it is estimated around 3.8% of the population self-harm.
Of course there is many many more. I could be here all day listing them all, if you do need advice about the many other types of mental health check out https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/
why is this really important to me?
It's important to me for a lot of reasons I believe hand on my heart that mental health in this country doesn't get enough attention for the disorders that are out there. There is always that stigma that everyone feels as if they're treading on egg shells and try to avoid the conversation as if it's a bad smell. Avoiding the conversation won't suddenly make Mental heath get better, in fact it will only make those individuals who currently suffer with mental health get worsen. I want to be able to make everyone feel it's okay to be going through what they're going through as they will never be alone.
When I lost a close friend of mine I completely shut off from the world, to make everyone make sense of this I will have to explain everything. When I first got the phone call to notify me that my friend had passed away I immediately felt this was one giant sick practical joke. So sick of a joke infact that I tried making a joke about it all after the phone call. I barely slept, but it still didn't hit me because I guess it still didn't feel real. I attended work, I was only there for roughly around 30 plus minutes, I got asked to do a task and I literally just starred blankly at my computer screen. I think it was visible that I was off because my colleagues at the time asked if I was okay, I didn't reply I just nodded and threw them a awkward smile.
I didn't speak to anyone, marched into my managers office and asked to speak to him. That's when I felt my whole body getting weaker and weaker, I told him look my friend has passed away I thought I could be here but I genuinely can't. When I arrived home I thought I was okay and fine, I played our favourite TV shows like scrubs, how I met your mother I would even find myself getting back into watching WWE again because I felt like he was there watching it with me.
I completely shut off from the outside world despite being calm and collected on the outside I was a total wreck on the inside. I would wait until everyone was sound asleep before I'd cry myself to sleep. I'd stay in my room and just didn't want to do anything, I had experienced grief before but nothing to the extend that was a friend but wasn't just a friend but a friend that I practically seen for everyday. He would had helped me through a lot of ups and a lot of downs. He would even give me advice regarding whatever girlfriend I had at the time. So when that person was suddenly taken away it put a shock to my body, little did I know I was supposed to keep the rest close too. I didn't do that, I didn't know anything was wrong.
Me and my friend would write songs and scripts together, so I decided to start up writing again originally the stories and songs was dark, and quiet worrying. I mean my mum found a sample of one and had to speak to me about it. As it was something along the lines of "I don't want to live if you aren't here with me". That's when I knew I needed to either change something I was doing or grief alternatively.
I carried on writing, reading and even making music and piece by piece I was slowly but surely began to finally feel myself. I still get the off days where I find myself waking up in heaps of sweat and thinking do I want to still be here? But I will always try to re-frame from them thoughts and try to speak to someone (which if anyone will know me will know is very difficult for me) and just talk about anything and everything. Just so them dark moments passes.
I think I'm going to stop it here there is a lot more I could had said but I will choose to not too. I will say having mental health doesn't make you weak, doesn't make you stupid, you're still the same remarkable human being as everyone else you just are more unique then they are.
If you would like to know more about the person I lost you could always check out the rest in peace homage I created in his honour,
if you're experiencing mental health problems or need urgent support, there are lots of places you can go for help.
Samaritans
Telephone: 116 123 (24 Hours a day, free to call)
Email: jo@samaritans.org
website: www.samaritans.org
Provides confidential, non-judgemental emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those that could lead to suicide. You can phone, email, write a letter or in most cases talk to someone face to face.
Mind Infoline
Telephone: 0300 123 3393 (9am-6pm Monday to Friday)
Email: info@mind.org.uk
Web site: www.mind.org.uk/help/advice_lines
Mind provides confidential mental health information services.
With support and understanding, Mind enables people to make informed choices. The Infoline gives information on types of mental distress, where to get help, drug treatments, alternative therapies and advocacy. Mind has around 140 local Minds providing local mental health services.
Rethink Mental Illness Advice Line
Telephone: 0300 5000 927 (9.30am - 4pm Monday to Friday)
Email: info@rethink.org
Website: http://www.rethink.org/about-us/our-mental-health-advice
Provides expert advice and information to people with mental health problems and those who care for them, as well as giving help to health professionals, employers and staff. Rethink also runs Rethink services and groups across England and Northern Ireland.
Saneline
Telephone: 0300 304 7000 (4:30pm-10:30pm)
Website: www.sane.org.uk/what_we_do/support/helpline
Saneline is a national mental health helpline providing information and support to people with mental health problems and those who support them.
The Mix
Telephone: 0808 808 4994 (11am-11pm, free to call)
Email: Helpline email form
Website: www.themix.org.uk/get-support
The Mix provides judgement-free information and support to young people aged 13-25 on a range of issues including mental health problems. Young people can access the The Mix's support via phone, email, peer to peer and counselling services.
ChildLine
Telephone: 0800 1111
Email: http://www.childline.org.uk/Talk/Pages/Email.aspx
Website: www.childline.org.uk
ChildLine is a private and confidential service for children and young people up to the age of nineteen. You can contact a ChildLine counsellor for free about anything - no problem is too big or too small.
Elefriends
Website: http://elefriends.org.uk/
Elefriends is a supportive online community where you can be yourself. Elefriends is run by Mind.
If you're a carer needing support you can contact all of the above as well as Carers Direct and the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, both of whom are able to provide support and advice on any issues affecting you.
What should I do if I'm supporting someone in a crisis?
If the person seems really unwell, and you are worried about their safety, you should encourage them to seek help.
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