Mental health and Me
" cheer up, watch something funny. Get over it." How many times have we all heard this said to us or said to someone else? Mental health Is not as easy as watching a comedy show laughing for an hour then magically everything is cured. In this Blog I am going to be talking about depression. Mental health is an illness no matter how many times people say it is just a fad. In this Blog I am going to be talking about some facts about Mental Health, How to help yourself, signs and symptoms and some helplines to help you when things get too much and you are feeling suicidal.
This Blog is also going to be In 2 parts. This is part one and part 2 Is going to be my own personal story about depression and how I suffered for 4 years In silence and how I finally overcome my struggles. In part one I am going to tell you how and why you can overcome anything you set your mind to.
Facts about Mental Health
1.In 2016 5,668 suicides were recorded in great Britain. Of these 75% were men and 25% were female. Men are more likely to be suicidal and commit Suicide because men are least likely to talk about their mental health problems. If you are male and feel suicidal please talk to someone this could be your partner, friends, family and even your doctor. Mental health is more common then you think and if you start the conversation you might be surprised how many people around you was also suffering alone.
2.Suicide is the most common cause of death for men aged 20-49 years in England and Wales. At these ages men seem to suffer more because of stress with career, finding a job, starting relationships or even drugs\alcohol. This does not mean that if you are younger then 20 and older then 49 that you should not be worrying about your mental health. Mental health is just as important then physical health and you should treat your mind with care and talk to someone if you need help.
3. 1in4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem.Each year In the UK 1in6 have reported experiencing a common mental health problem ( such as anxiety and depression) each week. This statistic may even be higher. The amount of people who seek medical help is lower than people who do get help.
4.These facts and figures show that there Is one death by suicide every 2 hours.
Which is heart breaking. Mental health is treatable and does not need to be a life long problem. You may feel trapped In your own mind and not realise that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Men and women through history have 2 different social circles and society expects different things for each gender. For men it's to be strong and show no emotion. For women it's that they show too much emotion and they are not as strong as men. But these views are wrong! Men and women are equal! Yeah we might have different bodies but are minds are the same. Men and women need to talk to their friends and take good care of their mental state. The number one problem with mental health is the stigma around it " If you have a mental health issue you are weak " this stigma needs to be broken because if you broke your arm of had the flu you would tell people how you are feeling and that you had to see a doctor. So why is it different for mental health? I'm mentally broken but I will get better and I will mentally be healthy again just like your broken arm will heal again over time.
Self Help
I'm going to talk about how you can help yourself over come your mental health specifically depression and why you should seek help if you need it.
No, you cannot wave a wand and make everything instantly better but you can set yourself goals and do little things each day to over come each one of your milestones. Mental health doesn't have to be forever. It will seem impossible most days and you will forget who you are but I'm here to help and there so many people that believe in you!
When you have depression it will seem like you are hated by everyone around you and that you are just a burden on people. But I promise you no one thinks that about you! People love you so much and you cared about by everyone. Do not withdraw away from life. Most days all you want to do is stay in bed and not talk to anyone but doing little things once a week or each day will help you slowly feel like you are part of society again.
Stay in touch with your friends. Text them when you feel like alone and just ask them what they are doing it what they are watching lately. Sit in your garden with family or just by yourself and just sit and watch the clouds and listen to birds. It might sound stupid but fresh air and just feeling at piece will put your mind at ease even if it's just for 5 minutes. If you haven't got a garden then listen to nature soundtracks on YouTube and just lye down and feel at piece. Light mediation makes your brain feel like it can breath.
Speak to your family even if you have nothing to say. Family love you no matter what and even if you sit there in silence and just have a cuppa you will feel like you're a part of something and have accomplished something today.
Don't hide away from what scares you. Anxiety and depression and the most common mental health problems and many people have both. If you are feeling anxious about going outside then set yourself little goals. One goal could be going for a walk. You could walk around your neighbour hood. Even if it's just around your house. Least you accomplished that goals and can work towards another one like walk to the next street and back. No goal is silly! Even if intakes a week, month just walk around your house you will feel amazing when you have accomplished it.
Talking to your GP sounds like the worst thing you want to do right now. You do not know how to explain what is going on to yourself let alone a doctor. But seeking professional help can actually help a lot more then you think. Doctors will give you advice and explain to you what is going on and that it is not a forever problem. They have some tools that can help you such as medication (anti depressants) going to see a therapist so you can talk about the issues you are having. They can also suggest you go to a group session with other people your age so you can see that you are not alone and there are so many people who are experiencing the same thing as you.
Also if you do not want anyone to find out that you are depressed such as family or partner. Than the Doctor will not share anything with anyone unless you want them to. But if you are under 16 and feeling suicidal then the doctor will connect the police or your mom and dad because they feel like you might be a danger to yourself.
Signs and symptoms
There is a wide range of Signs and Symptoms of depression and not everyone has each one. Everyone is different so if you have 4 or 12 symptoms please still get medical help because depression is different for everyone.
Depression is different from just being sad for a few days depression is feeling hopeless, having low self esteem and feeling like no matter what you do nothing is getting better. Depression can last weeks, months or years. Symptoms can also interfere with your work, social life and family.
How you might feel-
How you might behave-
I got these symptoms from a very helpful charity in the UK called Mind. I will link their website below and please check out their website for any more information.
Helpline
Samaritans for anyone and everyone. Its open 24/7 everyday.
Call 116 123
Campaign against living miserably (calm)- Only men can phone up. It is open from 5PM till midnight everyday. Call 0800 58 58 58
papyrus- is for people who are 35 and under.
Call 0800 068 41 41
Childline- Is for children and young adults under the age of 19
Call 0800 1111
Mental Health Poem
This poem is called Demons of Darkness
She stood on the bridge
In silence and fear
For the demons of darkness
Had driven her here
They cut her heart
Right out of her chest
Making her believe
That the demons knew best
They were always there
Sometimes just out of sight
Waiting in the background
Till the time was right
These demons were destructive
Knocking down the life she knew
Hating everything about her
She hated herself too
These demons can't be seen
But they're far from fairy tales
They live inside your mind
Their evilness prevails
So on the bridge she stood
About to end the fight
Then she stopped and thought
I'll fight them one more night
In silence and fear
For the demons of darkness
Had driven her here
They cut her heart
Right out of her chest
Making her believe
That the demons knew best
They were always there
Sometimes just out of sight
Waiting in the background
Till the time was right
These demons were destructive
Knocking down the life she knew
Hating everything about her
She hated herself too
These demons can't be seen
But they're far from fairy tales
They live inside your mind
Their evilness prevails
So on the bridge she stood
About to end the fight
Then she stopped and thought
I'll fight them one more night
Conclusion
I hope this Blog has helped you or helped you understand what a friend or family member might be going through. You do not have to remember everything is this blog to help yourself or help other. You could ever take out parts of this Blog and send them to your friends or loved ones so they feel and know what you are trying to educate and understand how they are feeling.
Like my last Blog comments are always appreciated.
Love from,
your new favourite stranger.
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