Mental Health - Finding the words

Discussing mental health openly and honestly is still a challenge for a lot of people. Not admitting, or even accepting, that you are experiencing poor mental health can have detrimental effects. How do you fi nd the words to ask for support?

Mental health affects everyone and two thirds of people will have a mental health problem at least once in their lifetime. There are many different forms of mental health conditions from depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia and more. Each condition affects a person differently.

Mental health may not be visible, but it can still be debilitating. Receiving the correct support and advice is crucial, unfortunately, asking for help can be a problem for someone struggling.

DIAGNOSIS

Each year 16 million people experience poor mental health. However, the misconceptions still tied to mental health conditions result in many people not seeking the relevant assistance. “Asking for help is one of the most important things to do if you feel like you’re experiencing a mental health problem. Confiding in someone you trust is the first step in accessing help,” explains Emily Waller, policy and campaigns officer at Mind.

When experiencing a mental health problem, it can seem like going to the doctor is the biggest hurdle in the world. In fact, it is the first step towards diagnosis and support. Emily continues: “You might want to speak to someone if you’re increasingly worrying about things you didn’t used to, you’re finding it difficult to sleep, don’t enjoy the things you normally would, or if you’re having thoughts that are difficult to cope with, and this is having an impact on your dayto-day life.”

Discussions on mental health are gradually becoming more prominent. In England alone, one in six people report experiencing either depression or anxiety, and hearing how others have achieved in the face of adversity can aid in their recovery.

PUBLIC IMAGE

“We know that there is still a huge stigma around mental health problems, which are often misunderstood. Symptoms of mental health problems are often invisible, despite being potentially debilitating, and even life-threatening. People speaking out about their own experiences of poor mental health helps decrease stigma, increase awareness and normalises these lesserunderstood conditions,” Emily explains. “It’s important that people from all backgrounds and walks of life open up – including high profile individuals.”

In recent years many more celebrities, or well-respected individuals, have revealed their own struggles and triumphs with mental health. Whilst being open about their experiences, they have also explained their journey to recovery, which can be an alien concept to someone who is in the depths of poor mental health fearing the reaction to speaking out.

Many of Mind’s ambassadors have been candid about their experiences. FrankieBridge, former The Saturday’s band member, looked as though she was living the dream on the outside: always glamorous, going on tour, meeting adoring fans, and in an exciting new relationship with now husband, footballer Wayne Bridge. In reality, Frankie was in crisis.

Speaking in 2012, Frankie revealed that she had struggled with depression for more than eight years, ultimately being hospitalised at the end of 2011. Prior to her diagnosis of depression, Frankie had lived her life in secret since the age of 15. Not divulging how she was feeling to her bandmates, or even family members, meant Frankie’s illness had control over her.

She said at the time: “One night, I got upset because Wayne hadn’t bought the right yoghurts; I managed to convince myself that he didn’t know me at all. It set off this spiral of negative thinking – that if I disappeared, it wouldn’t matter to anyone. In fact, it would make everybody’s life easier. I felt that I was worthless, that I was ugly, that I didn’t deserve anything.”

MEDICAL ADVICE

After receiving medical attention, Frankie managed to get out of the metaphorical black hole. Seeking medical advice can be difficult and many people don’t know how to find the right words to ask for help – especially from professionals. Even so, many professionals are struggling under the increasing weight of care.

Emily says: “For too long, those of us with mental health problems have struggled to access the quality services we need. Mental health services have been underfunded and ignored for decades and access to them has never been, and is still nowhere near, what we take for granted in other parts of the NHS; only a third of people with mental health problems get any kind of treatment or support at all.” In a bid to improve care the government has recently accepted recommendations made within the Five Year Forward Viewfor Mental Health plan – a report from the independent Mental Health Taskforce to the NHS in England – to contribute £1 billion of investment to improve facilities. With improved services, more people will have access to support, similarly, Mind has a campaign guiding people to find the confidence to go to the doctor.

When we have a physical ailment our GP is the first point of call. However, too many of us lack the confidence to speak about our darkest emotions to loved ones, let alone a doctor. With one third of all GP appointments relating to mental health it’s time to stop hiding and seek advice.

Medical support can be crucial in instance of severe mental health issues. Finding the words to go to the doctor, or even to a close friend or family member, is the start of a journey to recovery.

MORE INFORMATION

MIND

www.mind.org.uk 0300 123 3393 or text 86463

MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION

www.mentalhealth.org.uk

SAMARITANS

www.samaritans.org 116 123