Comments for One in Four Magazine http://www.oneinfourmag.org Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:44:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on Out-takes from a thinkpiece 4: Have traditional services kept pace with the aspirations of people with mental health difficulties? by Beatrice Bray http://www.oneinfourmag.org/index.php/out-takes-from-a-thinkpiece-4-have-tradition-services-kept-pace-with-the-aspirations-of-people-with-mental-health-difficulties/#comment-10957 Beatrice Bray Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:44:07 +0000 http://www.oneinfourmag.org/?p=1344#comment-10957 Today I received a letter from a new psychiatrist. I am not at all sure that this particular trust has the capability or willingness to help me and respect my needs. The staff are heavily reliant on coercion and they do not even try to look for ways of helping me lead the life that I want to lead. Too many people in this trust have the wrong motives for the job. They are incapable of seeing any good in people classed as having severe mental health problems. The trust web site parrots the slogans about recovery but if ever you want a specific style of treatment to help you achieve a mainstream goal they tell you that you are incapable. For me this is a dangerous situation because the staff of this trust cannot hear criticism without accusing service users of "paranoia" and "psychosis". It is impossible to have an adult conversation with such people because the moment you voice dissent they immediately attribute your criticism to some symptom or other of severe mental illness. I do not accept their assessment of my health and I am so tired of arguing with these people. I really do not want to go to this appointment because I know I will only meet further disrespect. It is nice reading about all these positive ideas for the future but the reality of my life is rather different. I do not think I am the only person in this particular boat. Today I received a letter from a new psychiatrist. I am not at all sure that this particular trust has the capability or willingness to help me and respect my needs. The staff are heavily reliant on coercion and they do not even try to look for ways of helping me lead the life that I want to lead.

Too many people in this trust have the wrong motives for the job. They are incapable of seeing any good in people classed as having severe mental health problems. The trust web site parrots the slogans about recovery but if ever you want a specific style of treatment to help you achieve a mainstream goal they tell you that you are incapable.

For me this is a dangerous situation because the staff of this trust cannot hear criticism without accusing service users of “paranoia” and “psychosis”. It is impossible to have an adult conversation with such people because the moment you voice dissent they immediately attribute your criticism to some symptom or other of severe mental illness.

I do not accept their assessment of my health and I am so tired of arguing with these people. I really do not want to go to this appointment because I know I will only meet further disrespect.

It is nice reading about all these positive ideas for the future but the reality of my life is rather different. I do not think I am the only person in this particular boat.

]]> Comment on Out-takes from a thinkpiece 1: Self help vs. Service delivery by Beatrice Bray http://www.oneinfourmag.org/index.php/out-takes-from-a-thinkpiece-1-self-help-vs-service-delivery/#comment-10845 Beatrice Bray Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:51:25 +0000 http://www.oneinfourmag.org/?p=1334#comment-10845 We need to watch that these new groups do not become new ghettos for people who face exclusion from the rest of society. If a group comes into existence purely because the members of the group are being denied the chance to take part in mainstream soceity then we need to ask ourselves if we could do more to help people join in groups for all types of people - not just mental health types. We need to remember that mental health in all its guises is a preoccupation for lots of people in many different places. Last weekend I went to a training event on Drupal, the open source content management system. I ended up in a group in which we discussed working from home.. Everyone was talking about it in the language of small business people but underlying all this jargon was a concern with mental health. If we in mental health don't talk to other sectors then there is a danger that we might miss these synergies. That said there are times when we need to discuss matters amongst ourselves. For such matters a pure mental health group is invaluable. We need to watch that these new groups do not become new ghettos for people who face exclusion from the rest of society. If a group comes into existence purely because the members of the group are being denied the chance to take part in mainstream soceity then we need to ask ourselves if we could do more to help people join in groups for all types of people – not just mental health types.

We need to remember that mental health in all its guises is a preoccupation for lots of people in many different places. Last weekend I went to a training event on Drupal, the open source content management system. I ended up in a group in which we discussed working from home.. Everyone was talking about it in the language of small business people but underlying all this jargon was a concern with mental health. If we in mental health don’t talk to other sectors then there is a danger that we might miss these synergies.

That said there are times when we need to discuss matters amongst ourselves. For such matters a pure mental health group is invaluable.

]]> Comment on Working it out by olive frost http://www.oneinfourmag.org/index.php/working-it-out/#comment-8881 olive frost Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:45:46 +0000 http://www.oneinfourmag.org/?page_id=1178#comment-8881 I am so thrilled to read this article and well done on so many levels. And best of luck with your course. I too was in a similar situation many years ago - recovering from major sectionable psychosis, lots of ifs and buts, no social skills, the disclosure issue etc etc. I eased myself back in via voluntary work, then lowpaid but simple jobs, then more demanding jobs - mostly part-time. I then had three children, did a postgrad degree and now manage teams and head up services in education, having worked for over fifteen years in FE and schools. Medicationwise, have taken nothing for 26 years, and am fine. Recovered. It is so heartening to read your story and I hope a lot of others read it and get inspired to move forward. I am so thrilled to read this article and well done on so many levels. And best of luck with your course.
I too was in a similar situation many years ago – recovering from major sectionable psychosis, lots of ifs and buts, no social skills, the disclosure issue etc etc. I eased myself back in via voluntary work, then lowpaid but simple jobs, then more demanding jobs – mostly part-time. I then had three children, did a postgrad degree and now manage teams and head up services in education, having worked for over fifteen years in FE and schools.
Medicationwise, have taken nothing for 26 years, and am fine. Recovered.
It is so heartening to read your story and I hope a lot of others read it and get inspired to move forward.

]]> Comment on Debate: Should mental health anti-stigma campaigns be a priority? by julie Aldridge http://www.oneinfourmag.org/index.php/debate-should-mental-health-anti-stigma-campaigns-be-a-priority/#comment-8513 julie Aldridge Fri, 25 Nov 2011 22:51:00 +0000 http://www.oneinfourmag.org/?p=1274#comment-8513 Good article- both persuasive and clear. Good for you, Good article- both persuasive and clear. Good for you,

]]> Comment on Mental health and work: Not a magic four letter word by Fiona checkley http://www.oneinfourmag.org/index.php/mental-health-and-work-not-a-magic-four-letter-word/#comment-8458 Fiona checkley Thu, 24 Nov 2011 18:58:52 +0000 http://www.oneinfourmag.org/?p=1281#comment-8458 I recently returned to work after a mental health 'crisis'. I have not been 'allowed' to return o the job I was doing prior to my absence which I loved abd have been assured that I was good at. I have been totally side lined and part of my time is spent lone working without interaction from former colleagues. I am feeling very depressed about this, my confidence which I so badly needed to build up has diminished and I am feeling 'stupid' rather than having been unwell. Work I agree has to he suitable for the person and it is not necessarily employers who know what they think is best! I recently returned to work after a mental health ‘crisis’. I have not been ‘allowed’ to return o the job I was doing prior to my absence which I loved abd have been assured that I was good at. I have been totally side lined and part of my time is spent lone working without interaction from former colleagues. I am feeling very depressed about this, my confidence which I so badly needed to build up has diminished and I am feeling ‘stupid’ rather than having been unwell. Work I agree has to he suitable for the person and it is not necessarily employers who know what they think is best!

]]> Comment on Debate: Should mental health anti-stigma campaigns be a priority? by judith haire http://www.oneinfourmag.org/index.php/debate-should-mental-health-anti-stigma-campaigns-be-a-priority/#comment-8389 judith haire Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:47:55 +0000 http://www.oneinfourmag.org/?p=1274#comment-8389 Yes I saw this on facebook and commented Seaneen. Anti psychotics make us crave carbohydrates yet there are some (e.g. Abilify) which do not cause so much obesity. I am aware that many people value their identity as someone with mental health problems and that is entirely up to them. I cannot see that many people would reject a cure if there was one though. The £20m I mention is further funding to top up what has already been invested. Research will improve the lives of people with mental illness because it can lead to ways of preventing mental illness and come up with more effective and kinder treatments. If stigma exists it is derived from people's fear of mental illness and that's where education comes in and maybe this could start in the education system itself Yes I saw this on facebook and commented Seaneen. Anti psychotics make us crave carbohydrates yet there are some (e.g. Abilify) which do not cause so much obesity. I am aware that many people value their identity as someone with mental health problems and that is entirely up to them. I cannot see that many people would reject a cure if there was one though. The £20m I mention is further funding to top up what has already been invested. Research will improve the lives of people with mental illness because it can lead to ways of preventing mental illness and come up with more effective and kinder treatments. If stigma exists it is derived from people’s fear of mental illness and that’s where education comes in and maybe this could start in the education system itself

]]> Comment on Debate: Should mental health anti-stigma campaigns be a priority? by judith haire http://www.oneinfourmag.org/index.php/debate-should-mental-health-anti-stigma-campaigns-be-a-priority/#comment-8388 judith haire Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:43:55 +0000 http://www.oneinfourmag.org/?p=1274#comment-8388 I absolutely agree with what you say here Mike. There is too much poverty and it can only be detrimental to mental health I absolutely agree with what you say here Mike. There is too much poverty and it can only be detrimental to mental health

]]> Comment on Debate: Should mental health anti-stigma campaigns be a priority? by judith haire http://www.oneinfourmag.org/index.php/debate-should-mental-health-anti-stigma-campaigns-be-a-priority/#comment-8387 judith haire Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:42:44 +0000 http://www.oneinfourmag.org/?p=1274#comment-8387 You make many really valid points here Jean I also think we need to focus on changing the attitude within the media, as so many stigmatising headlines appear in the tabloids and stigmatising comments creep into our TV soaps You make many really valid points here Jean I also think we need to focus on changing the attitude within the media, as so many stigmatising headlines appear in the tabloids and stigmatising comments creep into our TV soaps

]]> Comment on Debate: Should mental health anti-stigma campaigns be a priority? by judith haire http://www.oneinfourmag.org/index.php/debate-should-mental-health-anti-stigma-campaigns-be-a-priority/#comment-8386 judith haire Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:41:20 +0000 http://www.oneinfourmag.org/?p=1274#comment-8386 Yes you're quite right Alison Yes you’re quite right Alison

]]> Comment on Mental health and work: Not a magic four letter word by kevin blumer http://www.oneinfourmag.org/index.php/mental-health-and-work-not-a-magic-four-letter-word/#comment-8365 kevin blumer Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:10:17 +0000 http://www.oneinfourmag.org/?p=1281#comment-8365 I dont really fit in at work i worked 5 or 6 years and i hated it everyday i had to drag myself there you can never say i was never ceen when i was 21 i had to byke on a pushbike 9 miles to work and 9miles back then as i moved to the city i got more use to city life and start using the bus but with having a mental ilness it makes you stick out like a sore thumb and you get exploited i spent one year trying to learn how to serve a customer i had things thrown at me insults language people calling me backwards i have even been held up at knife point maybee i was just unlucky i will return to work i just need to get my own mental health sorted first been able to deal with people day to day is really hard but i will get there and not stop trying I dont really fit in at work i worked 5 or 6 years and i hated it everyday i had to drag myself there you can never say i was never ceen when i was 21 i had to byke on a pushbike 9 miles to work and 9miles back then as i moved to the city i got more use to city life and start using the bus but with having a mental ilness it makes you stick out like a sore thumb and you get exploited i spent one year trying to learn how to serve a customer i had things thrown at me insults language people calling me backwards i have even been held up at knife point maybee i was just unlucky i will return to work i just need to get my own mental health sorted first been able to deal with people day to day is really hard but i will get there and not stop trying

]]>