Mental Health.

[jansman]

I've known a few managers step down due to stress/workload affecting their home life, IE worrying about work instead of having quality time with their partners & children, they all seemed more content afterwards. We all get overwhelmed at times I personally go on long countryside walk as find birds/wildlife in general soothes the soul. Totally agree with what's been mentioned though to seek help if your head doesn't feel right even if it's a chat with the GP

It’s a massive issue. But it is largely hidden. People dealing with anxiety about work,family ,finances etc. At the moment,especially finances. Anxious feelings ARE a mental health issue. My wife has major anxiety issues. She likes routine and normality. Her cancer didn’t help either.

Mental health is real. You can’t just say ,” pull yourself together “. As an elderly doctor said to me when I was 28, “Rule your mind, or it will rule you.” He had the idea that stress and mental illness caused many physical illnesses too.

[hobo]

I've known a few managers step down due to stress/workload affecting their home life, IE worrying about work instead of having quality time with their partners & children, they all seemed more content afterwards. We all get overwhelmed at times I personally go on long countryside walk as find birds/wildlife in general soothes the soul. Totally agree with what's been mentioned though to seek help if your head doesn't feel right even if it's a chat with the GP

It’s a massive issue. But it is largely hidden. People dealing with anxiety about work,family ,finances etc. At the moment,especially finances. Anxious feelings ARE a mental health issue. My wife has major anxiety issues. She likes routine and normality. Her cancer didn’t help either.

Mental health is real. You can’t just say ,” pull yourself together “. As an elderly doctor said to me when I was 28, “Rule your mind, or it will rule you.” He had the idea that stress and mental illness caused many physical illnesses too.

Mrs Hobo has a regular face-to-face chat with our GP every month. Helps her keep in control of her anxiety and (cross fingers) prevents her going back into hospital.

[jansman]

I've known a few managers step down due to stress/workload affecting their home life, IE worrying about work instead of having quality time with their partners & children, they all seemed more content afterwards. We all get overwhelmed at times I personally go on long countryside walk as find birds/wildlife in general soothes the soul. Totally agree with what's been mentioned though to seek help if your head doesn't feel right even if it's a chat with the GP

It’s a massive issue. But it is largely hidden. People dealing with anxiety about work,family ,finances etc. At the moment,especially finances. Anxious feelings ARE a mental health issue. My wife has major anxiety issues. She likes routine and normality. Her cancer didn’t help either.

Mental health is real. You can’t just say ,” pull yourself together “. As an elderly doctor said to me when I was 28, “Rule your mind, or it will rule you.” He had the idea that stress and mental illness caused many physical illnesses too.

Mrs Hobo has a regular face-to-face chat with our GP every month. Helps her keep in control of her anxiety and (cross fingers) prevents her going back into hospital.

That’s good.

[Arzosah]

It certainly is - talking through your stuff is a completely normal and healthy thing to do. It goes along with good nutrition, moderate exercise, enough sleep and proper hydration, it's that basic.

I'm glad Mrs Hobo has a GP that understands the need for actual communication and connection, that's great.

[GeeGee]

I lost my hair through stress a few year back
Didn't grow ..then I looked like something out of fraggle rock when it started growing
My life is stress as it is but of all things it floored me.
Theres more important things out there than my hair but it flattened me ..wouldn't go out sat crying ..hated walking up etc etc
Total breakdown and I couldn't understand it
Nice hairdresser who deals with cancer patients stress etc said let me get a inch or two on your hair and ill stick some extensions in ..made me feel human again and God knows why as there's far more disturbing things going on in life
What really stresses mw out is my doctor actually ..and a few others
When speaking of Mr GG I get .. youre doing a good job
Even when I rang up to get on the electric supply register to say there was a vunerable person in the house ..youre doing a good job who is this person who knows this .. doc .. youre doing a good job ...
Woman swimming which barely knows me but saw me out with other half .awwww.. youre doing a good job
Aaaargh how do you know I could have done him in by beating him with a hair extension !
My mental health has probably gone out of the window altogether .. but I'm doing a good job
Noone really to talk it through as I'm doing such a good job but the swimming is my therapy ... do my mile swim im too knackered to think ..
We have to find ways of dealing with it
I've lost too many people who decided to quit not to ....

[GillyBee]

Gee Gee - sending hugs as it sounds pretty tough for you and words don't cut it as you have just pointed out.
Are you taking extra vitamins, especially B vitamins?
My friend was going through a stressful divorce and got alopecia Her hair all started to grow back as soon as she started to take B vitamin complex. If I get too stressed my brain goes into ever decreasing circles and stops working properly and they sort that out too.
(Yes these are in my supplies - it is bad enough dealing with an emergency, without not coping just because I have run out of my vitamins.)

[GeeGee]

GillyBee thank you
Given me a nudge to stock up on what I need
Have stocks for the other half and never think of getting them in for me ...
I'm doing a shop this weekend and they are added ...
The never ending running hamster wheel of the brain is horrible and if it gives some respite then its 100% worth it
Got me thinking that I stock up on wood coal tins meds for hubby but if the mind isn't as it should be then we still suffer
Vitamins added to the preps for the mental health aspect .....

[Arzosah]

Yep, I think talking is crucial, but it's not the only thing that matters, not by a long chalk.

Geegee, if I'm getting your drift (and I really apologise if I'm not) were people trying to reassure you, "you're doing a good job", all of that? To me, that gives a message about *not* talking

On specifics, though, I love that your hairdresser thought of a way to make you feel a bit better. And that you've found a release in swimming. Even if you're doing a good job, the effort and emotions of doing that are still really important in their own right.

Find ways of dealing ... so true! Whatever helps.

Sending positive vibes, very gentle ones.

[GeeGee]

Arzosah...I think its a way of other people wanting to say something but not knowing what...
People don't get it ..even the lady at mcmillan when I spoke to her about looking at mr GGs weight loss
The question I was asking was how do I cope with looking at how he looks now as to compared with how he did look
She kept saying I don't understand what is it that's the problem its still him ... and a lot of people say thankfully you're healthy so you can continue the good job
They don't see the nights I sit up stressed with brain on overload
They including GP didn't get what it was doing to my head seeing him so thin when he was a burly 18 stone builder
Do you want help with trying to claim benefits ..no ..do you want help with a grant ..no .. do you want help with any legal stuff ..no ... I want help with my head because it is rejecting how he looks .not that he has leukaemia ..
Andt they couldn't really understand
So the im doing a good job came out
But fortunately I decided I needed to do something and as I've always been a swimmer I make sure I go daily for a mile swim because it helps my head ...
I've watched a lot of friends die because of mental health when they couldn't cope any more ..far too many and I think there's definitely a crisis now with not enough help espically for the younger males ...but everyone included ...I think the official figures show theres been a massive increase in those seeking help and those also sadly exiting this world
With the way the economy is going and possibly these power cuts at Christmas and less and less money I think its going to be rough ride for a lot of people ...and it can take anything to push you over the edge ..usually something small on top of the big stuff
I talk to the cat

[Arzosah]

Arzosah...I think its a way of other people wanting to say something but not knowing what...

That's such a concise summary, GeeGee - yes, people don't know what to say, so they say *that*.

People don't get it ..even the lady at mcmillan when I spoke to her about looking at mr GGs weight loss
The question I was asking was how do I cope with looking at how he looks now as to compared with how he did look
She kept saying I don't understand what is it that's the problem its still him ... and a lot of people say thankfully you're healthy so you can continue the good job

Good grief - I often hear such good things of McMillan, but I'd have thought that must be a constant issue for partners and other family carers. Have you experimented with using the Samaritans at all? They're not only about suicide prevention these days? Though it's also good to read what you're posting on here.

They don't see the nights I sit up stressed with brain on overload
They including GP didn't get what it was doing to my head seeing him so thin when he was a burly 18 stone builder
Do you want help with trying to claim benefits ..no ..do you want help with a grant ..no .. do you want help with any legal stuff ..no ... I want help with my head because it is rejecting how he looks .not that he has leukaemia ..
Andt they couldn't really understand
So the im doing a good job came out

Yep, reassurance, from the best of motives, rather than helping you go to the depth you need to go to.

But fortunately I decided I needed to do something and as I've always been a swimmer I make sure I go daily for a mile swim because it helps my head ...

That sounds excellent, the clarity, the exercise using up the adrenaline, the time alone, all of it.

I've watched a lot of friends die because of mental health when they couldn't cope any more ..far too many and I think there's definitely a crisis now with not enough help espically for the younger males ...but everyone included ...I think the official figures show theres been a massive increase in those seeking help and those also sadly exiting this world

I'm so sorry you've seen it impact so many friends . The lack of mental health help, I think, is part of the general skill shortage across the whole country; my sister in law is in mental health services in NW England, and the hours they work are very, very long. I've seen the official figures you mention, and the increase in the numbers of those needing help is shocking. I do think it can be seen when you're out and about - people are ready to explode/implode at one more straw (I've just seen you've said exactly that in the sentence below this, sorry!)

With the way the economy is going and possibly these power cuts at Christmas and less and less money I think its going to be rough ride for a lot of people ...and it can take anything to push you over the edge ..usually something small on top of the big stuff
I talk to the cat

Yep, cats work well. I love cats