The Nation's Mental Health
Watch this postIt's been Mental Health Awareness Week with an enormous amount of news coverage of this topic. I think most of us know at least one person affected by mental health problems, probably more given that the statistics say that one in three of us who consult their GPs has a mental health problem at any one time and i'm wondering what people's thoughts are about why this illness is rising so much. Is it our lifestyles, our diet, our expectations of life. Or perhaps we are overly influenced by advertising showing us what we 'can' and 'should' buy, own and how we should look.............The list of possibilities is endless. What do others think is causing this problem and how can we address it? Is it the government's responsibility to offer mental health care, should we be working to find ways to beat this ourselves or perhaps a combination of the two. It's a growing problem, what are people's thoughts on this?
Log in to comment
You need to be logged in to interact with Silversurfers. Please use the button below if you already have an account.
LoginNot a member?
You need to be a member to interact with Silversurfers. Joining is free and simple to do. Click the button below to join today!
JoinCommunity Terms & Conditions
Content standards
These content standards apply to any and all material which you contribute to our site (contributions), and to any interactive services associated with it.
You must comply with the spirit of the following standards as well as the letter. The standards apply to each part of any contribution as well as to its whole.
Contributions must:
be accurate (where they state facts); be genuinely held (where they state opinions); and comply with applicable law in the UK and in any country from which they are posted.
Contributions must not:
contain any material which is defamatory of any person; or contain any material which is obscene, offensive, hateful or inflammatory; or promote sexually explicit material; or promote violence; promote discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age; or infringe any copyright, database right or trade mark of any other person; or be likely to deceive any person; or be made in breach of any legal duty owed to a third party, such as a contractual duty or a duty of confidence; or promote any illegal activity; or be threatening, abuse or invade another’s privacy, or cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety; or be likely to harass, upset, embarrass, alarm or annoy any other person; or be used to impersonate any person, or to misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person; or give the impression that they emanate from us, if this is not the case; or advocate, promote or assist any unlawful act such as (by way of example only) copyright infringement or computer misuse.
Nurturing a safe environment
Our Silversurfers community is designed to foster friendships, based on trust, honesty, integrity and loyalty and is underpinned by these values.
We don't tolerate swearing, and reserve the right to remove any posts which we feel may offend others... let's keep it friendly!
The other side is: how many honest people are working in a job they are not really happy in and for what reason. Most people will tell you it's to pay the mortgage (death grip) or rent, warmth and food. If they are working in a job they don't really enjoy to make money for someone else... well... that used to be called slavery.
There is also Education THAT ISN'T. To be educated in a subject one should know how to apply the subject and be successful in its application; not just be able to memorise facts (a system our current education prefers.) The youth of today owe a fortune to the banks for education in a subject they can't apply. Does that lead to happiness?
The final part of my rant is THE MEDIA. They only transmit bad news and they make it worse, to sensationalise they cause divisions in society and create fear and distrust does that lead to happiness?
Previously I have given you some suggestions that if followed I know will improve your well being. These suggestions are free I am not charging a penny for them and if you want some more I have plenty of other suggestions that will make anyone happy if followed.
If you really want to know what makes you unhappy then learn about the Reactive Mind and read Dianetics the modern science of mental health. Knowledge is power.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dianetics:_The_Modern_Science_of_Mental_Health
For a subject to be classed as a SCIENCE it has to go through scientific procedures. Which is basically. Observation, experiment, and measurement. With these steps, you come up with facts and results it can then classed as a true science.
With the rules on misleading advertising so strict do you honestly think that a book could be on sale for 67 years claiming to be science if it wasn't a science DIANETICS PRODUCES BENEFICIAL RESULTS THAT CAN BE REPEATED, Of course, there are those that would have you believe that the mind is too difficult to understand. There are a lot of people that make money out of mental health Pharmaceutical companies etc., don't want Dianetics to succeed and this is the real reason Dianetics has been suppressed these companies also control the media. If you want an unbiased opinion on the subject of Dianetics I suggest you read it for yourselves and make up your own mind it is obtainable from the library so you don't even have to buy it. INSANITY CAN BE ERADICATED.
Definition of cult: A group of people who share religious or spiritual beliefs. This is the definition that fits the people I work for. there are other definitions for the word cult and one includes the word unorthodox. I would say that the fact we believe you are a spiritual being but HOW, IF and WHO you care to worship is completely up to you. The nearest thing we have to a bible is a dictionary I suppose that does make us a bit unorthodox but in the nicest possible way.
Could you also clarify for me why is it dangerous for me to promote something that is beneficial? I can also recommend white vinegar for removing mold and killing damp spores, Cider vinegar and Bicarbonate of Soda for prevention of cancer and Turmeric for arthritis. These do not make money for major pharmaceutical so their efficacy will not be promoted.
Wake up you are being manipulated and lied to but it's not from me.
Dianetics (from Greek dia, meaning "through", and nous, meaning "mind") is a set of ideas and practices regarding the metaphysical relationship between the mind and body created by L. Ron Hubbard; Dianetics is practiced by followers of Scientology and independent Dianeticist groups.
We will never agree on this so I'm just going to leave those links there and let others make what they want of your posts. It's a free country let people make their own decisions about what is posted.
I also agree with you about the need for more contact with nature and the natural world in order for some relief for more minor mental health problems. However, there are many more major conditions which are consistently shown to respond only to medication and those who are afflicted by these illnesses relapse sadly back into appalling states when they stop taking medication.
E.g., I had a friend who had schizophrenia who was able to manage life well when taking her medication but when she stopped, as most schizophrenics do at one point or another because they understandably dislike the feeling of not being in control of themselves or their emotions, and no amount of nature or natural living enabled her to avoid relapsing, so it is not a cure all for everyone.
Unfortunately for some people medication is the only option to help them to live in the community and without it they would probably be unable to enjoy any sort of normality (sorry, I loathe that word, but it fits here)
Dianetics is probably to simple to be readily accepted and until you have tried it for yourself do not pass a judgment on it. I have never seen psychotropic drugs cure anyone and when I do I will change my opinion on them.
You say your friend came off the drugs because she was not in control of her emotions. I presume from that statement that she wished to be. Drugs only suppress emotions and it's a chemical addiction (withdrawal from the drug ) that can make the body go into muscular contractions and slickness that is the only reason a person goes back on the drug again, because of the discomfort of withdrawal ask anyone who is on withdrawal.
If you would but read a book you would understand and be able to actually really understand your friend's mental condition. You don't even have to read a book there are also DVD's on the subject.
Perhaps you would like to read a book about this one specific mental health problem which necessitates medical intervention rather than generalising about all mental health issues which can't all be lumped together under the same heading and need different treatments, if any are needed. Incidentally, talking therapies are becoming more popular than pharmaceutical therapies nowadays which is perhaps where your own successful recovery began when you spoke to that gentleman.
Changes in society must play a part as we become more isolated - families disperse and move around more as they seek work or better opportunities for their children. Communities change as part of this migration of people. If I compare the family and community support that was all around me to the community I now live in it's a world apart. And for me the main thing that's been lost is the feeling of belonging and those everyday good mornings and chats.
Coupled with this we have the technological advances which often leads to people viewing the world through the lens of their mobile or communicating through Social media or emails -and we are bombarded by information every waking hour unless we turn them off!
Then we have pollution - do we really know how this is affecting us? Force fed Flouride in our water - we have no choice on that . Another endless list ...
So what can we do ? Well we can stop bombarding our brains with too much information- we can be selective about the time we give to the TV and the internet. If we go out and about we can stop to enjoy what we are doing and observe what's around us , rather than observing through a lens. We can learn to be kind to ourselves , take time to relax, time to pamper ourselves, take up a new hobby, challenge ourselves to do more of what we enjoy, meditate, listen to beautiful music, exercise more , talk to friends, make new friends , make bread - in fact do more of what you enjoy
Here are some tips for anyone out there feeling down at the moment:
Do not watch or listen to the news or read newspapers for the next two weeks believe me you will feel happier. Do some creative or something to help yourself or another. Take a walk and observe things around you. Talk to a friend, do something you like doing. This one is one of my favourites and when done properly is very effective. LAUGHTER. Make yourself start to laugh it may seem strange and awkward at first. Fake the laugh if you have to and don't worry if someone else can hear you, it is infectious and they will start to laugh too. If you are not laughing freely and somewhat happier you haven't done it long enough.
If you don't follow my advice for happiness I can only presume you enjoy being unhappy and it is serving you well.
Flourish and Prosper Jane
I'm still wondering what is causing this and why it's on the increase.
As I understand it, doctors are now offering talking therapies before medication to help, so Big Pharma are losing their foothold on this market if not necessarily others, but the question remains why are we so vulnerable to outside influences now?
Is the fact that our children are succumbing to this at earlier and earlier ages relevant? Perhaps the amount of technology involved in school lessons, as well as the amount they use out of school is influencing their mental health? How many adults do we know who don't have regular access to the internet, and are not permanently attached to something electronic?
Friendships consist of the amount of people who 'like' something you have posted on Facebook - people you neither know nor will ever meet, although I know some families do use it for keeping in touch. Must say here, this is what I understand, as I have never been tempted to join the FB crowd.
Again, you are right Yodama, there should be more drop in centres for the lonely and all mobiles should be switched off when you enter so people could remember how to make conversation, and I would love something like this in my area especially if all the people who are a bit different, and in my experience far more interesting, were to gather there.
This is a personal plea for everyone to just be themselves and stop trying to paste on an image of successful 'sameness' to be accepted by an increasingly stressed society which feels it needs to labelled normal.