Mental Health Sunday 11th Jan 2009

[Aled]

This week we're taking calls on the horribly stigmatized issue of Mental health. Depression, eating disorders, self harming. If you want to clear away any ignorance or feel these apply to you listen this Sunday from 10. (Same goes if you think the show would benefit someone you know tell them about this week's show.

x

[postie]

i know a few nutters that could do with some help myself included mwhuhahahahahahahahaha

[Kate]

(Same goes if you think the show would benefit someone you know tell them about this week's show.

I'm not sure how well that would go down. 'There's a show on Radio 1 about mental health issues this Sunday. I think you should listen to it....'.

[Aled]

oddly what Mental Health means isn't "you're a bit mental!" it's state of mind. Crippling confidence, bipolar, depressed. People with those conditions wouldn't be offended to be advised to listen.

[I Reject Reality]

Well I'll certainly be listening this week, I have a rather nasty combination of Mental Health issues so it'll be good to hear other peoples thoughts on the subject, and hopefully change a few peoples minds about it.

[s4b]

Aled, I have been suffering from clinical depression for about 19 years and I hate the fact that people ignore it! It's a bit like "if you can't put a plaster on it then it doesn't count"! I am more than happy to help with this topic in any way I can and will try very hard to listen this week xx

[Andrew80]

My self confidence is crap - my self confidence actually has low self confidence.

Well to be fair - I have taken some really good steps lately and feeling much better about myself and life etc.

[Ali]

I think I'll give this weeks show a listen

[Yudster]

My self confidence is crap - my self confidence actually has low self confidence.

Well to be fair - I have taken some really good steps lately and feeling much better about myself and life etc.
Good - if I was a successful, funny, kind and respected gay bloke like you I would feel good about myself. You should.

[Andrew80]

Good - if I was a successful, funny, kind and respected gay bloke like you I would feel good about myself. You should.

Easier said than done some times but i think the power of positive thought is so important!

I really do feel much better about myself and what i do lol!

Thanks for the reply :)

[Adam]

Aled, would you say that there are a high proportion of gay males with mental health problems?

[s4b]

Where is everyone!??! I am in the chatroom and there's only me and Andy there! hmph.

Aled, it's been brilliant so far! You are amazing!
(No comments on brown nosing please, Aled has dealt with some really hard calls very well!)

[Ezza]

Well done on this week's show Aled, you did a really good job on a really tricky subject. :)

[I Reject Reality]

ohhhhh I forgot all about it :( Sorry Aled :( I'll listen again tomorrow, I was kinda having a bit of a moment this evening =[

[Aled]

tonight was easily my hardest show yet to do. I just want to help so much but the solutions to these kind of issues can't be solved in a 10 minute phone call. I feel there was a lot of education tonight though. I learnt so much - especially from that last caller Jem, who is simply amazing - and MUST seek help.

[Ezza]

I learnt so much - especially from that last caller Jem, who is simply amazing - and MUST seek help.
I just wanted to give her a huge hug. I don't think that would have helped, but she sounds like she has a lot of potential to go far in life, and she really deserves all the help she can get to help her get better.

[Andrew80]

tonight was easily my hardest show yet to do. I just want to help so much but the solutions to these kind of issues can't be solved in a 10 minute phone call. I feel there was a lot of education tonight though. I learnt so much - especially from that last caller Jem, who is simply amazing - and MUST seek help.

Totally agree Aled, very hard show.

She needs to seek help, but the first step isthe toughest and she has started the process.

You did very well with a very hard subject.

[I Reject Reality]

I'm listening to the show now, And listening to the Documentary is proving to be very, very difficult, the stuff they're talking about is too close to home. But I shall continue listening because I feel I have to.

Also you did brilliantly last night Aled, you tackled the subject really sensitively and got it spot on. well done :)

[PinkTribble]

I'm afraid I missed the show and I have no idea when I'll be able to 'Listen Again'. But this is a subject extremely close to my heart, as I too am riddled with mental health issues.

I will make every effort to listen asap.

[Samual]

It was an alright show but i would have liked to see more about less well known mental health problems. Most people have heard of depression, bipolar, anorexia etc, but more people need to understand aspergers, dyspraxia and anxiety.

I also picked up on one of the stories, the girl who stopped eating. Why wasn't anything said about people who do the opposite and cant stop eating?

bleh

[s4b]

Aspergers is a subject close to my heart since my son was diagnosed about 2 years ago. Luckily he has none of the behavioural problems associated with it and he has learnt how to deal with it but it is something that is very rarely discussed. Saying that it is a very small minority that have to deal with this problem, however depression, bipolar and anorexia are much more widely spread. Radio 1 has an obligation to deal with problems that are going to affect a larger number of people.

Maybe nothing was said about people who can't stop eating because no one text/called in with that problem?

[I Reject Reality]

, but more people need to understand aspergers, dyspraxia and anxiety.

You have a point actually. I suffer from both a form of Anxiety and I'm Dyspraxic (Spell checkers are my best friend =]) And I was a little surprised to hear nothing about Anxiety, as I would of thought it was a major issue. All well.

[Yudster]

I think there's a difference between things like bipolar disorder, clinical depression, anxiety, anorexia/self harming (similar issues really) and Autistic Spectrum Disorders such as Aspergers and dyspraxia. I/m not 100% sure, but I don't think that ASD issues would come under the umbrella of "mental health" as such.

I do agree that as they are becoming more recognised and diagnosed (not more common neccessarily, but more recognised), so we probably need to talk about them more.

I worked with a man in his late forties who, to my mind, very clearly had some form of ASD, and had problems with every aspect of his life as a result - but being the age he is, he was undiagnosed and therefore un-helped. I am sure if he was a child now he would be given help, support and have done a lot better in many areas of his life. There are a lot of people in that position I imagine, perhaps we need to adjust the way we look at people's behaviours sometimes to take these possibilities into account.

[postie]

this thread is depressing lol

[Samual]

I think there's a difference between things like bipolar disorder, clinical depression, anxiety, anorexia/self harming (similar issues really) and Autistic Spectrum Disorders such as Aspergers and dyspraxia. I/m not 100% sure, but I don't think that ASD issues would come under the umbrella of "mental health" as such.

Of course its mental health, what else could it be? :s

Anorexia, bulimia, self harm etc are all just as uncommon as aspergers and dyspraxia but because they're always in the public domain they're perceived to be a lot more common and therefore more relevant.

There are hundreds of mental health conditions out there, yes some affect more than others but focusing on a restricted few isn't a good idea.

[Yudster]

Of course its mental health, what else could it be? :s
An inherited congenitive disorder is the latest theory. In the same way as Downs Syndrome and cerebral palsy and similar conditions (and no, I'm not equating ASDs with those conditions, I'm just pointing out the similarities in the mechanisms by which they are caused) certainly affect people's mental capacity, they aren't issues of mental health. There are many grey areas though and I would be surprised if ultimately ASDs, along with bi-polar disorder and maybe a few other less known conditions don't end up firmly in the grey in terms of understanding of them.

Anorexia, bulimia, self harm etc are all just as uncommon as aspergers and dyspraxia
I'd be interested to know what research you are quoting here, as it doesn't chime with anything I have read. Doesn't mean it isn't relevant though.

There are hundreds of mental health conditions out there, yes some affect more than others but focusing on a restricted few isn't a good idea.
Ignoring them isn't either. But either you can't make up your mind what your argument is, or you have lost track of it in expressing it because I can't work out if you are saying that more awareness of ASD is a good thing or a bad thing. Because after all, more awareness is all I was suggesting.

[bbb]

I missed the show my net has been down for a few weeks I will look for it on la

menatl health is not a easy subject to talk about and its a very ranged subject to talk about

as you have ocd and many others