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FOLLOWING THE DEATH of Hollywood actor Robin Williams the issue of mental health has been pushed to the fore.
Highlighting that mental health services are under resourced in Ireland, the national coalition Mental Health Reform have launched an new public campaign calling on the Government to ensure that community mental health services have the funding they need to provide around the clock crisis support across the country.
Seven day a week supports
Mental Health Reform Director Shari McDaid said:
Lives could be saved if mental health services were available and accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But services are under-resourced and having difficulty meeting growing demand. At the end of last year, the HSE was down more than 1,000 full-time posts from March 2009 levels and staffing levels were still a quarter below the levels set in the Government’s mental health policy A Vision for Change.
To highlight their campaign, they are asking the public to tell them what their “mental health life saver” is and are encouraging people to take to social media using #MentalHealthLifeSaver.
Here are some of the responses so far:
What’s your #MentalHealthLifeSaver?
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For me its a promise I made 19 years ago, to my boss of all people. She came to visit me in hospital after I had left the intensive care unit after taking an overdose. I wasn’t pals with my boss. I was 15 she and was way older, but she got through to me that day. If I have dark moments I think of her, the caring German who believed in me. I haven’t seen her in 18 years. I think she moved back to Germany. But I will never forget her. I never broke my promise though at times it was hard to keep.
Thank you Annette Gould…
Brilliant. Fair play to you.
Mine is my little doggy. Every time I feel alone or scared or upset he just knows and cuddles into me and licks the tears away. Just stopping to look into his beautiful brown eyes and seeing the little life that he is puts so much in perspective. You can see the love in your pets eyes, you can see how much they utterly adore you. This has given me so much comfort through the bad days.
Some hardcore cleaning/cooking. Nothing like the sense of accomplishment to get some positive vibes going :)
Yes, cleaning is very cathartic
My mental health life saver is seeing articles like in the media. I honestly think thejournal.ie is doing a great job of keeping a steady flow of articles on the subject of mental health. I deal with depression myself and next month will mark the one year anniversary of my brother’s suicide. I do believe the stigma around mental health is breaking down, slow though it may be. Intelligent reporting and discussion in the media is helping. I definitely feel that that public attitude is changing and people are becoming much more aware of the reality of mental health. It helps me normalise whats going on in my head. Keep up the good work thejournal.ie!
Thanks for your comment Cathal and thanks for sharing your experience.
Really appreciate it. I wish you all the best.
My brother died 18 years ago on his motorbike. He was only 28 years old. Whenever I am depressed I think of him and how he lived his short life with fun and love in his heart. It keeps me going.
For me it’s knitting, such a relaxing (most of the time) hobby. I go out at least once a week to meet up with a gang of lovely women, and we chat knit, eat cake and drink tea. I’d be lost without them, I had two miscarriages a few years ago and it was the darkest time in my live. My husband was wonderful and supportive but it was great to have someone else to talk to. My friends at KNIT Midleton, really saved my mental health and still does.
What works for me is baking. The more difficult the bake the more focused I need to be, taking my mind away from the negative thoughts. Satisfaction and the feeling of achievement at the end brings all the positive endorphins. I always feel better afterwards and have something delicious to share with friends.
For me my mental health life saver is my local mental health centre, being able to ring and speak to my key worker or any member of staff when I need to talk, helps me look at the problem from a different perspective in a different way and usually I can resolve my feelings with the help of being able to talk,
I actually didn’t know these existed.
For me it’s turning off my phone and going in the bath with a book. It’s the only thing that turns my brain off
Like Avril, mine is my dogs. Even on the darkest days taking them for long walks lifts the depression a little and afterwards just having them sit or lie next to me helps. Unconditional love at its best.
I try to help other people with problems This helps me forget my own .I Just hate the nightime too much time to lie awake thinking
Fair play to you John I fjnd that very difficult. I just said it in my comment, I hope people understand what I mean. But you are a great person if you can help another while suffering yourself.
A walk/run along the beach. The sound of the waves crashing, the sea air and that beach smell are very comforting and soothing. Not cool to walk on a broken shell in bare feet though…. not cool at all
Exercise and my dog. No matter how crap your day has been or what problems you have, earphones in, world off and just run. Then home to the best welcome you can get from your pet makes everything ok.
If you live within 15k of your workplace, buy a good bicycle and cycle to and from work. I started cycling to work 15 years ago. Best decision I ever made for my physical and mental health.
For me, I just try and focus on something positive. As hard as it is when there seems to be little positivity around.
There is a lot of negativity out there and I feel often one of the bigger issues is that people’s voices are not heard.
Be whoever you want to be, so long as you do not hurt people in the process.
It does not matter what religion, race or sexuality you are this does not define you. Nor does what’s in your wallet.
If you feel like you cannot talk to be people why not start a blog or something and at least feel as if you are getting your feelings out there.
Each and every person is great in their own way never let circumstances dictate your happiness. Find the little joys in life, even if its a walk or watching your favourite movie or listening to your favourite song.
And dance, even alone, it releases positive endorphins.. act like a total Eejit even if you are alone and just have an auld laugh.
And if you really feel crap and feel like there’s no where to turn remember it won’t last forever and you will smile again.
@speak up, that is one of the most brilliant posts of all that I have read. (sounds like you could be a counselling therapist?).
My son with his infectious happiness and millions of hugs. He is so tactile . It’s just lovely. Well most if the time .. Sometimes his so called hugs are really sneaky headlock wrestling . Before you know it your tapping out lol it’s fantastic really . My other lifesaver is music. I love music . My son lifts my heart my music lifts my soul.
Mine are my wife, my cat and exercise. Those 3 things keep me strong
People who are in a position to, who genuinely care and have time for you are very important.
Sometimes it’s left to people with mental health issues to try be there for each other and you wish you could be, but that can be a recipe for disaster. Sometimes it works and its ok but other times it’s difficult when you have problems to be there for someone else with problems. You can end up feeling worse taking on more. I think some people will understand what I mean if they have suffered.
For me it’s when I stop reading journal.ie comments one day a week. (Prestent company excluded of course)
Art and nature.
If you are feeling depressed at any time don’t pretend that your ok. Talk to someone that will listen to you for pretending that your ok will just make it harder on you.
Taking my dog for a long walk every evening and being rewarded with her warm little body cuddling on my lap afterwards. My beautiful, madly energetic 2 year old, and my husband who understands and can fix my worst day with big bear hugs.
Thank goodness the red thumbers must be sitting on their hands! Some great uplifting stories there and thank you all for sharing xxx
My 4 year old daughter . I don’t want her to grow up without her mother even though she would most probably be better without me . If not for her I definitely would not be here
Gwen never ever feel that anyone that knows you be it your family , friends , work colleagues or relations would ever be better without without you or without having you around. No way .
You are a very very special person in all of their eyes even though you may not believe that at times or indeed see that from them at times .
Your life is so very special and so very important . When we are in the darkness it can be very difficult to find that light and glimmer of hope which we require. But it is always there if you can just manage in your own way to try and seek it out.
Keep up your spirits and enjoy your beautiful daughter who means so much to you.
Thank you for your kind words David
Gwen are you on Facebook.?
A high dose of evening primrose oil daily and my brilliant partner and two beautiful boys
This summer has been the happiest in a very, very long time. Time spent with friends both old and new, sea kayaking with said friends, getting my ass kicked at weight training boot-camp…
I was never into sport / exercise so had no idea what a dramatic improvement it would have on my happiness and outlook on life (only got into kayaking and boot-camp this summer). Cannot recommend it highly enough. If you have never been active or bothered with sport, try it, it will definitely change you for the better, mentally and physically.
Getting out on my bike and a trusted small circle of wonderful friends and my family!
Music… Loud…
While I appreciate raising awareness of mental health issues the things people are listing as mental health lifesavers are nonsense. Depression is complete apathy. When you look at something you used to love, be it a sunset or whatever, you don’t feel anything and it makes you feel worse. This comic nails it.
http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/depression-part-two.html
It is but that doesn’t mean your impenetrable. It’s doesn’t mean you can find comfort in things at times and it doesn’t mean you can’t recognise the signs of going low and reaching out and being proactive . As hard as it s to do you gave to fight for yourself and while at times that can be impossible other times especially if you have been depressed more than once you can have your plan of action that you can dip into without much thought.
Yeah maybe. But right now I’m feeling pretty shitty so people listing off things they like to do doesn’t seem that helpful. There are a few genuine answers but some people are just telling us their hobbies.
Exercise = good hormones. This is not just a hobby. It is science.
I can totally see where you are coming from.
Felling nothing, to feeling self loathing, where the word would be a better place without me. My families lives would be better without me. I never share my feelings with anyone other than those online. I feel I deserve to feel that way. Music ads to my dark mood as I choose music to purposely make me sad, a sort of self torture. What happens when one of my lifes pleasures turn into lifes enemy?
The only thing that has stoped me from ending it is a promise. And I’ve hated it. That promise has saved my life a number of times. Its stopped me from taking pills, from walking out infront of a cars, from stepping off cliffs.
Thankfully now my life isn’t as complicated as it once was, but sometimes when it gets turned upside down its hard not to go back to that dark place. Once i’m there only I can get myself back. I have to want too. I want to see my kids grow up, get married have kids, go on holidays and have fun, lots of fun. Again its hard to see the spec of light when there is nothing but darkness.
I wont however diss someones mental health lifesaver. If it means something to them thats great. It doesn’t have to mean jack sh! t to me. After all mine is only a promise spoken 19 years ago, a few spoken words. Many people break promises without a second thought.
@my el513w ← I hope I spelled it right.
If you want to vent tweet me. Take each day at a time it does get better.
Hugs
@ My El531W , cant agree with you there , a compitant registered therapist will include all of the above to a client who presents with emotional issues , because they actually work , .
“competent ” even.
Music, talking, taking action to change things that arent working, keeping fit and trying to.help others or listen to.them. Training a kids football team is also very rewarding
For me it is expressing my anger on the Journal.
Next — lifesaver is the Lotto.
Remembering that no matter how bad things get, this too will pass.
Acceptance!!! Music (make a happy play list) playing piano (scales when I’m angry) my 2 beautiful boys who need me even though I often think they wld be better off without me, WRAP, a very supportive & patient mental health team, and finally my utterly useless, unsupportive, compassion-less ex husband who left me & our 2 beautiful children for his new Polish girlfriend at Christmas, giving me a strength, a new reason to live, enjoy life and realise he was contributing to my depression!!! Still, doesn’t mean I don’t have very bad days/weeks….but acceptance helps with that!!
Counting your blessings as they used to say is very nice but try telling someone who is suicidal that their life is not nearly as bad as it seems and see how they react. Or don’t react. A very good friend of mine had his existential crisis and decided the world wasn’t worth living in about ten years ago. He told a mutual friend of his feelings, and that friend said that he would love to tell him to look on the bright side but he knew it wouldn’t sink in, so he would rather just listen and be there for him whenever he needed.
He went out and started his suicide plan, buying the tools he needed. On the way home he happened to meet a Catholic priest he knew in passing (he isn’t Catholic) and opened up to him about his plans and showed him what he had bought. The priest sat him down and, in spite of him being one of the last places my friend had expected to find inspiration, managed to talk him down.
A happy ending, and now he is happier than ever. But, he might not have been. Sometimes life doesn’t always turn into a rose garden and maybe sometimes the outlook is not positive. The point is, for people with Depression, it doesn’t matter whether they have a wonderful family and a great career, or a dead end job and a partner about to walk out the door. They feel the same either way, in fact pointing out to someone how great their life is could easily make them feel worse – aren’t they awfully ungrateful? Another responder to this article put it perfectly – apathy.
A real mental health life saver, maybe looking towards someone else’s problems as a way of distracting from your own, changing your routine, being open to seek help in places you wouldn’t expect to find it.
#MentalHealtLifeSaver ~ have to make this brief.
WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) by Mary Ellen Copeland and her team ~
http://www.mentalhealthrecovery.com/
There is also a WRAP App ~ WRAP App Demo ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BK_jLMToeM
Recovery and WRAP Stories ~ http://www.mentalhealthrecovery.com/wrap/recovery.php
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