[Cherie]

The former Labour Prime Minister said that many issues simply represented "the challenges of life", rather than medical conditions such as anxiety or depression.

The number of people with common mental health conditions has risen in recent years, alongside greater emphasis in society on 'awareness' of such conditions.

Many people view this as positive, as people are more likely to take action and seek help to tackle mental disorders and stop them from becoming worse.

But some, like Blair, have warned that this has also resulted in some people 'medicalising' their mental condition, which they may otherwise have considered a normal part of everyday life.

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/tony-blai...alth-benefits/


Do you agree or disagree?

Interesting timing as the DWP conduct an overhaul of PIP payments.....wonder what group they might be targetting

[arista]

Yes Debates on LBC and other media
do not agree with him.

Ref :Young doing self harm

[Livia]

I wish Tony Blair could experience a fortnight of real, clinical depression.

[user104658]

Personally I would say the larger issue is self-diagnosis of actual mental health conditions (and neurodiversity). In terms of actual diagnosis it's a bit more complicated than he's making out - it sort of sounds like he's saying "real" mental health conditions are something totally random that just happens, when 99% of the time it will of course have a life-event or trauma linked to it that was the initial cause.

I do largely agree that there's an over-medicalisation of mental health, in the sense that GP's are quick to prescribe medications over and above offering people the means to get to the root of trauma etc. and actually build better mental health. Meds are quick and easy compared to other interventions. And yet at the same time - there's also a stigma attached to medicating, when sometimes it absolutely is necessary. It's a tricky balance.

What I think is massively overlooked especially by politicians is that key in why it "seems to be increasing" is an absence of hope for people today, especially young people. One of the major parts of recovering/improving mental health is life goals and timing for a better future... and our politics and economy currently means that a lot of people just don't feel that sense of hope. Where is their strength to deal with the "challenges of life" supposed to come from?

[arista]

Yes self-diagnosis
is wrong.


But they can not get,
a proper GP appointment

[bots]

is Blair suggesting that outside factors have no effect on health? So if, for example, a man stalked a woman for 6 months, the resulting anxiety etc would be a challenge of life and not a real medical condition?

The guy is obviously representing a group that are paying him cash. He never does something for nothing

[Redway]

Neurodivergence is definitely over-identified with and that’s a major gripe I have. I hate people trivialising depression or having no acknowledgment of its spectrum of severity (from mild low mood to nihilistic, self-accusatory psychosis on the backdrop of catatonic stupor and emaciation), its corresponding range of treatments (from citalopram or routine talk-therapy to tranyclypromine + electro-convulsive treatment), too. But there seems to be less of that now than there was 7 or 8 years ago. Now it’s all about self-diagnosing oneself with A(u)DHD. That’s the main problem now.

Severe depression isn’t such a common condition, not in the way that that anxiety disorders and mild depressive states are.

[Livia]

I would say other people's depression is hard to quantify, even for the "experts".

[Zizu]

I have fought against anxieties , mood swings and depression for decades ..


Currently in a very low place sadly .. can’t get motivated to do or enjoy anything. My wife dragged me out shopping this morning for a couple of hours but I only went as we also needed decorating and DIY stuff.

I have stopped playing music around the house , avoiding any interaction with others and my bed keeps beckoning me .


There’s a lot going over the next couple of weeks and I find all the uncertainties extremely unsettling .. that plus the thing known as the January Blues appears to have scuppered me bigtime for the time being.

I’ve come to the sad conclusion that this forum probably isn’t the best place for me at this time - I have been having far too many petty squabbles so I am taking an extended break

[bots]

Check out "sad lamp" on Amazon Zizu. The reason people get the blues over winter is the lack or big reduction in UV light.

It is something that really works, i've used it in the past. The other alternative is to go somewhere like the canary islands for a week away

[Mystic Mock]

I can see his point to some extent, and controversially add to it.

I think that Social Media and celeb culture has encouraged some people (not all obviously) to pretend that they've got Mental Health issues to garner attention that they've seen the people who have genuine Mental Health issues receive.

Although that doesn't mean that we should just put a lot of it down to "challenges of life" either because I can only imagine where Tony Blair's line would be on this topic.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Mystic Mock

I can see his point to some extent, and controversially add to it.

I think that Social Media and celeb culture has encouraged some people (not all obviously) to pretend that they've got Mental Health issues to garner attention that they've seen the people who have genuine Mental Health issues receive.

Although that doesn't mean that we should just put a lot of it down to "challenges of life" either because I can only imagine where Tony Blair's line would be on this topic.

I don't see many people "pretending on purpose" to be fair, but I do see a lot of people with anxiety and depression that are down to lifestyle and not chemical imbalance that could be fixed (or prevented from happening in the first place) without meds, being medicated as a "first option", which is not great.

In terms of neurodiversity frankly I see a lot of people on SoMed self-diagnosing ADHD and Autism when both their heavily-damaged attention span and their social issues are sometimes just the result of the tech itself and under-socialisation.

[Redway]

It’s literally trendy to be neurodiverse these days. Ugh.

[Cherie]

I do think there is a lot of anxiety caused by body image and perfection, also social anxiety which used to be called 'shyness', I don't agree that young people have 'no hope', they are far better educated than previous generations with a much higher percentage going to University, but maybe that causes anxiety in itself in that the pressure is on to get a well paid job, that said I think there are also a lot of unrealistic expectations and that some young people do not want to move up the ladder whether that be in a job, or on housing, but want to go straight in at the top, , many young people have grandparents who will have benefited from the increase in house prices and more people will benefit from inheritance than previous generations, and may also have the bank of Mum and Dad which again previous generations did not enjoy, so I think writing people off as having no hope is wrong.... I agree though current governments do not seem to have a handle on how to help young people progess in life, but just going by my own experience I never expected the government to help me with anything so maybe there needs to be a rethink of governments role in peoples lives

[UserSince2005]

why is this war criminal not locked up?

[Beso]

Originally Posted by Zizu

I have fought against anxieties , mood swings and depression for decades ..


Currently in a very low place sadly .. can’t get motivated to do or enjoy anything. My wife dragged me out shopping this morning for a couple of hours but I only went as we also needed decorating and DIY stuff.

I have stopped playing music around the house , avoiding any interaction with others and my bed keeps beckoning me .


There’s a lot going over the next couple of weeks and I find all the uncertainties extremely unsettling .. that plus the thing known as the January Blues appears to have scuppered me bigtime for the time being.

I’ve come to the sad conclusion that this forum probably isn’t the best place for me at this time - I have been having far too many petty squabbles so I am taking an extended break

Buy a dog, and take up golf.

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Cherie

I do think there is a lot of anxiety caused by body image and perfection, also social anxiety which used to be called 'shyness', I don't agree that young people have 'no hope', they are far better educated than previous generations with a much higher percentage going to University, but maybe that causes anxiety in itself in that the pressure is on to get a well paid job, that said I think there are also a lot of unrealistic expectations and that some young people do not want to move up the ladder whether that be in a job, or on housing, but want to go straight in at the top, , many young people have grandparents who will have benefited from the increase in house prices and more people will benefit from inheritance than previous generations, and may also have the bank of Mum and Dad which again previous generations did not enjoy, so I think writing people off as having no hope is wrong.... I agree though current governments do not seem to have a handle on how to help young people progess in life, but just going by my own experience I never expected the government to help me with anything so maybe there needs to be a rethink of governments role in peoples lives

https://www.psychiatrist.com/wp-cont...le-shyness.pdf

Social anxiety has always been more than just shyness.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Redway

https://www.psychiatrist.com/wp-cont...le-shyness.pdf

Social anxiety has always been more than just shyness.

Yes but there are many people who say they have social anxiety who are just a bit awkward with meeting new people and making small talk, I would count myself as one of those people who find it very hard to make small talk, I have got better over the years mainly because I had to push myself outside my comfort zone, popping a pill is not always the answer, the more you do it the more coping mechanisms you develop and your resilience to awkward situations is increased, I always envy people who can nattar away about any who shite

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Yes but there are many people who say they have social anxiety who are just a bit awkward with meeting new people and making small talk, I would count myself as one of those people who find it very hard to make small talk, I have got better over the years mainly because I had to push myself outside my comfort zone, popping a pill is not always the answer, the more you do it the more coping mechanisms you develop and your resilience to awkward situations is increased, I always envy people who can nattar away about any who shite

That’s because just-plain shyness/shy awkwardness around new people is not the same as clinical social anxiety.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Redway

That’s because just-plain shyness/shy awkwardness around new people is not the same as clinical social anxiety.

Yes but many people self diagnose with social anxiety when what it is really is, is lack of human interaction.... and GPs are too quick to hand out pills as they get paid by the Pharma companies to do so

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Yes but many people self diagnose with social anxiety when what it is really is, is lack of human interaction.... and GPs are too quick to hand out pills as they get paid by the Pharma companies to do so

I mean, yes. But my point is that social anxiety has never officially been a code-name for simple shyness. People over-identifying with that label (which they don’t do as much as with ASD or ADHD these days) is another thing. That wasn’t my point.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Even Nessa used mental health as a weapon in the Christmas Gavin and Stacey

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by Quantum Boy

I don't see many people "pretending on purpose" to be fair, but I do see a lot of people with anxiety and depression that are down to lifestyle and not chemical imbalance that could be fixed (or prevented from happening in the first place) without meds, being medicated as a "first option", which is not great.

In terms of neurodiversity frankly I see a lot of people on SoMed self-diagnosing ADHD and Autism when both their heavily-damaged attention span and their social issues are sometimes just the result of the tech itself and under-socialisation.

Go to Facebook.

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by Cherie

I do think there is a lot of anxiety caused by body image and perfection, also social anxiety which used to be called 'shyness', I don't agree that young people have 'no hope', they are far better educated than previous generations with a much higher percentage going to University, but maybe that causes anxiety in itself in that the pressure is on to get a well paid job, that said I think there are also a lot of unrealistic expectations and that some young people do not want to move up the ladder whether that be in a job, or on housing, but want to go straight in at the top, , many young people have grandparents who will have benefited from the increase in house prices and more people will benefit from inheritance than previous generations, and may also have the bank of Mum and Dad which again previous generations did not enjoy, so I think writing people off as having no hope is wrong.... I agree though current governments do not seem to have a handle on how to help young people progess in life, but just going by my own experience I never expected the government to help me with anything so maybe there needs to be a rethink of governments role in peoples lives

A Government's job is to make essential stuff in life for people be easier to achieve.

If they're stifling a young person's potential to progress in life, then imo it is the Government's responsibility to amend it.

[Maru]

Originally Posted by bots

Check out "sad lamp" on Amazon Zizu. The reason people get the blues over winter is the lack or big reduction in UV light.

It is something that really works, i've used it in the past. The other alternative is to go somewhere like the canary islands for a week away

I moved my desk by a big wide window for light and it's made a huge difference in my daily moods. We live in a very high sun exposure environment so it's not hard to get light, but my office was in a Northern room until I moved it. I've never had serious issues but when I lived in the Northeast, I spent a lot of time outside to try to compensate for the lack of sun... the sky was still so dark to me, even in the summer. The main thing I missed was the amount of light we experience here. It makes a huge difference in attitude, music, taste on food, life outlook... everything...