Reader Deirbhile shares a compassionate and personal piece about mental health and the need for proper support and understanding...
Deirbhile says:
This past week has been Mental Health Awareness Week. I am so glad we are talking about mental health openly and honestly. But this is only the beginning - our mental health services are simply not good enough. Lives are being put at risk. We need properly funded services; we need adequately trained, compassionate, caring mental health professionals. When we are ready to talk, we need someone to listen. We need someone who knows how to help.
Over the course of six months, I attended my GP seventeen times expressing suicidal idealisation.
I did not see a psychiatrist until I attempted to take my own life.
This. Isn’t. Good. Enough.
I am someone who is educated on mental health. I have an outstandingly supportive family and amazing friends. I am doing a job that I love. I knew what help I needed and still I could not get it.
Most people aren’t as lucky and as privileged as I am.
Most people use all the bravery they have going to the GP for the first time.
Most people won’t make it to that 17th appointment.
I heard a statistic recently - one in ten deaths in the area where I live are deaths from suicide.
This is an epidemic.
CATHY SAYS:
I agree with Deirbhile - mental health services are seriously over-stretched and vulnerable young people are suffering because of this. Have YOU struggled with mental health issues or found it hard to access the help you need? COMMENT BELOW to have your say...
This past week has been Mental Health Awareness Week. I am so glad we are talking about mental health openly and honestly. But this is only the beginning - our mental health services are simply not good enough. Lives are being put at risk. We need properly funded services; we need adequately trained, compassionate, caring mental health professionals. When we are ready to talk, we need someone to listen. We need someone who knows how to help.
Over the course of six months, I attended my GP seventeen times expressing suicidal idealisation.
I did not see a psychiatrist until I attempted to take my own life.
This. Isn’t. Good. Enough.
I am someone who is educated on mental health. I have an outstandingly supportive family and amazing friends. I am doing a job that I love. I knew what help I needed and still I could not get it.
Most people aren’t as lucky and as privileged as I am.
Most people use all the bravery they have going to the GP for the first time.
Most people won’t make it to that 17th appointment.
I heard a statistic recently - one in ten deaths in the area where I live are deaths from suicide.
This is an epidemic.
CATHY SAYS:
I agree with Deirbhile - mental health services are seriously over-stretched and vulnerable young people are suffering because of this. Have YOU struggled with mental health issues or found it hard to access the help you need? COMMENT BELOW to have your say...
I can empathise with you so well. It wasn't until I attempted suicide/self-harmed that I got referred to an organisation. I had the suicidal thoughts, but no, they decided not to take any action against it. Honestly, things really do need to improve. Thankfully you've got the help you deserve too.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it's Mental Health Awareness week because there still needs to be more awareness of it, more knowledge and less stigma.
ReplyDeleteI have struggled with mental health too and it was difficult to get the right support at the start and like Deirbhile, it had to get to more of a crisis point before we got proper help and had to get an emergency appointment then everything moved fast from there! It is awful that it has to get to a crisis point for so many people :(
i think we should spread mental health awareness so that we
ReplyDeletecan show people suffering in silence that their is hope for
people like us The survivors.
do not let any mental illness or sickness hold you back from being who you are meant to be.
There is hope....
such an inspiring post. i agree mental health importance needs to be advertised more.
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https://cocoachats.blogspot.com/
thanks!