To think that mental health should be given just as much airtime as physical health?

[CailinDana]

Huge amounts of money are spent on preventing smoking, preventing obesity, improving maternal health etc etc etc and I think to an extent it's worth it. But mental health seems to be totally neglected. People seem horribly misinformed or completely naive about very common mental illnesses such as depression and there is still a huge stigma around being mentally ill. As a result people's illnesses go untreated for years, leading to other physical illnesses and overall costing the NHS more money in the end. I think increasing public awareness of mental illness would not only help to release more people from the grip of depression etc it would also have the positive knock on effect of improving overall physical health as depression often leads to poor health habits.

AIBU?

You can campaign to raise awareness though. I was thinking like the one about somebody having a stroke. It doesn't stop somebody having a stroke but it informs family & friends to act quickly.

I disagree FredFred. I don't think there should be ads saying "Are you depressed? Get out more, you miserable sod!" I mean there should be ads saying "Here are the symptoms of depression, if you feel like you're suffering or you know someone who is, there is help out there, here's how to get it" Basically I'd like to see more understanding and compassion for people with mental illness.

As Fred rightly says, campaigns about obesity and smoking can work, because the person has a choice about losing weight, or stopping smoking. Mental health problems are not usually a choice.

I do think that perhaps more awareness should be given about the long term effects of smoking cannabis, as I have seen first hand the problems that can cause to people who have smoked it, but for most people depression, anxiety and other similar problems are not self inflicted.

It would aid people in seeking help too. I never considered autism as my problem because I had a very narrow knowledge of what it was and that wasn't me. It was suggested here as a possibility for my daughter. As I then read about it and learnt more I realised that this was not only her problem, but mine too. Since we've been diagnosed several family members back in the UK have sought and gained a diagnosis. That's what raising awareness does.

But Cailin, many people are very very good at hiding their problems.

Even my MIL really did not have an inkling that my FIL was struggling with his bi-polar until the day he took his own life. None of the family had seen this coming. None of his friends had seen any signs at all.

When my husband had a nervous breakdown, it was much easier to see the signs... harder to convince him that he needed help for quite a while though, but we did get there in the end and thankfully he is much better.

So what I am trying to say is, there is no "one size fits all" checklist. Mental health is a very very difficult area to generalise in.

YANNNNNNBU. No way.

My DH has been ill for varying periods over the last 10 years and it's been hell. It has taken a lot of work to make people understand what it is (we're lucky now in that we have a very good suport network of family and friends who now understand when DH is 'like that') but it took a long time to get the right treatment etc .

But I also think there needs to be more support for 'carers'. Back in the early days when I had no-one to talk to, it was miserable. Used to bottle it up all day then cry in the shower so I kept up a strong front for him. There are more now but back then there was no-one to explain to me what might happen, how I could help and how it might affect me in terms of emotions and frustrations and the sheer worry etc.

As Fred rightly says, campaigns about obesity and smoking can work, because the person has a choice about losing weight, or stopping smoking. Mental health problems are not usually a choice.

Reactions to people who suffer mental health illnesses are a choice though... there is value to them, if it breaks a taboo. A negative reaction to a person suffering from a mental health issue can make the problem worse.

You are not being remotely unreasonable.

I agree many people with MH problems are good at hiding them. But they know themselves how they are feeling so if they can be given the message that they don't have to suffer and that it's ok to seek help then maybe some will do that.

Out of curiosity squeaky, how did become known that your FIL had bi-polar disorder?