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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be irritated by mental health awareness week and general social media campaigns.

4 replies

Embracethechaos · 17/05/2018 19:57

OK I'll start my saying myself and family members have mental health issues... But not suicide, I'm not going to go into details.

The campaigns I read on Facebook are mostly just lots of the same stories, personal struggles with anxiety and depression and how it was overcome. You only need to read the headlines to know suiside is a hot topic, with celebrity cases.

I think it is important to raise awareness but social media campaigns often just seem to spread ignorance by simplifying the issue and everyone can relate to it, think they are informed and not actually take the time to talk to people face to face.

I'm trying to spend less time on Facebook as its not good for my mental health and its ironic that these campaigns are all over my feed when there is research coming out showing social media is a big cause.

I also found out its epilepsy awareness week, a common but often hidden disability/illness that a number of my friends and family have. I shared a link this morning, but no responses.

It's simular to all the stuff I see about autism esspesally after a relatives child was diagnosed. It's often posted by parents not actually autistic people so doesn't give an accurate picture.

I'm a high intelligence dyslexic (diagnosed at university) so wrote a post on dyslexia during dyslexia week as I saw no other dyslexia posts about how it effects me as an adult, rather than the well understood childhood struggles of learning to read write. I got some positive comments from people who work with children.

Am I the only one who doesn't like mental health awareness week? I just think it's too vague and people jump on the bandwagon. It's good if it raises awareness of services and charities but mostly it just makes me more aware that I have a diagnosed mental illness when I really just popped on to see friends and relatives... I need to quit social media I think, I did for a bit, it was nice but I missed pictures of kids in my family...

OP posts:
Sosogoodagain · 17/05/2018 20:09

YABabitU - i believe these #weeks are arranged to down to fundraise; raised profile=increased donations.

I totally get where you are coming from in that there is awareness and then there's virtue signalling, waffle, competitive suffering (at times) and then some. (that's the 'masses' for you and very much symptomatic of Social media)

I have had times in my life when i have suffered anxiety, mild depression and i fecking hated it. I have had a lot of help but, in addition, i have helped myself a lot - probably because i am stubborn and i have been lucky to be able to find the tiniest sliver of hope in my very darkest hours.

There is a real risk of issues mushrooming on social media and mental health is absolutely one of those. Ill probably get flamed for saying that but its my observation based on personal and observed experiences. Yin/Yang, if you like

Shrodingerslion · 17/05/2018 20:16

but mostly it just makes me more aware that I have a diagnosed mental illness when I really just popped on to see friends and relatives..

I think that is the problem with a lot of Facebook posts though. It could apply to anything that is personal to you that isn’t a pleasant thing.

BexConnor · 17/05/2018 20:19

I haven't seen the social media campaigns you're referring to so I don't know how these are presented but I think YABalittleU to be irritated by Mental Health Awareness Week as a whole. If it raises awareness for the charities and encourages support for people who might be struggling this is surely a good thing.

It's quite stunning how many people still don't really understand depression for example and think you can just 'cheer up' and 'get over it.'

Jammydodger81 · 17/05/2018 20:24

I think Yabu. I’m sorry it’s difficult for you OP. Mental health issues are a massive taboo, people don’t like to talk about it and anything saying ‘you’re not alone’ to someone who is suffering in silence right now can only be a good thing.

I’m a trained mental health first aider and the trainer got us all to talk about our experiences of mental illness. Everyone had something to add. It just showed how wide spread it is and how little it’s talked about. Early in her career she dealt with people who had been locked away for life instead of treated. It’s great we’ve moved away from that approach but we still have so far to go.

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