Why are so many people struggling with life?

[Letsgetgoing888]

Not just due to covid, but it’s definitely been highlighted more recently....

But in recent years there seem so many more angry people, stressed people, depressed people, people that can’t control their temper, mental health issues, obese kids, obese adults, people who don’t look after themselves or their kids properly...

I know mental health services are woefully inadequate, but generally as a society we are talking more about mental health, provide benefits, charity support, free healthcare and so much more than in the past.

But more people seem to be really struggling in many different ways, health wise, financially, mentally, emotionally. Suicide rates are higher now than in the past (even pre-covid).

Did they have it right in the old days of stiff upper lip? And if not, why are things so much worse now when there is so much more awareness?

@Bluesrunthegame

The mention of obesity in the original post reminded me of something I had noticed at my work. For some reason, many of the women in management jobs that carry a lot of stress look to me as if they have extremely high BMIs. I realise the BMI is a blunt instrument and isn't a good gauge of weight or health. However, it's almost as if for one particular grade, every woman at the grade has a high BMI. I look back years to the start of my career and women then doing managerial or supervisory jobs with a lot of stress smoked like chimneys. I can remember women chain smokers, and offices where the smell of cigarettes was so strong you would smell of smoke all day if you went in.

This has changed, smoking is much more unusual now and is banned in the workplace, I think. So are women in stressful jobs now eating to relieve the stress? And isn't it a shame that rather than dealing with the stress years ago, employers/companies/organisations still put managers under pressure, but today stress relief comes through food rather than nicotine.

I think alcohol as much as food is the culprit. Women just didn’t drink much in the past. ‘Wine o’clock’ and endless talk about Prosecco have normalised a drinking culture for women that never used to be there.

[quote shadypines]**@Tara336* no blood tests were offered, though in all fairness MS wouldn’t have shown up in them anyway* with respect, no it wouldn't but the point is the GP didn't know what was wrong with you. The next patieint in the door with extreme tiredness may have been anaemic or diabetic, which would show up on blood tests. I am not feeling very fair to your GP, sorry!
@Runningdownthathill I agree and don't blame you for feeling jaded. When my DD was 12 I took her to GP with symptoms of pain in her lower leg waking her every night. GP was going to pack her off with some calpol but i insisted on an x ray, was told no need for that....turns out she had a bone tumour.[/quote]
Oh my God!
Reminds me of my daughter going to the doctor when she was a teenager with a persistent cough. The locum sent her off with an inhaler for asthma.
She doesn’t have asthma . He had done no tests at all, just decided she must have asthma. I told her to throw away her prescription.

I'm struggling because my husband had an affair. Now I'm getting divorce. The ow was my best mate and is happily telling everyone what a bitch 8 am. Just got told my middle child is autistic. And probably my youngest. I'm tired. I have health problems. 9 have anxiety and depression.

I'm having a shit year.

SideOrder I can only begin to imagine how awful that accumulation of events must feel. The treachery, the betrayal, and the diagnoses for your children. I can't help properly, but yes, 2020 is never ever going to be memorable for good reasons. I hope 2021 is better. And yes, I know that sounds pathetic.

Would you want your granny's life? I wouldn't.

I would actually - she didn’t have a lot but was always very happy!

I'm so sorry SideOrder. 💐