Tony Blair says we need a national conversation about MH as its costing too much

[B0xes]

Tony Blair said recently on Jimmy's Jobs of the Future Podcast (clip available on youtube) that we need to have a national conversation about mental health. Why are we spending so much on it. Why are people self diagnosing. He believes people are being encouraged to view everyday challenges we all face as mental health issues.

Is he being unreasonable? In one sense, I'm inclined to agree to an extent, in the other, I believe he led the charge for so many of the social changes that have made us less resilient and many of these issues are due to individualism which led to atomisation and loneliness and being encouraged to see the market as the entity that fulfills our needs rather than strong families and robust social networks.

YABU - Blair can do one.

YANBU - He might have a point

That’s good to know. My job is done! Guess I, and my colleagues, can kick back at work. Oh actually perhaps I’ll be looking for a new job. Sad times!

Being on the front lines in Ukraine requires bravery, attending Uni does not.

I was referring to the majority, not the minority. Your son may be in the minority, I have no idea.

But the vast majority of self diagnosed ADHD, anxiety, ASD, depression is just nonsense.

Presumably if you are earning 36,000 or less you are still buying stuff. In fact I imagine most of your income at this amount or less, you will be used to buy stuff with as you probably won't be saving alot. So you'll therefore be contributing by paying VAT, plus the fact you are contributing financially to the business that produces the stuff you are buying, who presumably will be paying tax.. , just like anyone earning over this amount. You may also be renting so will be contributing financially. You will be also working so contributing your time to make someone else money ( unless you work in public sector ) so to suggest that anyone earning less than this isn't contributing financially and this will lead to us all being " fucked" is a bit odd.

Can't believe I'm gonna say this.

I fucking hate him, but he's right. I listened to the article here it's a short statement

We have tons of people who do need genuine help, but we also have people who really just refuse to face any difficulties whatsoever. He's not talking about major mental illnesses, he's talking about stuff that can be managed with self soothing techniques etc.

He is a piece of shit, but he can be a piece of shit and right about this. It's not one or the other.

Precisely this!

That’s a really lovely comment, I’m sure the 20% of working PIP recipients (who likely struggle considerably) really appreciate being labelled as “out of work”.
The criteria for PIP is non means tested.

👏🏻

I would 100% support taking the Internet down for maybe a year , just to see what difference...if any , it makes to our young generation.

“I would assume that resilience comes from having enough self-worth to be able to demand that the outcomes and goals you choose should be fulfilled - I'm talking about the reasonable ones of course - so a decent job, a home, a stable family life.”
no. This isn’t resilience. Resilience is the ability to ‘deal with’ things that aren’t ideal.

Eg. At school you might have to present to the class. The vast majority of kids don’t want to do that and it makes them anxious. So you can either have a go and accept it won’t be fun, and you might be rubbish and embarrassed but the world won’t end. it helps with ‘real life’ where there are some things you don’t get to choose. Like in most jobs.

Or nowadays, you have a note that says your ‘anxiety’ is too severe so you shouldn’t attempt it. So you don’t. So you learn nothing as nothing is allowed to challenge you in case it’s too much. This isn’t helpful for ANYONE

I politely disagree. Teaching a ND child how to interact successfully with the world creates a happy self sufficient adult. Accepting that learning these skills will be harder for them is part of it - life isn’t fair.
Teaching a ND child that the world has to change for them, that they can behave as they please and opt in and out of every part life as they wish leads to unhappy isolated young adults (usually codependent in their enabler parent)

They should put more money into therapies for those with MH issues rather than paying them hundreds a month in PIP etc.

Doesn’t matter what it’s been labelled as the facts are 5 out of 6 claimants don’t work in any capacity

are you saying that isn’t true?

Have a look at the immigration statistics on legal immigration since Rishi Sunak was in office and visa changes were implemented in 2021.

When Blair was in office British citizens could actually live anywhere we liked in the EU if we wanted to, and citizens of EU countries could come here, but sometimes just for a short time and then they would go home again.

Nowadays most legal immigration is from Asia not Europe and people come to stay for good and bring their families over.

Net migration is now over 800,000. In the Blair years it averaged around 200,000.

Yes, I have been stressed and anxious, nervous and even depressed. And NOTHING happened, I went on with my life and those feelings went away.

People who have a chemical imbalance need medical care, they have a GENUINE medical condition. Most people who say they have "mental health" issues don't have any medical condition.

Maybe the voucher idea is a good one. If it’s a mental health claim then you get targeted therapy via vouchers, and the rest can be traded for food / heating / clothing etc. not cigarettes, alcohol, vapes and the like.

Dysfunction is also big business as solutions cost. Medications, assessments, professional expertise, support all raises revenue for someone or other.

So we are persuaded the problem might be due to a dysfunction that requires any or all of the above.

Reasonable adjustments are not usually very popular...

I don't think anyone is saying that any child is being taught the world should change for them. But teaching a child that the only option is to change does lead to very unhappy, damaged adults. There are a lot of us out there. I look back and know my life would have been SO different if there had been the slightest understanding of my "quirks". It would have saved me from so so much pain - and saved the NHS a small fortune!

I am not sure why you are arguing with facts. I am saying that the criteria state it is not an out of work benefit which means people in work are eligible. It is non means tested.

Eligibility is not related to ability to work, and it's not means tested. People frequently get confused between PIP and the ESA element of Universal Credit.

Again, it makes no difference to what I’m saying.

a cake could be labelled as ‘healthy’ because it has 1% fruit in it, doesn’t make it a wholly ‘healthy’ cake does it!

label Pip however you like but the vast majority (5 in 6) claimants aren’t in ANY paid work.

not sure why that’s so hard to grasp!

You expect therapists to accept vouchers?

Not only that, kids are on PIP too (but it is DLA). Many go from DLA, to PIP once they hit adulthood.

Mental health services are overwhelmed with people who have diagnosed medical conditions. They prematurely discharge too many people to primary care due to the pressures. So, where are you getting your information from?

No idea what you are trying to say.

Why would your "job be done" ?

I agree with him.

It must be very offensive to people with genuine, diagnosed MH issues, to hear others constantly complaining about their poor MH, and using it as an excuse to avoid everyday life challenges.

We used to say ‘I feel a bit down today’, ‘I’m worrying about the bills this winter’ or ‘I’m a bit anxious about starting a new job’. All normal parts of adult life. Now it’s all ‘my mental health is poor - I need therapy/medication/sick leave from work etc.

Sometimes I feel that people are unable to solve their own issues. They need others to give them solutions. Life can be difficult for many, but by building resilience, life can become easier.