Activism for mental health

[AnxiousMunchkin]

I try and support mental health charities (Samaritans, Mind) and campaigns (Time to Talk), but after reading the latest news about the increase in unexpected deaths of mental health patients, and widespread cutting back of mental health services leading to reduced availability of support/treatment and what there is is often insufficient and not appropriately specialised. I'm feeling like I want to do more but I'm not sure how. I guess write to my MP, but what do I write? What am I asking for?

Are there any other mental health charities campaigning on this with directions on what individuals can do? A lot of charity work feels like fire fighting - trying to provide additional services and support etc, rather than lobbying for whole scale change in a meaningful way, unless I'm missing something.

This is what has upset me tonight www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38852420, especially the government claiming it's a statistical glitch rather than more people dying, and disputing figures rather than expressing deep concern that there are such a high level of unexpected deaths in the first place, let alone an increase. People are dying and they haven't been properly supported with or treated for their mental health concerns. And it could be any of us, or any of our loved ones, that could be affected.

That's government for you. They will do anything other than acknowledge when they are making a complete bollocks of everything. At the risk of getting political, I suspect it is part of the appeal of Mr Trump.

As to your question, I don't know. It is like fighting with a glacia.

I've also been thinking about mental health activism recently and don't know what to do about it.

I think charities like the Samaritans, Mind and Time to Talk are very positive indeed, but it would be great if people with mental health issues could take some kind of direct action.

I guess that writing to your MP would be a good start, but these things need to be large-scale and organised.

I agree about the lack of activism.

I've previously been politically active (as in organising stuff)…but when I'm unwell I can't do it. Also, there is the worry about future employers seeing you- stigma is very real. It is a worry.

NHS person quoted is bullshitting. Suicide is under reported if anything- coroners have to be completely sure the person meant to take their life. As for it decreasing in MH inpatient units- is that simply because there are less beds and suicidal people aren't put in them?

An NHS spokesperson, said: "The statistics on suicide are clear: for the last decade the suicide rate amongst people in mental health services has been falling, by more than 30% since 2004, most clearly in inpatient services and more recently in community services.

Interesting. I wonder if this indicates they don't count deaths of people not in services, but who porbably should have been/tried to get help?

I don't know if you support your local Mind, or 'big Mind'?

If it's the local one, then 'Big Mind' are a campaigning organisation, working at a national level, that you might want to consider supporting separately. (Local Mind organisations are independent charities and pay a fee to 'Big Mind' to get to use the label and branding.)