BBC In the mind season

[howcanikeepdoingthis]

Has anyone watched the programmes so far?

The bravery of those who have shared their dark and desperate times is astonishing. However I am really disappointed with the very one sided medical approach that has been peddled so far. If the aim is to reduce stigma I feel the bbc are letting service users down by not discussing other models, approaches and treatments. Its about 20 years outdated. Nothing diminishes hope like being told your condition is life long especially as that is now widely discredited. People can and do recover.

I have had depression, anxiety, OCD and low self esteem since Iwas 15, i am now 43 and still suffer from all of those things. When I was first ill my mum took me several times to my GP who promptly told her it was just a phase I was going through and would just grow out of it. My parents persevered with other doctors and after about 3 months of constant crying, not eating, self harm and staying in the house I was finally seen by a child psychiatrist and began receiving proper treatment. I was also put on antidepressants by the GP and my parents and apart from 6 months of my life I have been on the ever since. As you can imagine trying to explain to your 15 year old friends and classmates that I had a mental illness was met with a lot of stigma, name calling, people avoiding you including friends and lots of nasty rumours being spread about you, all because no one can see your illness in your head. If you have a broken arm or leg people can see whats wrong with you but people are afraid of what they can't see or understand. I now have 3 children of my own and I pray to god that they do not follow in my footsteps but if they do I would hope and pray that they would receive treatment quicker than I did and that people nowadays would be far more compassionate and understanding towards them. Mental health has been pushed aside and ignored for far too long and its good that the BBC are doing this season on raising awareness of this terrible illness, because at the end of the day it can happen to anyone at any time, and we need to start tackling it quickly and efficiently like other illnesses are.

Lisajo I'm sorry you have had a tough time over so many years. It must be really difficult for you. Mental distress is an awful thing to live with and I absolutely agree the BBC are doing a good thing raising the profile. However by only promoting the medical model of mental illness, I think they are doing us a dis service. It is widely believed that mental illness isn't the same as physical illness and can be hugely influenced by psychological and social factors. Its also known that many thongs can help and medication is not always the answer. In my experience it was much more helpful to be asked what has happened to you rather than what is wrong with you. Getting a diagnosis of bipolar, spending months in hospital, taking countless medications has certainly not helped me. There is lots of good work going on around a different approach to mental health. People are seen as individuals not as a diagnosis and helped to achieve the goals they deem important. I'm not in any way trying to diminish what you have been through but the bbc have only provided a very narrow view of mental health and I am hugely disappointed.