It's Time to Stop Talking About Mental Illness

If one more mentally healthy, emotionally adjusted person tells me, with a sympathetic, rigour-mortis grin, that it's 'Ok to not be Ok' I will scream. does this sound harsh? Let me go one step further - I do not want to talk about my mental illness anymore. I do not want to talk about mental health anymore. These are discussions which primarily benefit the mentally well, children, and young men who have been conditioned to bottle their emotions to the point that it has become dangerous.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that society as a whole should stop discussing and destigmatizing mental health problems. I'm saying that the discussion is being levelled in the wrong direction. Long-standing depressives like me do not need to be told how to recognize depression. Those suffering from schizophrenia do not need to be told that their illness is real and valid. Those dealing with PTSD, BPD, and suicidal ideation do not need to talk to well-meaning but uninformed co-workers about their symptoms.

We Lack Necessary Resources

People with long-standing, severe, medicated mental illnesses do not need to talk about our problems - we need treatment. We need psychiatrists, medication, support groups, and resources designed to make living easier. And in the UK today, these things are in short supply. Up to 75% of people with diagnosable or diagnosed mental illnesses in England are not getting the treatment that they need, and people with severe mental illnesses are likely to die 15 to 20 years earlier than their counterparts. The people most affected by this are, of course, the most vulnerable. The homeless, LGBTQ+ persons and women from South-East Asian backgrounds are some of the least likely to receive treatment while young men are some of the most at risk of suicide.

Recent information campaigns have decreased stigma and made many people feel that they are ready to seek help. The problem is that they often find there is no help available. The waiting list for psychiatric, or even counselling, services can range from 3 months to 4 years, depending on the severity of the condition and the area in which the individual lives. While a few months may not seem like a long time, it is more than enough time to give up when you're struggling with the desire to die on a daily basis.

So, while I agree that it is important to talk, to listen, and, yes, to 'Be Kind', I don't want to talk about mental illness. I want help, for me and for so many other people across the UK today.

How You Can Actually Help

If you are concerned about someone you love or you are simply sick of the rising rates of suicide around the country you can:

Donate to Mental Health Charities

Mental health charities like Samaritans, the Nightline Association, and Mind often struggle to find enough funding to provide the services which are most needed. While charity would not be needed in an ideal world, we very much rely on organizations like these in the UK.

Donating even small amounts of money to these worthy causes will make a bigger difference than you think!

Volunteer with Suicide Hotlines

If you cannot afford to donate funds, after all, things are tight right now, you can always volunteer your time and skills to help these charities provide help and support to those struggling with mental illness.

Volunteering with a suicide hotline can be harsh on your own mental health, however, so be mindful of that and consider talking to your doctor before you go ahead with that.

Write to Your Local MP

At the end of the day, no amount of charity work can replace well-funded governmental programmes which have skilled and experienced mental health specialists on staff. If you lack such programmes in your area, make the case for one being created to your local council.

If existing resources in your area are under threat, write to your local MP to voice your concerns and your support for these programmes.

Vote Mindfully

If you care about mental health resources and you are concerned about the systemic stripping of the NHS it is important that you keep this in mind come election time.

General elections come only once every 4 years, but the way you vote can make a huge difference. Think about what you stand for and remember to stand up for those who need your support.