Friday 15 April 2011

Mental Health

M is for Mental Health and I think this post my divide opinion but im going to speak my mind because thats what I do.

This week it was revealed that Catherine Zeta Jones was receiving treatment for Bipolar disorder after her husband had been treated for throat cancer.  Now, I first of all want to make it clear that I sympathise with her 100%, watching the person you love most in the world going through such a terrible illness is heartbreaking.  You feel lost, totally out of control and helpless, although that is probably an understatement.  It is enough to make anyone crumble, I know I did.

I beat myself up about taking my "happy pills", I felt like a failure because Rich was coping so why shouldnt I?  I slowly crumbled and it was like I was sat outside the window, looking in on a life that wasnt mine.  If it wasnt for the support of my lovely ladies then I would never have taken that step to get treatment.  It helped big time and I feel more balanced and able to cope, I can see now that it was the right thing to do.

So thats why I can see why Catherine has gone through what she has BUT and there is a but, I dislike the way all this media attention is focused on how brave she is for signing into a top clinic and getting help.  Now dont get me wrong, it does take a brave woman to admit there is a problem and to get help but just because she is famous and loaded does not make her any more brave then the hundreds of "everyday" women out there that struggle with depression.  No one publishes their story and congratulates them on being brave.
The only thing this story has achieved (if anything at all) is to highlight the fact that mental health issues do not just effect us normal people, but also the rich and famous.  Depression does not care about money and status but if you have the money and the status then you are almost certainly going to stand a better chance of recovery than those who have to rely on people caring enough to help.

5 comments:

  1. I totally agree with your statement 'Now dont get me wrong, it does take a brave woman to admit there is a problem and to get help but just because she is famous and loaded does not make her any more brave then the hundreds of "everyday" women out there that struggle with depression. No one publishes their story and congratulates them on being brave'
    There are so many 'heroess' around us which no one takes notice of! Great post!

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  2. Oh I truly hear you. I came to your blog via the A-Z Challenge but feel I should post this comment as the mom of a child with cancer. A few of my recent posts have been about how I am crumbling, my older son is crumbling, and my cancer son is brave beyond words and sick of being different!
    Much love and hugs...

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  3. Well I felt sad for all what happened. The system should must be changed over all. We all try to change all this non serious setup. 

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  4. As a healthcare worker, I get irritated at the fact that everyone that goes to the Dr tends to be labeled with multiple diagnoses. I said irritated because I think there is a tendency to label patients. Depression, Bipolar, Anxiety... seems like I see more and more people with those Dx. And of course, they are put on a lot of meds--Sometimes I wonder about the role of pharmaceutical companies on all of this...

    Great post!

    Doris

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  5. Hi, I came to your blog after you posted on mine about Race for Life. Then I spotted this post... I've just posted something about mental health myself. It's great how honest you are (on your blog in its entirety, not just this post) and I think that shows a great amount of strength and courage.
    Good luck for the Race for Life! x

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