An engaging piece from Tim, our resident guest author. When I first read this, for me it brought up the ‘conditional’ kiss – the “Right, I’ve kissed you, now kiss me.” attitude that is prevalent. What thoughts and emotions does this bring to the fore – for you?
I love that line. I love the song. I had no idea it came from the musical of Whistle Down the Wind, a movie I felt was dreadful. I love this version by Meat Loaf.
Over the years, many parents have approached me asking for advice, or asking me to meet with their young one as they are concerned about their mental health. So, this is a very welcome piece from Shamir Patel who is a registered pharmacist with extensive experience in running independent high street pharmacies across the north west of England. Shamir also established Chemist 4 U way back in 2001, which is now one of the largest digital pharmacies in the UK.
Mental health is a prevalent problem in society. We recently carried out a study into antidepressants, from which we found that as many as 28% of the population identify as having a mental health condition. That’s huge.
The State of Mental Health in the UK
The disorders suffered by respondents included body dysmorphia, SAD, bipolar and many more besides, but the two main conditions identified were depression and anxiety. 68% of UK based respondents, with mental health conditions, suffered from depression and a further 59% also said they had anxiety. While all this was entirely shocking and arguably devastating to see, perhaps the most surprising element of our study was what was uncovered when researching into the ages of those struggling with their mental health. [Read more…]
In our second piece supporting Mental Health Awareness Week, we welcome Shahid Miah (Director of DPP Business & Tax) who over the years, has acted for a number of high-profile individuals, is recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners successfully defending company directors and professionals charged with serious fraud.
Brown Envelope Anxiety is a colloquial term used to describe the fear that can be induced when you receive communications from the likes of HMRC, which are of course, almost always in a brown envelope. Now, more than ever, is the best time of the year to bring attention to this condition, as around this period is typically the time that individuals are more likely to receive a brown envelope from HMRC through their letterbox. [Read more…]
As a business owner, I know only too well how important it is to keep an eye on one’s mental health. To support Mental Health Awareness Week, David, a Franchise Recruitment Manager from Rainbow International, shares some of his insights – demonstrating his passion to help potential business owners decide whether this route is right for them and helping match up potential franchisees with their dream opportunities.
I work with several business owners in franchise recruitment and I notice one common thing – they are all very tough, and very strong-willed individuals. Stereotypically, most tend not to entertain the assumption that they might be suffering from mental health issues under that hard exterior. However, running a business and the stresses that come with it, can be very trying at times. Owning a business is noted as one of the most rewarding jobs there is, but it doesn’t come without its challenges.
We welcome Jesse Frank, an advocate for children’s online safety and digital parenting whose personal mission is to help and increase awareness for us to become better digital citizens. Jesse is also a creative content manager at KidGuard and here shares his knowledge to help parents create a healthy digital family environment.
Since the use of social media has increased exponentially among adults, so too has the use of social media grown among teenagers. So much so, in fact, that the number of teenage users has surpassed the number of adult users. Hence, parents are worried about what their children might be seeing online, especially since they often spend inordinate amounts of time on their computer and/or smartphone. [Read more…]
I ‘tweeted’ and Tim wrote…
I make no apology that this piece is about gay men. A gay man annoyed the bejasus out of me this morning. Since I am also a gay man, I found an immediate rant coming on. Now, you know I write pieces here when I’m angry… In the wee small hours today [25 February 2019], on Twitter, Bob sent this tweet. I am not angry at Bob.
We welcome Louise Fraser from DPP Law who guides us through the subject of discrimination of those dealing with PTSD – what constitutes discrimination, what to do and the steps you can take.
As anyone who struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will know, the condition itself provides enough challenges without additional troubling issues being created by individuals who refuse to take the steps required to understand it, or support those who suffer from it. In the worst cases, those living with PTSD will experience discrimination that not only makes day to day life difficult, but also exacerbates symptoms of the condition, creating a vicious cycle.
So, what should you do if you face discrimination at work, or in any other part of life, as the result of a diagnosis of PTSD? [Read more…]
How do we commemorate Tim, our resident guest writer, sharing his family history, relationships and feelings for the last five years? By asking him to share more with us.
Actually, I prefer the sub-title, Halfway Between Flying and Crying, because that is how I have felt all my life, that I have been halfway between the exhilaration of flying and being in tears of despair. I don’t mean the flying to be inside a plane. I think of it as just me, flying, as in a dream. What am I talking about? Don’t worry, I’ll get to it. I’m working up to it in my head. You don’t seriously think these pieces are planned, do you?
That ‘flying’ thing – you know I’m weird already, if you’ve read the pieces I’ve penned for Bob before.
No, not weird. Angry. Somehow unfulfilled. Seeking the thing that is just around the corner, the thing I can’t see, the thing that, if I catch a glimpse of it, runs away on silent feet. [Read more…]
We welcome Beth from BooksNest sharing her personal experience of having obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and the stigma surrounding mental health issues within the workplace.
In 2019, we hope that we can be more open and honest about our mental health. We hope that terms like depression, anxiety and OCD hold less of a stigma around them. But is this really how mental health is being perceived or are we still experiencing prejudicial thoughts in the workplace? [Read more…]
Other than using the Rewind Technique, which I have found to be the kindest treatment for dealing with symptoms associated with traumatic events, there are many other treatments and activities which can help alleviate the symptoms a sufferer is experiencing. Here, Robert Johnson guides us briefly through what PTSD is and some of the options available to those living with the symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex-PTSD (cPTSD).
As we know, life consists of ups and downs which we overcome daily. When we think about any type of mental disorder, just think of the ‘many more’ ups and downs that those people need to deal with. For PTSD, the battle with fear and anxiety is a long one and can last the whole day. It can also continue through the night when the reliving of the events is frequent. In order to understand PTSD, it is important to have it defined before proceeding. [Read more…]
