I enjoyed the details Jessica gets into, because, as I’ve said many times, when we start to say these things, and believe these things, it’s a short jump to full-on victim blaming, and that should also be a clue that you are in the wrong when you suggest these things.That should also help you understand what we mean when we talk about Toxic Positivity. Because these phrases are classic examples.
This is such a powerful part of this article, that I wanted to share it.
How does this manifest over time in terms of our identity? Depression is not something that just disrupts our lives—it can change how we see ourselves as people. Let’s start with experiences and resulting connections that never happen because of our depression. Maybe we don’t have the energy to see a new band when they play a show in our town—so we don’t have what could have been a magical life-altering experience of discovering our favorite band. And our identity also becomes connected with helplessness. We don’t naturally assume we are someone who can “make things happen” and plan for the future, because we can’t be sure depression won’t severely undermine our life goals.
The Commission report is, obviously, based on what was found in the UK. I have little doubt that similar realities exist in just about every country. And, just about every country can look not just at this overview, but also some of the more detailed information and recommendations from the PDF and find relevant information.
To be honest, this overview sounds a lot like what I’ve read from various sources about the US system as well, and it’s about time we started thinking about what support for mental health looks like in our own communities.
I can’t remember the last time I had many of those little incidental interactions. Once upon a time they were frequent, multiple times a day. Now?
Yeah, not as much. which is why we need to try and create some of these interactions, even if they can’t always be in person. A few texts back and forth, a quick call, a chat with coworkers on our messaging platform, laughter with the people you do see, etc.
I miss the interactions I used to have, there’s no doubt about that, but I am trying, not always successfully, to make sure I still manage to create some. I know how vital that connectedness is for my own mental health.
I also know I’m not alone in that.
I share this article not to pick on India, or Kerala, but because that number, 17 percent, means there are a lot of male victims out there. If we assume, and I know we can, that only a small percentage of victims ever report, that’s a whole lot of victims, who may believe that, because of their gender, they cannot possibly be victims.
This is a resource put together specifically by the NHS for people to help deal with the COVID-19 lockdown, but I think quite a few of the articles and informational guides would be helpful for anyone this year. It’s all about looking after your mental health under trying circumstances, so even if you live in…
