**The Mental Health Thread**

[Katie17]

Well, I spoke to an online GP (through private health insurance via work) last week about an eye infection. She picked up on some mental health issues worth an assessment and asked to follow up. In the end she gave me a referral to a psychiatrist for a general assessment and maybe adult ADHD diagnosis. Boy did I get my hopes up of getting somewhere, after feeling listened to like that.

Passed the referral letter to the insurer and they said I have an exclusion on "any investigations and treatment related to psychiatric troubles". I mentioned depression in my original paperwork, though I've never been diagnosed with anything.

So there we go, brick wall. They also refused to cover my referral to an ophthalmologist for further assessment of the eye infection as "A GP should treat this in a primary care setting".

In my experience it's impossible to get a GP appointment, even pre-covid. That was the entire reason I opted for the healthcare scheme!

I feel worse than if I had never spoken to anyone. Proper kick in the teeth.

Hello ! if this is really a problem for you now, can you try to find a doctor online?

 

[RxR]

In an atheistic society its amazing to think everything keeps operating really. More and more in the media and pop culture we now talk about "Mental health" but never really about the elephant in the room, the big picture, our predicament and place in the universe.

For the most part it seems we want to be distracted from reality, I love forgetting, either by placing myself into a narrative or simply by keeping busy and preoccupied.

I think for most people their children are a bit of a relief, their life gets a direction and can basically become about someone else. But of course childhood is short lived, soon the child become an adult with no real purpose and the process usually starts again. For what end nobody wants to talk about. Death isn't the big taboo in society, in my opinion it's life.

I wouldn't say I was depressed, but I'm definitely stoic and indifferent a lot of the time. I've never seen a therapist because I'm fine with myself, but what I would want to talk to one about is how they make peace with the overall predicament. Has anyone ever brought up the big questions with a paid professional? I just can't imagine what they could say? I imagine all their help would simply be about finding more and better ways to distract yourself?

Your safest bet (to perhaps avoid bias) may be to buy and focus your attention on the meaning, value, of the relationships of the screw (which is a 3D fixing / fastening spiral).

 

[DanTheMan]

In an atheistic society its amazing to think everything keeps operating really. More and more in the media and pop culture we now talk about "Mental health" but never really about the elephant in the room, the big picture, our predicament and place in the universe.

For the most part it seems we want to be distracted from reality, I love forgetting, either by placing myself into a narrative or simply by keeping busy and preoccupied.

I think for most people their children are a bit of a relief, their life gets a direction and can basically become about someone else. But of course childhood is short lived, soon the child become an adult with no real purpose and the process usually starts again. For what end nobody wants to talk about. Death isn't the big taboo in society, in my opinion it's life.

I wouldn't say I was depressed, but I'm definitely stoic and indifferent a lot of the time. I've never seen a therapist because I'm fine with myself, but what I would want to talk to one about is how they make peace with the overall predicament. Has anyone ever brought up the big questions with a paid professional? I just can't imagine what they could say? I imagine all their help would simply be about finding more and better ways to distract yourself?

I try and use my 'existential crisis' moments to give myself purpose in life. I used to think 'what's the point?' about most things, whereas now I think 'why the hell not?'.

So many times I'd look at people with hobbies like video gaming, airsoft, chess (anything really) and think what a waste of time. Then I'd go through the motions of going to work and only doing things that I thought would be useful in life whilst having no enthusiasm and purpose. I quickly realised that they were the ones who were doing it right!

If we are so insignificant, we may as well do what makes us happy in the moment more often.

 

[MookJong]

I try and use my 'existential crisis' moments to give myself purpose in life. I used to think 'what's the point?' about most things, whereas now I think 'why the hell not?'.

So many times I'd look at people with hobbies like video gaming, airsoft, chess (anything really) and think what a waste of time. Then I'd go through the motions of going to work and only doing things that I thought would be useful in life whilst having no enthusiasm and purpose. I quickly realised that they were the ones who were doing it right!

If we are so insignificant, we may as well do what makes us happy in the moment more often.

I think my post came over as quite depressive but I actually follow a very similar mindset to you. What I find strange is that nobody talks about it, not once have I ever heard someone talk about existential crisis on TV or radio other than a fleeting joking way. It is taboo and as I said earlier it is often now masked or labelled as "Mental health". But the fact is being completely rational leads to the crisis, it is actually the sane mind that has to find a way to live with it.

It reminds me of "the game" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Game_(mind_game) that old internet meme where you don't relaise your playing the game until you see it mentioned and then you've lost and have to try and forget again (sorry for just making you lose). Staying distracted is basically the only answer you just have to enjoy the days you don't remember and focus on the twee if necessary.

I sometimes wonder if it would be better to have been born in the past with a devout religious belief or to be in the modern age with the delights of amazing food, jet travel and existential crisis. We are certainly blessed with experiences and possibilities to fill our time like nobody before. That is what gets me through in part and just the interest of seeing what happens next in the world. But with cynicism and individualism replacing religion or nationalism it does somewhat seem like the end of history.

 

[Bassmansam]

In an atheistic society its amazing to think everything keeps operating really. More and more in the media and pop culture we now talk about "Mental health" but never really about the elephant in the room, the big picture, our predicament and place in the universe.



For the most part it seems we want to be distracted from reality, I love forgetting, either by placing myself into a narrative or simply by keeping busy and preoccupied.

I think for most people their children are a bit of a relief, their life gets a direction and can basically become about someone else. But of course childhood is short lived, soon the child become an adult with no real purpose and the process usually starts again. For what end nobody wants to talk about. Death isn't the big taboo in society, in my opinion it's life.

I wouldn't say I was depressed, but I'm definitely stoic and indifferent a lot of the time. I've never seen a therapist because I'm fine with myself, but what I would want to talk to one about is how they make peace with the overall predicament. Has anyone ever brought up the big questions with a paid professional? I just can't imagine what they could say? I imagine all their help would simply be about finding more and better ways to distract yourself?

I have always thought the same with regards to the having kids thing. I just don’t see the point, i would have to really cut down time spent on hobbies if i had kids and i don’t really want to do that.

 

[R.P.L]

But the fact is being completely rational leads to the crisis, it is actually the sane mind that has to find a way to live with it.

Ignorance is bliss, as they say

I have always thought the same with regards to the having kids thing. I just don’t see the point, i would have to really cut down time spent on hobbies if i had kids and i don’t really want to do that.

I kind of get the desire to have a family although it's certainly not a priority for me as it is for a lot of people, but I've always thought that I'd have to make my millions first so that I had a lot of leeway to continue doing what I wanted. Having to survive with only a boring family car for example does not sound like my idea of fun, same as both people in the relationship having to work whilst raising a family. Sod that

 

[neviditelny]

@RxR Out of curiousity, do you work in the mental health field? If so, would you mind if I ask you some questions?

 

[Bassmansam]

Ignorance is bliss, as they say



I kind of get the desire to have a family although it's certainly not a priority for me as it is for a lot of people, but I've always thought that I'd have to make my millions first so that I had a lot of leeway to continue doing what I wanted. Having to survive with only a boring family car for example does not sound like my idea of fun, same as both people in the relationship having to work whilst raising a family. Sod that

Yeah absolutely, if i had enough money that i didn’t have to work i would have kids sure. Not going to have them if it makes life a struggle though, no sirrreeeeee.

 

[sigma]

I think my post came over as quite depressive but I actually follow a very similar mindset to you. What I find strange is that nobody talks about it, not once have I ever heard someone talk about existential crisis on TV or radio other than a fleeting joking way. It is taboo and as I said earlier it is often now masked or labelled as "Mental health". But the fact is being completely rational leads to the crisis, it is actually the sane mind that has to find a way to live with it.

It reminds me of "the game" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Game_(mind_game) that old internet meme where you don't relaise your playing the game until you see it mentioned and then you've lost and have to try and forget again (sorry for just making you lose). Staying distracted is basically the only answer you just have to enjoy the days you don't remember and focus on the twee if necessary.

I sometimes wonder if it would be better to have been born in the past with a devout religious belief or to be in the modern age with the delights of amazing food, jet travel and existential crisis. We are certainly blessed with experiences and possibilities to fill our time like nobody before. That is what gets me through in part and just the interest of seeing what happens next in the world. But with cynicism and individualism replacing religion or nationalism it does somewhat seem like the end of history.

I get what you mean as far as discussing in open/public but philosophy covers this all in a lot of detail as do quite a few podcasts.

Regarding 'professional' opinions, in my experience it's not about distracting oneself but more about a) trying to accept things (especially those things that don't have answers) b) not dwelling on things beyond your control. I don't think pushing thoughts away or coming up with distractions is encouraged. Also, there's nothing to say you can't talk to a 'professional' they're not just for people who are having breakdowns.

 

[RxR]

@RxR Out of curiousity, do you work in the mental health field? If so, would you mind if I ask you some questions?

Whether I can potentially answer your question depends on which subdiscipline of behaviour a competent answer requires.

What is your question? Or ask via the forum private msg ui.

Btw, I note you have plenty of NHS contacts, so if it is a health matter, you'd likely be better off using your existing network (since I do only refer therapeutic queries to therapists, as a matter of professional ethics). If your question is research based however, I might be able to point you at some useful resources.

 

[RxR]

@MookJong, Re. Post 1605

I quite agree that your choice of religion as the solution for your solipsist predicament (virtual machine paranoia / the dim Plato's Cave argument) will be instructive. There is method in every madness, and certainly an adaptive intelligence in religion.

You seem to be a Christian (actual or intending), if I am not mistaken, from your choice of words. Therefore, to be consistent (by the words of your chosen teacher), do you agree with his statement that: Time is the only enemy?

Or, as Shakespeare put it: Time makes fools of all.

 

[neviditelny]

Whether I can potentially answer your question depends on which subdiscipline of behaviour a competent answer requires.

What is your question? Or ask via the forum private msg ui.

Btw, I note you have plenty of NHS contacts, so if it is a health matter, you'd likely be better off using your existing network (since I do only refer therapeutic queries to therapists, as a matter of professional ethics). If your question is research based however, I might be able to point you at some useful resources.

It is no questions in regarding of health matters but more of a career matter

 

[RxR]

It is no questions in regarding of health matters but more of a career matter

Oh, I have less experience in that than many of the forum members. Have you posted (or looked) in the careers subforum? There's lots of fine advice on careers in there given by members.

 

[neviditelny]

Oh, I have less experience in that than many of the forum members. Have you posted (or looked) in the careers subforum? There's lots of fine advice on careers in there given by members.

It's a bit about that I'm looking into doing a degree in psychology and looking for people in the field that can offer valuable viewpoints from different areas in the field.

 

[MookJong]

@MookJong, Re. Post 1605

I quite agree that your choice of religion as the solution for your solipsist predicament (virtual machine paranoia / the dim Plato's Cave argument) will be instructive. There is method in every madness, and certainly an adaptive intelligence in religion.

You seem to be a Christian (actual or intending), if I am not mistaken, from your choice of words. Therefore, to be consistent (by the words of your chosen teacher), do you agree with his statement that: Time is the only enemy?

Or, as Shakespeare put it: Time makes fools of all.

I'm not a Christian but went to a very Christian school and I do have a love for traditional Western society and how it was influenced by the ideals. I would say I am an atheist but if had to be pushed in a direction Pantheism is the only theory that I can sit with. I.e. the universe it's self is god and everything that happens inside are expressions of it. The idea of God as a separate overseeing entity as depicted in the Abrahamic religions doesn't work for me. I agree with the Gnostic outlook that a god as depicted in the Bible would be an insane or flawed being indeed.

There is some comfort to realising that you don't really exist, you are just an amalgamation of the experiences recorded by the neurons inside your head. But knowing this also destroys the enjoyment of things, do I love my wife or do I just think I love my wife? We see people have a car accident, get a knock on the head and suddenly their character completely changes. Watching someone go through dementia and become someone else makes you question if the person you knew was ever really there to begin with?

The Buddhists certainly have it right in that everything is temporal and fleeting and so trying to grasp onto anything just causes pain. But following that rule has always made me head towards indifference and avoiding deep connections to anything. "Go with the flow" and submitting certainly takes a weight off but it can also mean simply drifting and living out your days.

"Time is the only enemy", well if the science is correct that is certainly true for the universe and everything in it.

Back to the rise in mental health, well the whole YOLO culture and pace of life I think really puts pressure on people and makes those of use prone to existential crisis become hyper alerted. There is so much more pressure on achieving, making sure you "do it all" now and for women of course to "go out and get it". The whole empowerment culture I think is part of the problem. As posted above, the idea that you and your wife have full time careers and bring up a family doesn't sit well. A slower more local pace of life does make more sense than bringing children into the global rat race.

Society asking "so why are we doing all this again?" would definitely help reconnect us with something I think we could be quickly losing.

 

[RxR]

It's a bit about that I'm looking into doing a degree in psychology and looking for people in the field that can offer valuable viewpoints from different areas in the field.

It is a challenging field, if you are up to it / for it. However, this thread is not the place for such a field-talk discussion.

By the same token, I consider MookJong's philosophical and political problem and proposed solution promotion (eg. more nationalism, less empowerment = further reducing individuals' control over their private affairs) to be more suited to Speakers Corner, notwithstanding his identity conflict (eg. simultaneously claiming to be an athiest while clearly stating his theism).

 

[MOOGLEYS]

Having a nightmare at the moment with my endocrinologist wanting to change me from prednisolone 4mg to Hydrocortisone 20mg. I have explained how sensitive my mental health is when changing drugs or even small dose changes and even brands. I have said I want to remain on prednisolone for the time being as things are fairly stable at the moment and I don’t feel ready to change. As I have a dependence on steroids due to my adrenal glands not working properly it makes little difference which steroid I take. Even the endocrine charity helpline say it seems strange to change if steady. Tbh the only difference is Hydrocortisone is 20x the price of prednisolone so no idea why he is so keen to swap me.

The stress of trying to get in touch with doctors and get prescriptions changed back is making my anxiety flare and I keep panicking about not having the drugs I need and being forced into something I’m not happy with.

It does not help that you cannot actually speak to anyone just leave messages that do not seem to get replied too. Not very helpful when you have anxiety.

 

[neviditelny]

It is a challenging field, if you are up to it / for it. However, this thread is not the place for such a field-talk discussion.

By the same token, I consider MookJong's philosophical and political problem and proposed solution promotion (eg. more nationalism, less empowerment = further reducing individuals' control over their private affairs) to be more suited to Speakers Corner, notwithstanding his identity conflict (eg. simultaneously claiming to be an athiest while clearly stating his theism).

Would it be ok if I messaged you on Trust?

 

[RockLobster]

It's a bit about that I'm looking into doing a degree in psychology and looking for people in the field that can offer valuable viewpoints from different areas in the field.

My wife is a Clinical Psychologist happy to field her some questions.

 

[neviditelny]

My wife is a Clinical Psychologist happy to field her some questions.

That would be wonderful! That is one of the long term plans I'm looking into. Would be a tough way there though as I'm in my late 30's now.