Post by Deleted on May 7, 2020 17:18:36 GMT
Have noticed that since this virus took hold of the world and its attention, a sudden sea change in attitudes towards certain mental disorders has taken place. Now OCD sufferers are perfectly acceptable. Because of course, everyone with OCD has issues with cleanliness and hygiene. Apart from me that is, and probably millions of others who suffer from the condition to some degree. But that's not the point of this post.
It strikes me that it would be helpful to be obsessively clean during this time; after all it can be a minefield, working out what you have touched and who might have touched it beforehand; remembering not to touch your face AND where your hands have been at all times. Had a moment recently where I touched a traffic lights button and stressed over who had had their fingers on it prior to mine. If I had cleanliness related OCD I might be more aware of where I was putting my hands. But I don't doubt for a minute that this situation isn't actually a blessing for anyone already worked up about hygiene. Is more likely that the obsessions and compulsions have cranked up extra gears. Would be interesting to know if this isn't the case for anyone who regularly suffers in this way, or if the whole social isolation and care with cleanliness is a breeze. Anyone I know who deals with this daily is finding it harder, or at breaking point. Suddenly I understand from personal experience the added horror of what too much sanitiser/handwash does to your skin. This is something sufferers of obsessive hygiene habits know only too well.
Certainly it can't be bad from a stigma perspective that everyone has to be 'a bit OCD' at the moment. Or can it? OCD isn't the same as being overly clean. It's an obsessive fear of something happening if one does not carry out the compulsions which takes over a person's life. Most of us are just being careful. This is not the same thing and it might do more harm than good, if people think they are being 'a bit OCD'. Because they probably won't find it that hard to do and will be able to go back to 'normal' after the current situation is over. If they think this is OCD then they might have less empathy for genuine sufferers, because they will not suffer anxiety at resuming business as usual.
I have seen a few posts doing the rounds about how this is a difficult time for people with depression and anxiety. This is very true, even though I have to say I suffer from both to a degree and I have actually felt better (probably because a lot of it is about dealing with people; am not really in contact with anyone I don't want to be at the moment). For others though it has been extremely hard, if not life threatening. Is not just about those who suffer from depression and anxiety however. People with psychosis or psychotic disorders are finding it hard as well, but as usual they never get a mention in these posts doing the rounds. It's almost as if no one wants us to empathise with them..
Psychosis and related conditions can cause extreme paranoia and if you are already paranoid that someone is watching you or trying to harm you, this can be a bigger problem in the middle of a pandemic. At the start of the coronavirus panic I was convinced people were trying to give me the virus, because I was an enemy of the state. The police were also driving around everywhere. And conspiracy theories are all over the internet. This just fed into my past psychotic episode content. And of course I won't be the only one. It is worth mentioning that something well linked to psychotic symptoms is a belief in what are termed conspiracy theories (whether they are based on genuine fact or not). The internet, which is most people's only form of contact most of the time right now, is full of them, about the virus and around related themes. This can play havoc with someone who suffers from a psychotic disorder.
Also, if you can get an appointment with a psychiatrist, CPN, or even a therapist/counsellor, it will be likely via video or phone chat. This could be a problem if you are paranoid about your phone being hacked. Another common belief amongst people with psychosis or related conditions. But to be fair for many this isn't an issue, as they can't get an appointment with a mental health professional; most of them are fighting the virus in general hospitals and many outpatients involved with psychiatric services have been abandoned. So there's no worry of anyone listening in on your private chats with the psychiatrist.. Because you can't get hold of them.
This in itself shows the unbalanced nature of how seriously mental health problems are taken compared to physical. Yes it's fair to say that the virus is seen as a purely physical illness, even though clearly it affects you in many ways. But is also fair to say the constant media induced panic won't help anyone who contracts it fight it either. And given as we keep hearing in the media, that mental health problems will be worse now, and those who have never been diagnosed with any such condition before will now be doing so as a result of this situation, you would think that mental health services could not be depleted to the extent they have been. People with mental health issues still need support. But compared to a virus which is killing people (which mental illness also does in large numbers, however) in the hundreds of thousands if not millions (although how many deaths are due to the virus directly is another question that we can't answer), it isn't really important, or so the current plan of action seems to be saying.
Am not doubting that it will take all hands on deck to fight the virus, but at least in this country, is it not the case that if NHS services of all kinds had not been so badly depleted in the past, this would not have affected mh services so badly? It's a question that all governments, Westminster or otherwise in the UK, need to answer.
If the NHS survives this pandemic, it will be a miracle. The government knew years ago that it likely wouldn't, but have kept cutting services. That decision speaks for itself. If it doesn't survive, and healthcare goes fully private, what will happen to mental health services? It's unlikely that they will get better. They have never been seen as a priority. And given the majority of those who require in patient care tend to have more severe conditions or are considered a danger to themselves or others (key word here is others, as this is what negates any empathy for people with these particular issues), things will be just as abusive on psychiatric wards as they always have been, if not worse.
Of course when you have a pandemic and mental health services are stripped down, those who need the care the most are most at risk of becoming ill again. This inevitably will result in more suicides and occasional attacks on other members of the public. As the media only focuses on the latter, this is only going to increase stigma against those who have these conditions. And as even chain letter type Facebook posts only focus on illnesses like depression and anxiety, which statistically are less likely to make a person violent than say, a psychotic disorder, no one is going to encourage empathy towards anyone in the latter group (even though often sufferes belong to both or all three), while those in the first two groups of illnesses might gain some understanding at least for a short while, if not long term.
As usual it's those from the latter group who will come off worst and it's they who will have to suffer the consequences of the impending inevitable cuts and probably negative changes to what mh services will be left after the NHS has been put to rest. We can all hope for a better world for all after this situation is over, but all should mean all, not just those we see as worthy of deserving better. That includes every group of social pariahs we consider as less than or subhuman, for whatever reason. Yes people on social security, yes immigrants, yes those who are homeless, are addicted to illegal substances, yes disabled people, yes those with ALL mental health problems. Feel free to add other groups; the list is not exhaustive. If we want an improvement in society of any kind, everyone is along for the ride, and no one should be left behind. But sadly you can bet when the 'inevitable' austerity cuts the elite claim are necessary are implemented, the axe will not fall evenly, or fairly. Truth be told it should not fall at all. But it will, and when it does, don't let them justify the sacrifice of any group for 'the greater good', as they would put it. We either all go down with the ship or we all survive the storm.
It strikes me that it would be helpful to be obsessively clean during this time; after all it can be a minefield, working out what you have touched and who might have touched it beforehand; remembering not to touch your face AND where your hands have been at all times. Had a moment recently where I touched a traffic lights button and stressed over who had had their fingers on it prior to mine. If I had cleanliness related OCD I might be more aware of where I was putting my hands. But I don't doubt for a minute that this situation isn't actually a blessing for anyone already worked up about hygiene. Is more likely that the obsessions and compulsions have cranked up extra gears. Would be interesting to know if this isn't the case for anyone who regularly suffers in this way, or if the whole social isolation and care with cleanliness is a breeze. Anyone I know who deals with this daily is finding it harder, or at breaking point. Suddenly I understand from personal experience the added horror of what too much sanitiser/handwash does to your skin. This is something sufferers of obsessive hygiene habits know only too well.
Certainly it can't be bad from a stigma perspective that everyone has to be 'a bit OCD' at the moment. Or can it? OCD isn't the same as being overly clean. It's an obsessive fear of something happening if one does not carry out the compulsions which takes over a person's life. Most of us are just being careful. This is not the same thing and it might do more harm than good, if people think they are being 'a bit OCD'. Because they probably won't find it that hard to do and will be able to go back to 'normal' after the current situation is over. If they think this is OCD then they might have less empathy for genuine sufferers, because they will not suffer anxiety at resuming business as usual.
I have seen a few posts doing the rounds about how this is a difficult time for people with depression and anxiety. This is very true, even though I have to say I suffer from both to a degree and I have actually felt better (probably because a lot of it is about dealing with people; am not really in contact with anyone I don't want to be at the moment). For others though it has been extremely hard, if not life threatening. Is not just about those who suffer from depression and anxiety however. People with psychosis or psychotic disorders are finding it hard as well, but as usual they never get a mention in these posts doing the rounds. It's almost as if no one wants us to empathise with them..
Psychosis and related conditions can cause extreme paranoia and if you are already paranoid that someone is watching you or trying to harm you, this can be a bigger problem in the middle of a pandemic. At the start of the coronavirus panic I was convinced people were trying to give me the virus, because I was an enemy of the state. The police were also driving around everywhere. And conspiracy theories are all over the internet. This just fed into my past psychotic episode content. And of course I won't be the only one. It is worth mentioning that something well linked to psychotic symptoms is a belief in what are termed conspiracy theories (whether they are based on genuine fact or not). The internet, which is most people's only form of contact most of the time right now, is full of them, about the virus and around related themes. This can play havoc with someone who suffers from a psychotic disorder.
Also, if you can get an appointment with a psychiatrist, CPN, or even a therapist/counsellor, it will be likely via video or phone chat. This could be a problem if you are paranoid about your phone being hacked. Another common belief amongst people with psychosis or related conditions. But to be fair for many this isn't an issue, as they can't get an appointment with a mental health professional; most of them are fighting the virus in general hospitals and many outpatients involved with psychiatric services have been abandoned. So there's no worry of anyone listening in on your private chats with the psychiatrist.. Because you can't get hold of them.
This in itself shows the unbalanced nature of how seriously mental health problems are taken compared to physical. Yes it's fair to say that the virus is seen as a purely physical illness, even though clearly it affects you in many ways. But is also fair to say the constant media induced panic won't help anyone who contracts it fight it either. And given as we keep hearing in the media, that mental health problems will be worse now, and those who have never been diagnosed with any such condition before will now be doing so as a result of this situation, you would think that mental health services could not be depleted to the extent they have been. People with mental health issues still need support. But compared to a virus which is killing people (which mental illness also does in large numbers, however) in the hundreds of thousands if not millions (although how many deaths are due to the virus directly is another question that we can't answer), it isn't really important, or so the current plan of action seems to be saying.
Am not doubting that it will take all hands on deck to fight the virus, but at least in this country, is it not the case that if NHS services of all kinds had not been so badly depleted in the past, this would not have affected mh services so badly? It's a question that all governments, Westminster or otherwise in the UK, need to answer.
If the NHS survives this pandemic, it will be a miracle. The government knew years ago that it likely wouldn't, but have kept cutting services. That decision speaks for itself. If it doesn't survive, and healthcare goes fully private, what will happen to mental health services? It's unlikely that they will get better. They have never been seen as a priority. And given the majority of those who require in patient care tend to have more severe conditions or are considered a danger to themselves or others (key word here is others, as this is what negates any empathy for people with these particular issues), things will be just as abusive on psychiatric wards as they always have been, if not worse.
Of course when you have a pandemic and mental health services are stripped down, those who need the care the most are most at risk of becoming ill again. This inevitably will result in more suicides and occasional attacks on other members of the public. As the media only focuses on the latter, this is only going to increase stigma against those who have these conditions. And as even chain letter type Facebook posts only focus on illnesses like depression and anxiety, which statistically are less likely to make a person violent than say, a psychotic disorder, no one is going to encourage empathy towards anyone in the latter group (even though often sufferes belong to both or all three), while those in the first two groups of illnesses might gain some understanding at least for a short while, if not long term.
As usual it's those from the latter group who will come off worst and it's they who will have to suffer the consequences of the impending inevitable cuts and probably negative changes to what mh services will be left after the NHS has been put to rest. We can all hope for a better world for all after this situation is over, but all should mean all, not just those we see as worthy of deserving better. That includes every group of social pariahs we consider as less than or subhuman, for whatever reason. Yes people on social security, yes immigrants, yes those who are homeless, are addicted to illegal substances, yes disabled people, yes those with ALL mental health problems. Feel free to add other groups; the list is not exhaustive. If we want an improvement in society of any kind, everyone is along for the ride, and no one should be left behind. But sadly you can bet when the 'inevitable' austerity cuts the elite claim are necessary are implemented, the axe will not fall evenly, or fairly. Truth be told it should not fall at all. But it will, and when it does, don't let them justify the sacrifice of any group for 'the greater good', as they would put it. We either all go down with the ship or we all survive the storm.