Week all set to ease the shame of mental illness

The Service User Network Swindon (SUNS) charity- which provides help to those with mental health conditions and runs the confidential listening- line is keen to share their knowledge about depression during national Depression Awareness Week, which runs until April 26.

Ann Mooney, chairman of the Victoria Road based charity, said there is still a mystery surrounding mental health conditions.

“Depression is a mental health illness that people need to know more about. There are all different types of depression such as post natal and post traumatic. It’s getting rid of the stigma surrounding the condition because people can feel embarrassed or awkward even admitting there is a problem. It’s about raising better awareness around the subject. People should feel able to talk about that without fear of reprisal.

Depression Awareness Week, spearheaded by the charity Depression Alliance, aims to remove the stigma surrounding the condition, which affects an estimated 350m people worldwide, although fewer than half receive any treatment.

A quarter of the UK population will experience some kind of mental health problem, with depression and mixed anxiety the most common mental disorders.

Ann believes that mental health services in the town are stretched and with SUNS now under threat there may be a severe deficit of care available in the town.

“The problem is, when people go to their doctor all too often they will be offered pills which works for some people but there are alternatives such as counselling and therapy which can give them vital coping strategies and enable them to live their lives,” she said.

Depression can be exhibited in a variety of physical and mental symptoms, such as lasting feelings of hopelessness or sadness, losing interest in things you used to enjoy or thoughts of self-harm, suicide or anxiety. Physical symptoms include excessive tiredness, sleeping badly, losing appetite and experiencing aches and pains.