To think that a trend is starting here

MOnica, I certainly don’t consider genuine mental health problems to be a weakness. They happen just as physical illnesses do. I wish I didn’t have depression (which started as post natal depression) but I do, I’m honest about it and medication makes a huge difference. I can’t imagine the horror of being incarcerated in an asylum years ago (as my grandfather was). Where the weakness that I perceive lies is in the attitude adopted by so many today who are so ready to cry ‘poor me!’ and relinquish their responsibilities. That was my point. The genuine destruction of the mental health of so many who fought in the world wars, and its effect on their families, is tragic in the extreme and most, if they could, suffered in silence as the recognition and treatment of their trauma wasn’t there, which of course didn’t assist them. However one cannot compare what they endured with the situations in which many people play the mental health card today, who wouldn’t have had the strength of character our ancestors displayed when bravely joining up. Of course a modern war - perish the thought - wouldn’t be fought in the same way but can you imagine the youth of today volunteering or accepting their call-up papers?

It's certainly an oversimplification when critics talk about Simone having an off day. Anyone watching her vault could see she was completely lost as she came off the platform and was lucky to be able to turn it into something she could land. Trying to carry on with the sort of moves she has become famous for when she had lost her spatial awareness would have been exceedingly dangerous.

I saw Tom Daly talking about a similar situation when he entered puberty and his arms and legs suddenly grew. The change in body shape and centre of gravity meant he lost all awareness of where he was in space and thought he was just going to crash into the ground. He said it took a lot of support to get through that.

MoorlandMooner

'mental elf ' 'wimps' 'bleat' 'want to shake them and tell them to get a grip'

This is 2021. Surely we are better than this?

Is this really how we think of people who are ill or struggling?

No, but that's not what the OP is asking. The question is whether it is reasonable for people with ongoing or recurrent MH issues to pull our of commitments if they will inconvenience others.

even with physical ailments and disabilities it can be hard to know what a person will be able to accomplish.
so much the moreso with mental problems; they are so variable and unpredictable; mot people want to try to do as much as possible, but that has to be tempered with regard for overall health long term, and safety considerations.
perhaps this is a sports version of the me too movement.
they are no longer willing to suffer and keep silent.

I think it probably takes some strength of character to survive sexual assault by someone who is supposed to look after you germanshepherdsmum.

To be fair to Simone Biles, I think her past history has caused this, not the stress of competing.
Who knows when someone may suffer an episode of extreme anxiety, perhaps with flashbacks.

I hope she is getting the support she needs.

Added to this, athletes do not have the usual support of friends and family with them this year.

According to a previous poster she was sexually abused by the gymnastic physician so are you now saying that she was abused by all those around her bluebell. What I was saying in my post was that when you are with people for long periods of time as I’m guessing would apply to coaches, nutritionists etc I am surprised that someone didn’t pick up that something was wrong and took action.

At least her abuser is behind bars - he got 175 years for abusing these children.

There will still be others out there in the world of sport and elsewhere abusing children mentally, physically and sexually.

Gwyneth

According to a previous poster she was sexually abused by the gymnastic physician so are you now saying that she was abused by all those around her bluebell. What I was saying in my post was that when you are with people for long periods of time as I’m guessing would apply to coaches, nutritionists etc I am surprised that someone didn’t pick up that something was wrong and took action.

They knew and ignored it Gwyneth

www.thecut.com/2021/07/olympics-2021-simone-biles-sexual-asault-survivors.html

That’s appalling Callistemon. Thank you for the link.

I knew that something was very wrong from seeing her on her first exercise.
It was obvious that she wasn’t herself.

Germanshepheard
Your right, they weren’t wimps. My father was 19 years old and a signalman on the Russian convoys.
We all certainly suffered at his hands because of his experience.

“ play the mental health card ”. Oh dear

Perhaps it is worth bearing in mind that we have experienced a pandemic too.

Being away from family for long periods of time has been cited as a cause of mental health problems for Naval personnel since before the war, when terms of duty at sea lasted sometimes over 2 years.
A quote from Ashley Giles about Ben Stokes says, “Spending significant amounts of time away from family, with minimal freedoms, is extremely challenging.”
The difference is that now people are allowed to admit it -which is a good thing.
The downside is that there will be many more claims and the finance to deal with them is not there.

I think pulling out at that level takes guts whether it for physical or mental reasons. The temptation to push on must be very strong and the support and understanding from team mates has been great to see.
But ... I fear it may lead to an increase in kids pulling out of exams and adults going sick when under any stress. It may backfire on those genuinely mentally struggling.

Thank you Doodledog for putting my comments into context.
Yes Lucca, it seems to be becoming a trend, almost a must-have accessory, an excuse made by a lot of people who confuse feeling a bit fragile or down (doesn’t everyone?) with actual mental ill-health. These are the ones who annoy me. I haven’t referred here to Simone, about whom I know nothing, but to the seemingly growing number of people who think they’re no-one if they haven’t got ‘issues’ and think nothing of letting others down whilst they indulge themselves. Harry and Meghan spring to mind. If that woman was ever suicidal and was in tears at the Albert Hall (but looking immaculate when the lights went up) I’ll happily eat my hat - but that’s another thread.

Where did I say she was abused by everyone around her gwyneth I said she was abused as a child by those looking after her I presume her abuser came under that description someone who was supposed to be looking after her health and well being
Mental health, flashbacks, dips in confidence, ‘freezing’ and panic attacks can happen to anyone however talented they are
I think she was brave to think ‘I can’t do this’ and pull out I m sure it’s not what she ideally would have wanted

I think she was quite right to withdraw if, as she said, she was unable to get her brain and body in sync. I can understand how that could happen.

What these girls do while flying through the air is amazing but also very dangerous. Accidents resulting in serious injury often happen, and if the young lady knew she was unable to control her "twists, turns etc" then maybe she was quite right to withdraw.

But presumably you know nothing about the other people with mental health issues as well.

@Galaxy. Not sure who your last post was for ?

Doodledog

MoorlandMooner

'mental elf ' 'wimps' 'bleat' 'want to shake them and tell them to get a grip'

This is 2021. Surely we are better than this?

Is this really how we think of people who are ill or struggling?

No, but that's not what the OP is asking. The question is whether it is reasonable for people with ongoing or recurrent MH issues to pull our of commitments if they will inconvenience others.

I wasn't aware that there was a requirement to answer the OP in every comment Doodledog.

If the original question was 'Am I being unreasonable to think that a trend is starting here', then I would say the OP is not being unreasonable. It is now possible for people to be open and honest about their mental health issues and people are doing so. I hope this freedom continues.

If the question is as you say, is 'Is it reasonable for people with ongoing or recurrent MH issues to pull out of commitments if they will inconvenience others' then yes it is absolutely reasonable. Poor mental health is as valid a reason to pull out as any health issue and that in this instance people have to put themselves first.

Pammie1 to answer your question, I think that Simone Beale's MH problems are real, understandable and justified.

I do think that, in some ways, MH problems have been widely publicised and some may have jumped on this, I hesitate to say bandwagon, and MH problems are being claimed by some who have not experienced the very real traumas suffered by Simone and others.

Germanshepherdsmum asked, "Can you imagine the youth of today volunteering or accepting their call-up papers? "

Over 100,000 young people applied to join the British Army in the year ending April 2020. www.army.mod.uk/news-and-events/news/2020/02/army-recruitment-is-highest-in-recent-years/

I don’t like that expression “playing the mental health card” anymore than I like “plying the race card” or “ woke “ or “PC gone mad”.

Moorlandmooner you cannot compare that statistic with joining up during wartime.