Mental Health issues or Challenges of Life?

Luminance

I rather dislike this judgement over the health and experiences of unknown others. Perhaps being exposed to too many dismissive personalities in childhood left them with an inability resolve these things young and led to worse mental health later on in life.

I rather dislike this judgement over the health and experiences of unknown others. (Luminance)

I couldn't agree more.

Society changes with generations, but human nature doesn't. There have always been those who give and those who take advantage. In the workplace, after years of campaigning by trades unions many people now have conditions of service that allow paid sick leave and some flexibility when circumstances dictate. That is, of course, a good thing. But as always there are those who spoil it for everyone else.

The idea of allowing 6 months on full pay followed by time on half pay was intended to ensure that people who were seriously ill could afford to get better before returning to work, not as a way of allowing people to hang onto jobs that are unsuitable to their temperament by attending spasmodically and refusing to do tasks they find difficult. Policies to protect people against workplace bullying make a huge difference to those suffering from it, but are very difficult to write without leaving managers open to accusations of victimisation if they try to ensure that work is covered by someone who will not co-operate. It's a shame when good policies are spoilt for the majority by those who exploit loopholes.

Some embrace this change, while others feel the need to cling to control. Of course younger generations don't get everything right but then, we didn't either and we have dramatically affected their future. Some older people act as if the future is their baby; rather like some Grannies who don't realise that acting like that is the best way to lose any influence whatsoever.
Speaking of language use - I'm a bit confused about who are the 'some' who embrace change and who are the 'others' who apparently 'feel the need' to control. Who is diagnosing their feelings and 'needs', and based on what?

Referring to people as 'grannies' would definitely have fallen foul of discrimination policies in my workplace, too, and rightly so, IMO. Defining a group of people in terms of one characteristic possessed by some of them is remarkably reductive, not to mention tactless on a site like this one . Telling people what they don't realise is, again, rather presumptuous IMO, but I guess people have different standards about this sort of thing.

Actually, there was a thread about this very usage (calling people a 'bunch of Grannies') some time ago - before your time, maybe, PoliticsNerd? - that was resurrected earlier. It's interesting how these things come round regularly, isn't it?

Self diagnosis of physical or mental illness is a slippery slope! (Other than minor issues of course)

Only up to a point Happilyretired123

A while back I woke up with a very, very painful heel. My daughter thought it was plantar fasciitiss. It turned out she was right. But if it had been something different it wouldn't have been the end of the world. It made me realise it was something and needed attention but not worry.

Most mental health issues start as something that needs attention but not panic. Better caught then, even using the wrong language, than leaving it until everything is worse.

but it's also irritating to be told you're saying it the wrong way
No one has said that on here. Quite the opposite. Read my words, if the younger generation, (or anyone), feels this modern terminology expresses their inner feelings, then who are we to argue.
On the whole no one has been judgmental or critical of anyone on this thread. On the contrary, the thread has given posters the opportunity to talk anonymously about their personal struggles, and for others to listen, and that is a good thing. What we are discussing is the need some people feel to focus on their poor mental health for whatever reason suits them. The need is fed in all sorts of ways, and then things might become overwhelming.

RosiesMaw2

I’m surprised nobody has commented on this yet.
Speaking to former Downing Street adviser Jimmy McLoughlin on his Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future podcast, 71-year-old Sir Tony Blair has declared: “I think we have become very, very focused on mental health and with people self-diagnosing. We’re spending vastly more on mental health now than we did a few years ago. And it’s hard to see what the objective reasons for that are.”
“Life has its ups and downs and everybody experiences those. And you’ve got to be careful of encouraging people to think they’ve got some sort of condition other than simply confronting the challenges of life.”
I hesitate to raise my head above the parapet but have wondered how well-equipped we are as a nation especially the younger generation, the so-called “Generation Z” to cope with “the challenges of life”
Goodness knows our parents’ and grandparents’ generation faced much worse - war, hardship including unemployment without the benefits system of today, no NHS, no CH, hard physical labour, few cars, few of the domestic appliances we now know, to name but a few.
Has he got a point?

Self diagnosis of physical or mental illness is a slippery slope! (Other than minor issues of course)

The quote in my post of 20-Jan-25 16:09:15 is from escapes post.

I think the point that a few of us are making here is that there is a downside too to the many new choices in words to do with mental health.

Where mental health is concerned, I would rather have people taking too much and possibly not in a "correct" way, than not talking about it. It is irritating if you don't like others way of saying things, but it's also irritating to be told you're saying it the wrong way - especially when it's about you. It's your symptom, event or illness.

A little live and let live tends to lend to things sorting themselves out.

Should I express my concern over Andrew Tate for example ( he is a lot younger than me) or perhaps I should remain silent about only fans or other exciting developments
Certainly in terms of safeguarding children you will frequently find it is older women who raise the red flags.

I rather dislike this judgement over the health and experiences of unknown others. Perhaps being exposed to too many dismissive personalities in childhood left them with an inability resolve these things young and led to worse mental health later on in life.

I agree language and simplistic / dramatic self diagnosis can be equally damaging as the overly stiff upper lip.

Eg My truth - she’s a narcissist - I’ve got ptsd - my anxiety/my depression

Character lists endless huge disasters the says ‘are we down hearted no we are not’

Escaped is imo correct. I believe focussing, ruminating on all the irritations and negatives in our lives can contribute to negative moods. The power of positive thinking shouldn’t be dismissed.

I'm not quite sure what your second paragraph is trying to say, PoliticsNerd, especially the part about grannies and their baby, but you're talking to the right person here about generational changes in expressions. As a linguist, I embrace new words and phrases across several languages, and if the younger generation feels this modern terminology expresses their inner feelings, then who are we to argue.

I think the point that a few of us are making here is that there is a downside too to the many new choices in words to do with mental health.
MissAdventure's example of reaching out is a good one. Of course we want those suffering to seek support and unburden themselves, it has proved very helpful like in CBT. However, the overuse of expressions like the need to reach out in daily parlance has become so random that it has encouraged many, who don't need to, to wrongly think that they do need to reach out. It has become so widely used that it is difficult work out who genuinely needs the help, and who is just having a blip. That's how Tony Blair appears to see it from what he is saying.

The fact is, that coming up with a self diagnosed mental illness and finding all the accompanying labels and excuses, may actually be contributing to that person's negative mood.

I believe that no one will ever stop using meaningful expressions, though times have undoubtedly changed escaped. New words and phrases are constantly emerging, while some fade into obscurity and others evolve in meaning over time.

We’re no longer in charge of shaping the narrative. Some embrace this change, while others feel the need to cling to control. Of course younger generations don't get everything right but then, we didn't either and we have dramatically effected their future. Some older people act as if the future is their baby; rather like some Grannies who don't realise that acting like that is the best way to lose any influence whatsoever.

escaped

Yes, Galaxy, and progress isn't always betterment.

I've just thought of another pretty meaningless phrase used by the younger generation, - going forward, which is used to express some sort of future improvement. Politicians use it when they mean they're working on something but aren't in a position to implement it!
Maybe the expression you used, PoliticsNerd - to hold back the tide - is from King Canute's 11th century generation?

... and I 'second' that, too!

Sometimes "progress" benefits one section of society, but disadvantages the other ?

Galaxy

Well some changes are terrible obviously - I have never understood the idea that new ideas are always good ones. I admire those who challenge bad ideas wherever they come from.

^ I have never understood the idea that new ideas are always good ones^

I second that...

So what you're saying nanna8 is that those who shout loudest and bang on about their ill mental health, often self diagnosed, are usually the least ill?
Can your family member get someone forceful to advocate for them?

Yes, Galaxy, and progress isn't always betterment.

I've just thought of another pretty meaningless phrase used by the younger generation, - going forward, which is used to express some sort of future improvement. Politicians use it when they mean they're working on something but aren't in a position to implement it!
Maybe the expression you used, PoliticsNerd - to hold back the tide - is from King Canute's 11th century generation?

Well some changes are terrible obviously - I have never understood the idea that new ideas are always good ones. I admire those who challenge bad ideas wherever they come from.

What worries me about some of the mental health diagnoses is that those with serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder polar are sometimes shuffled to the back of the queue because they can’t speak up for themselves. I have first hand experience of this with a member of my family and the paucity of mental health services for really urgent issues.

It's simply the language of another generation. Each generation does it in their turn and some of the older generation will always try to hold back the tide. I'm sure there have always been a minority who mutter "the end is nigh" because of the changes, too.

MissAdventure

Perhaps the terminology used today is a factor, too?
"Reaching out" to someone, and all that.
Maybe we're slowly being snowed under by words, memes, phrases, and such like, which encourage looking inward.

Sounds like we're pinching phrases from Diana Ross and such like to make this world a better place. 🎶 🎵 😆

MissAdventure

I suppose it means having a lot of trust in your "team members", PoliticsNerd.
That probably comes from getting to know someone's values and standards, and attitude over years, perhaps?

I would hope that if I'd explained to a colleague that I was struggling, they'd know I was being truthful.

Agreed. And I did know.

I shared an office with the colleague (why the quotes, PN?) for many years, and she confided a lot in me. I'm not going into anything personal on here, but I know she checked the calendar and cross referenced with the sickness policy to see when she could take more sick leave with full pay - I saw her do it. I also know she was aware that she wasn't up to the job, but didn't want to take a cut in salary - she told me.

I could say more, but it wouldn't be appropriate on a public forum. I would have known had she been being truthful, as I was very familiar with her attitudes and values. I was far from the only one to be sick of it all, but there was little anyone could do.

Perhaps the terminology used today is a factor, too?
"Reaching out" to someone, and all that.
Maybe we're slowly being snowed under by words, memes, phrases, and such like, which encourage looking inward.

My DD2 works for a company, like many, that is giving additional holiday days every 12 months, according to however many years of service. That's great, but it beats me why they now have to call them "welfare days". What's wrong with saying, loyalty days? I think everyone is getting very hung up on on terminology and unnecessarily jumping on a bandwagon.

It certainly doesn't, you're right.
It means people are often left floundering, trying to self diagnose and use online information to deal with problems.

I do also feel that that while a lit of things look good on policy paperwork in a workplace, the reality is often different.

We were allowed up to two hours to attend health appointments at my workplace - officially, that is.
The reality was being tutted at, asked if it was absolutely necessary, or being told a flat "No"
Again, I dont think anybody deliberately booked appointments during work time, but sometimes it was all that was available.

I don't know if it has changed. MissAdventure. The State of the NHS doesn't help.