Prince Harry speaks out.

And just like those poor young soldiers at Deepcut, the army have proved yet again that they neglect the mental health of their soldiers - clearly Harry's problems weren't spotted and he was deemed fit to have a gun, be in a war zone and fly helicopters. Makes you think doesn't it? And if anyone thinks that charitable endeavours will fix all the problems or even make a dent , they know nothing about mental health and the gap between service need and provision. Services provided by charities should be the icing on the cake not the basic ingredients. Also state provision unlike charities has a responsibility for all in need including the unattractive unlikable reviled - charities can cherry pick and the fickle public decide who is worthy. It's not good enough

Teachers spoke out at the weekend of children suffering depression, anxiety, panic attacks, ignored or faith in a breakfast and free dinner in school will solve the problems

Anything is a help. Doing nothing is the problem, to me. Well done Harry.

Good for him- not easy to talk about & anything that brings this terrible condition to the fore is good news.
If the younger Royals get behind it there may be some change to the way people in need of treatment are dealt with. It certainly needs something to be done. I was in lucky position when DH was finally diagnosed that he had private health insurance but it still took a very long time to get him right- & many years of heartache & fear.

I do not think that counselling helps, and I do not think that one chap, personable though he is really makes any difference at all.

Modern life is pretty tough for a lot of people but if talking to people helped, then the deluge of 'talking' on soial media would suffice. Goodness only knows I have never known people so open about their every emotion / dinner / activity.

Counselling can cause every bit as much harm as good.

We need to change the ways we all live and frankly one posh boy having found someone to listen to him...well it's not going to help those who don't have any social capital to support their recovery. A better education system, housing, employment and family security would be better for overall mental health.

If one is depressed, has problems such as poor housing, unemployed etc , a very wealthy man telling everyone to talk to a shrink will make kne even more depressed.

Great comments as always. I think that almost any publicity for the need to improve mental health services can only be a good idea. I do wonder why Harry was not given more help when he was growing up. Surely someone should have thought about the effects on the two sons? When you look back and think about William and Harry at the funeral, walking along with their father - and under the full media glare - it is amazing that they have turned out as well as they have. Full marks to Harry as far as I am concerned - I found it hard to admit that I needed help when my life began to swirl out of my control, so I cannot begin to imagine the courage it took for Harry to make such a public statement. Let's be positive and believe that our mental health services will improve, now that awareness is increasing.

Sorry to hear your view that counselling can do more harm than good radicalnan.
I agree with OP that funding and resources are totally and cynically inadequate especially for under 18's.
If the political will is not there then charities are overwhelmed picking up the "under the threshold" cases and NHS staff struggle to deliver services in time rationed sessions to the detriment of their own mental health.
I despair of politicians saying one thing and not delivering the resources where they're needed.

We will never know what help was available to Harry , I believe Charles to be a man who would make sure help was available.

It isn't my 'view' there is extensive research that shows counselling can be ineffective even damaging, and that regardless of training, the 'match' between the client and counsellor, as human beings is often the best indicator of success, which leads me to suppose that good friends can do the work just as easily. We are encouraging people to turn normal human interactions and support mechanisms into something medical.

Counsellors act on one side of the picture and if you work in the field as I did, you see the broken results of failed counselling and CAMHS teams and many people with long term mental health issues are re cycled through depts for years and years.

A chat with someone outside the family can be cathartic......in the real wor ld those people are friends. The benefits from CBT and all mental health therapies are questionable, even psychiatrists and psychologist disagree.

Everyone is jumping on the mentl health bandwagon now and making life an illness issue, it is blooody painful but it is just life.

Nelliemoser Charles and Camilla were at the bottom of this all along. He didn't give a thought to how his 'affair' would affect his children then, why should he now? Harry probably could not talk to him about his Mother so kept it hidden inside of him. Maybe his girlfriend has helped him more than his father?

extensive research
done in which countries and by whom?

the match
I would probably agree with that. Makes sense.

good friends can do it just as easily.
Highly doubt this. There are friends and friends. Also, some of them can barely cope with their own lives never mind someone elses'.

Counsellors act on one side of the picture and if you work in the field as I did, you see the broken results of failed counselling and CAMHS teams and many people with long term mental health issues are re cycled through depts for years and years.
I dont doubt that. But are the alternatives better?

Just my opinions.

There is also the thing of hope. Hope can see people through some dark times.

No wonder people across all spectrums suffer from mental issues going by some posters on here, we are all accidents of birth !!no one gets to choose who they are!, some rich people are kind & giving some not just as average people & poor people are, but this thread has shown up a lot of reverse spiteful snobbery! If what Harry said helps one person who is suffering with mental issues then thats a good thing surely ?

Cry good for Harry, England and St George! ( slight paraphrasing there.)

If one is depressed, has problems such as poor housing, unemployed etc , a very wealthy man telling everyone to talk to a shrink will make kne even more depressed.

Why? Surely it would only demonstrate that depression and grief can cause terrible emotional problems for people of all walks of life, and that there is help out there>

Exactly! If somebody like Prince Harry, who appears to 'have it all' needs counselling, then that can only be a good thing ( in the eyes of others who may be suffering.)

But there isn't help out there, Ana. That's the point. As a long term user of mental health services. I've seen the slashing of care over the last six years.

Well done to Harry for speaking out, but I doubt very much that he had to rely on an NHS counsellor.

Actually, I have to agree with you there daphne and thought twice about my post when it was too late. Waiting times for any sort of counselling on the NHS are ludicrous.

Our GP optimistically estimated 3 months but according to the specialist assessor it's more like 9-12 months if you're lucky - not much help if someone's suicidal, is it? (not me, I hasten to add)

Ana, it means help is there if you can pay for it, if you can't keep taking the tablets and wait many months for help.

Yes - I acknowledged that in my last post, Annie.

I agree with you to an extent, radicalnan, but only to an extent.

Most people who haven't suffered depression do think that a person with depression just needs a good friend. That really isn't my experience at all. I agree that the counselling industry is full of people who really don't have a deep understanding of mental illness, there is a poor match between client and counsellor and the services offered by the NHS - online "courses" and group CBT" - are cut price and ineffective. Private therapy costs about £70 per hour or more.

Counsellors assume that depression can be avoided by taking the right actions and run courses such "Avoiding loneliness" or "Healthy eating = healthy" mind. Talk about stating the bleeding obvious! Then they offer soothing and patronising words and tick their boxes.

Clients then feel they've failed, because they didn't go for their healthy walk or didn't use CBT techniques. I'm afraid it really doesn't work like that - at least, it doesn't for me. Episodes of acute depression and suicidal thoughts sometimes hit me out of the blue for no apparent reason. Most people only ever see me with what I call my "Eleanor Rigby face" and there's no way I want to open up about depression.

Some people don't have good friends. One of the classic symptoms of depression is to withdraw from social interaction. People push people away and gradually become isolated.

That's OK Ana. From my experience, the waiting list for assessment is currently about nine months, then there will be a further wait, even if therapy is offered.

Sorry Ana,i replied before reading your second post

Abonet If you really understood acute depression, you'd know that hope doesn't see you through. It's irrational, so can't be hoped away. There is no hope in a depressed person's experience. There's a complete nothingness.

When there is depression there is no hope, just the dark night of the soul