Discussion

The discussion posed more questions than answers.

There is a need to understand mental illness and mental distress

• There are various stages of mental distress, such as depression.  Sometimes the mind needs to have a chance to heal before the person can take part in their own recovery alongside the medication.  In the case of clinical depression, you cannot help yourself out of it (if you could pull yourself together, you would!)  This stage can take some time and can seem hopeless.  However, engagement on a human level with a person in deep illness is very important, even if there seems to be no difference – a support network is vital to the person’s recovery, especially when they start to come out of this stage of the illness.  We don’t need to be experts in mental health in order to support that person – just treat them as a human being.
• People suffering mild to moderate depression will respond to recovery techniques a lot faster than those in clinical depression
• First Aid Training is available - is it possible to have ‘mental health training’ too?
• The families of people suffering from mental distress also need support as well

What support is available to the people giving support?

• One of the reasons that people don’t feel they can get involved with supporting those with mental distress is the fear that too much will be expected of them and not enough support will be there for them if they take on a caring role – Will they come to my house? Will they always be dependent on me?  Will there ever be an end to the problem for this person?
• If you are supporting someone with mental health problems, where can you go for help without being met with barriers such as ‘We can’t talk to you because you don’t have the person’s permission to discuss their case’…

There is hope

• The OASIS café at Stepping Hill Hospital is a symbol of hope, because the people working there were once on the psychiatric wards and are now able to work at the café.
• Many faith groups have people in their communities who are or have been service users and who are able to support others suffering with mental distress
• Offer prayer
• Families of those suffering from mental distress often respond to offers of support both for the person with the illness and for themselves as a family