Don't play Top Trumps


It is hard not to compare yourself with others when you see people who appear to be enjoying their lives and have no problems. This is rarely the case and mental health problems do affect a large percentage of the population at some time in their lives. Some people can identify what is causing them problems and deal with it and so the illness is short-lived. Some people need medication to lift them and repair them but usually, it also needs a clear understanding of what has happened to them in their lives. All this takes time and sometimes money. There are many people however, who suffer from mental illness all of their lives, and the majority learn to live with the accompanying ups and downs. Talking to others is a big help in survival but is not a cure. I listen on occasions to people who are surviving against all the odds and I admire their fortitude and determination. It would be easy for me to look at these people and think, ‘I am not that bad, what have I got to complain about?’ When I meet with other men, this is a statement often made. ‘I am not sure why I am here because there are many here who are in a much worse position than me.’
The response is always the same. ‘Don’t play top trumps.’ There is no hierarchy for different mental illnesses. There are no personal circumstances that excuse or create how you feel. You are ill and your views and feelings are as valid as anyone else’s. What you are going through is for you intense and destructive and you are deserving of as much help as anyone else. Once someone understands this they stop apologising for their condition and start to talk openly about how they feel. Some of us may have a longer road to travel than others but everyone is deserving in their own way.


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