A bit brave

  I took my daughters to the planetarium in London many years ago. We sat in amazement looking at our solar system as it was presented to us. Then the story moved on to galaxies in the infinite universe. It left me feeling strangely disturbed because I couldn’t grasp the enormity of it all. Today I face a different challenge because now I am looking inwards into the vast depths and complexities of the human mind. My mind. Just like the physicists trying to make sense of the rules that determined our universe, so doctors are attempting to make sense of the human mind, its frailties, and its vast variations. Both tasks are equally daunting but I suspect that we understand the universe better than how the brain functions. I have heard many men say that they can’t confide in their wives even when their partner wants them to, because they have no way of expressing how they feel and what is happening to them. They are lost as to why they feel the way they do. They can’t explain what they...

  Another night at AMC. Large circle of chairs, everyone socially distanced and wearing masks. I am looking forward to another good night and look around at all the masked faces. Many men know each other and talk in a relaxed manner as good friends do. I feel that connection, because apart from three men I know everyone and have a clear understanding of why people are there. Over time I have learnt what makes each person tick and how they are coping with their mental health problems. I identify with them and feel that their problems are mine. Talk of success lifts me and talk of setbacks gives me the opportunity to reassure and support. The group represents all ages and walks of life. There are graduates, blue and white collar workers, men who are retired, men who are unemployed, men with money and men without. Last night I wasn’t the oldest person there and a new member, in my old eyes, looked about 15, so we represented an age span of 60 years! I suffer from anxiety and depressio...

  What leads people to ignore or misunderstand those with mental health problems? In addition to the media promoting a particular view of men, there is a fear of the unknown and the unseen. We read of people who have killed because they have a mental illness. Some people with Paranoid schizophrenia, for example, can find it difficult to understand what is happening to them and the environment they live in. Without help they can be a danger to themselves and others. Press coverage about people being injured by the small number of people with severe mental problems, fuels people’s fear. Not understanding that 4 out of 5 people, sometime in their life, will suffer from anxiety or depression can lead to misunderstanding and confusion. Some of us are more susceptible to mental health problems but in my experience most people with these problems are just ordinary men and women from all walks of life, struggling with the difficulties of life. Everyone has a breaking point or a life experi...