Did anyone just watch the prog on Alistair Campbell's breakdown/depression?

[Piglet]

That was a most interesting programme and although my issues are more anxiety based they do say anxiety and depression are two sides of the same coin so I was glad I watched it.

I also have to say I must have come a fair way now on the journey to managing it as I didn't feel anxious at all watching it. When I first started with anxiety 8 years ago I used to avoid any programmes at all about mental health because I think I wanted to pretend it wasn't happening to me.

All kudos to Alistair for doing this programme - the more the likes of Stephen Fry and Alistair Campbell etc bring it out in the open the more the stigma will lessen and that will take a good deal of the fear out of the equation.

Piglet

[Jaco45er]

Piglet my girl x

Seen the last 20 mins, very good, I will watch it in full on Iplayer.

[kendo59]

I didn't see it, but some of the greatest & most creative minds in recent history have been sufferers from depression.

Winston Churchill, Spike Milligan, Brian Wilson, Harrison Ford, J.K.Rowling, to name a few.

[Jaco45er]

Mate, Harrison Ford ain't no great mind

[Franz]

Mate, Harrison Ford ain't no great mind

And Alastair Campbell may or may not be a great mind but he is a total w***er and it will take more than an "I suffer like everyone else" PR stunt by him to make me give a t*** about anything he's been through.

[alexis]

I missed it, is there anywhere it can be watched at a later date, eg download on inrernet?

[diane07]

Piglet

I watched it.
And damn bloody good for him, its raising awareness and thats always got to be good.

I dont know about you but i had all of us here in mind whilst watching it.

di xx

[Piglet]

I dont know about you but i had all of us here in mind whilst watching it.

di xx

Yes mate so did I.

It doesn't so much matter if it's depression or anxiety that forms the base of your problems because both are debilitating and like he says each of our stories is individual to us.

Bless him for wanting to be able to blame it on drink - I wanted to blame my thyroid but no it is part of my personal makeup and my response to too many stressors or 'life'. I guess at first we want something concrete to blame it on then we can hope if we give up said concrete all will go back to normal.

I have now begun to accept that this is part of me and by that I don't mean I bow my head in resignation and martyr about it I just accept that it is part of my genetic makeup - like my big blue eyes and splendid bottom (not lol)!!

My goal these days is managing my anxiety rather than avoiding it I am also in full agreement with Emmas about mindfulness or living in the moment and can thouroughly recommend the author Cheri Huber for some good books. We do indeed only have the moment we are actually in this exact second that we have any control over - so it makes sense to keep your attention right on it - not the past and not the future!!

If you can do this with three quarters of your brain and just leave the last quarter for the necessary forward planning that we all have to do at least some of then you will be half way there.

Love Piglet

[alexis]

Thanks david,,, ill look now

[Yvonne]

The programme was very good, very interesting viewing for us types. I see this man in a whole new light now.

We want more of this on television to raise awareness. Marcus Trescothic was on Radio 5 Live a few weeks ago talking about his anxiety and depression and he described it all in such great detail. Awareness must be raised about anxiety and depression there is not enough of it on television. How about we send some kind of a letter requesting more of these sort of programmes - we could send it from ALL the members of NMP.