Alastair Campbell

[Jaco45er]

Anyone seen ole Ally on TV recently? he is popping up everywhere promoting his new book. A book that was held in high acclaim by Stephen Fry so I wouldn't argue with that.

Since he has been on talking about his depression, and episode in hospital in 86, I have found myself respecting the chap when years ago I only had him down as a PM's spin doctor sidekick, purely there for positive propaganda (hey, all party's do it lol).

However, he said something on one of the TV chat shows that struck a chord, I think it was the One Show (I watch it for that Irish lass, so shoot me). He said that the way to recover is to "include yourself", as in "not exclude". I thought this was a pretty important statement.

It got me thinking. When I was suffering at my worst with anxiety, exclusion was something I was a master at. Although I was working, I would plan each part of my day so that my contact with other people was at a minimum. Even meetings felt like I was holding my breath, that all I had to do was rush through these minutes with these other people and then I could "exclude" myself again.

If I ever got visitors, I would count the seconds until they left, not enjoying anyones company, and being locked in converstation would only make me exhausted and riddled with anxious symptoms. Infact I ended up with the nickname Pilot light from my buddies as I would never show up at the pub, meals etc (a pilot light never goes out).

Once I started to get better (Mrs Weekes and exercise) I think my attitude to start including myself played a big part on my near recovery (near, not 100%).

It was that unusual to see my out, that when I did show up at the pub to see the guys after what must have been 3 years, the cheeky beggars took pictures on a mobile phone standing next to me like I was some fish they caught.

One thing I would say about Mr Campbell though, and accepting that he does have public status, is that people should take heart that someone who hit rock bottom (he was arrested in Scotland, 5 days in a private mental ward, then would not live in London or with his family for months due to depression), is that his achievements since his issues prove that even if your are in a bad place, you can come out the otherside and live again.

Hat's off to the fella.

[bottleblond]

Jaco

That's quite an insiring piece of writing m'dear!

It must be very daunting for people like him who are suffering but in the public eye so much. I like hearing these kind of things because it burns a little candle of hope in the back of the old mind that one day, things could look alot brighter for the majority of us too.

Cheers for that

Love Lisa
xxx

[pooh]

Who is he? lol

[Oceanblue]

Anyone seen ole Ally on TV recently? he is popping up everywhere promoting his new book. A book that was held in high acclaim by Stephen Fry so I wouldn't argue with that.

Since he has been on talking about his depression, and episode in hospital in 86, I have found myself respecting the chap when years ago I only had him down as a PM's spin doctor sidekick, purely there for positive propaganda (hey, all party's do it lol).

However, he said something on one of the TV chat shows that struck a chord, I think it was the One Show (I watch it for that Irish lass, so shoot me). He said that the way to recover is to "include yourself", as in "not exclude". I thought this was a pretty important statement.

It got me thinking. When I was suffering at my worst with anxiety, exclusion was something I was a master at. Although I was working, I would plan each part of my day so that my contact with other people was at a minimum. Even meetings felt like I was holding my breath, that all I had to do was rush through these minutes with these other people and then I could "exclude" myself again.

If I ever got visitors, I would count the seconds until they left, not enjoying anyones company, and being locked in converstation would only make me exhausted and riddled with anxious symptoms. Infact I ended up with the nickname Pilot light from my buddies as I would never show up at the pub, meals etc (a pilot light never goes out).

Once I started to get better (Mrs Weekes and exercise) I think my attitude to start including myself played a big part on my near recovery (near, not 100%).

It was that unusual to see my out, that when I did show up at the pub to see the guys after what must have been 3 years, the cheeky beggars took pictures on a mobile phone standing next to me like I was some fish they caught.

One thing I would say about Mr Campbell though, and accepting that he does have public status, is that people should take heart that someone who hit rock bottom (he was arrested in Scotland, 5 days in a private mental ward, then would not live in London or with his family for months due to depression), is that his achievements since his issues prove that even if your are in a bad place, you can come out the otherside and live again.

Hat's off to the fella.

Yep, have got to say I too have respect for the guy. It must have been pretty hard for him to re-live and go through his story, I also think that it's part of the healing process to talk openly about what happened.
This is something I have never done since I went through my severe break down 3yrs back (resulting in 4mths hospital stay). I talk about bits with my dad and partner, but some is just far too painful and confusing, it's like a trauma in itself.

I too was going through detox (alcohol), suffering from post traumatic stress, and cold turkey from a medication.

I found his programme amazing (even made me cry) as I went through very similar experiences and I've never heard anybody talk about their own break down before. When he was experiencing the strange meanings of each sign he passed,.. I couldn't believe it, I had just the same ! I thought I was in a Labyrinth (It seemed like a kind of set up by people around me or life itself). I had to figure out codes in order to get out of hospital. I wasn't allowed out for the first couple of months, although I did manage to escape when another patient was going out of the doors,.. I ran out and went missing for 5 hours, only to be brought back again by the police.

I'm so glad he made this programme, because it's definately helped me, as experiencing all what happened, (hearing the sound of music everywhere I went, seeing and hearing things) feels so traumatic for me when looking back on it. Now (at times I have to laugh), because it's the only way I can deal with it.

I know i'm so much better, though I also know that I still need to talk things through to overcome things better.


Phew,.. some of that was hard to get out.