Breakfast Neglects To Mention William’s Cause: Male Suicide

 General  No Responses »
Apr 182017
 

BBC Breakfast had a story this morning covering Prince William’s struggle with mental health, together with an interview with a counsellor and a mental health patient (both women – and this becomes relevant shortly). All very interesting and worthwhile – those with problems should be encouraged to seek assistance.

Yet what was missing?

The fact that William went public about his need for counselling in support of CALM which is an organisation trying to do something useful about the level of suicide amongst young men.

Whilst generalising the short piece to encourage everyone who needs help to seek it, it seems odd that the mysteriously high rate of suicide amongst young men and CALMs efforts to tackle it should really have gotten a mention.

 

Chinese Government Kill The English Madman

 Politics  No Responses »
Dec 292009
 

(With apologies to the relatives of Akmal Shaikh – I’m using somewhat impolite terms for mental illness)

The Chinese government has just executed an Englishman for drug smuggling despite the fact that he was plainly more than a little unhinged.  Even ignoring the fact that executions are a barbaric way of dealing with criminals, not taking into account someone’s mental health is positively medieval.

Well it would be except that medieval societies may well have been a trifle more understanding of those with mental health issues than the Chinese authorities have been.

The Chinese authorities are claiming that there are no reports indicating that Akmal has mental health issues, but it doesn’t take a report to know that he’s a bit of a fruitcase. And if there has not been a mental health assessment it is fully the responsibility of the Chinese authorities that there hasn’t been one!

Apparently the Chinese authorities are annoyed that people are criticising them for executing Akmal. They claim we have no right to criticise them! Well it’s not about whether we have the right to criticise them but about whether we find the behaviour of the Chinese authorities repugnant.