Up The Farway Tree

Mutual Respect

I was given a massive bouquet of flowers by a patient, who knew it was likely to be her last appointment before discharge and I was really chuffed!   Most mental health conditions are long term and we don't often get to discharge someone because they are fully recovered.  I don't mean that in a negative way but many mental health conditions are chronic in nature (certainly the conditions in secondary care as opposed to people treated by GP) so it's always so lovely to see someone through a period of illness and back to full health.   This was pleasure enough, but it was also lovely to be appreciated for that help!


Had to split them into 2 vases :-)

I think many people underestimate the impact of mental health conditions on peoples lives.  I might have suffered from a lot of physical ill health in my life but in all honestly I would not swap this for mental health problems.  Many of these conditions make it difficult for people to understand themselves and the world around them, and the stigma that still exists around mental health is astounding.    This is not just within the general public, but within medical and allied health professions.  More recently there has been a spike in patients attending because of difficulties with the benefit system (due to the new equivalent to income support) because they have been turned down, being left financially in crisis and emotionally unable to deal with this.   This can be after a 10 minute interview with someone who has no psychiatric training and makes a snap judgement about that person.   I guess many people with CF have similar problems, because we can look so 'normal' so I can only imagine this is magnified for those with mental health issues.  There is an unfair assumption that some people are lazy, work shy or just not trying hard enough when unable to work.  I wonder if any of us could cope with work if we were struggling to concentrate, to think, to sleep, and to just be?

I know I have gone off on a bit of a tangent  but it's something that is increasingly annoying me lately, especially with all the government changes to benefits.  The people who need the most help are often the ones most vulnerable to this stigma and lack of understanding.  I just hope that I can continue to remain non-judgemental in my career and listen to each persons personal story with the respect and compassion they deserve.

This is what the patient who gave me the flowers thanked me for.  That makes me feel good :-)