Let's get this mental health support going in 2020.x

jedsam56

This sounds like a good idea to me, as so many people with health issues can feel isolated from society. Unfortunately, along with the many sympathisers and supporters, this kind of public forum might attract trolls. Participants would need to be careful not to include personal identity information.

hhsol04

jedsam56 Definetly woud have every option to be hidden whilst in chat,people will use it more because of the privacy and freedom to of load there feelings....Trolling will happen anywhere and those who do clearly wouldn't care for giffgaff and its community to get stronger as a whole!

nefarius

jedsam56 Spot on there. And no might about it!
One might even add trolling as a mental health condition.

sophiejam92

jedsam56 yes i agree, i think if some one could keep a close eye on the forum if they allow it, then that would be great , as i said before were not professionals, but we understand, so maybe if they have it edited at the top and explained that none of us are professionals and were just here to chatwith people who understand how we feel, when we feel low, but also mention numbers and websites that people can get intouch with if feeling extremely low where they may need professional or medical assistance, for example Samaritans, mind, there doctor, lets talk etc ...and yes i agree personal identity must not be given names addresses personal details should all be keps away, i think thats why this is a good idea though because we dont no each other personally we can not judge on ones past or choices etc

ray2

hhsol04 Also to add to my above post,why not put up an the idea in labs and put the link to it on your post here and see what response you get,the more members want it the more chance giffgaff might implement it 😄

I also wanted to say we need to think about how you want the forum to work when making your idea on labs,Anyone going too deep and giving out too much information(as this is a public forum),members feeling low/suicidal we can only advise members to seek help,we are not professionals.

But a chat about having a crap day,feeling lonely,maybe a few jokes to cheer each other up, or just going over the day you have had,members coming together and having a chat to help each other feel a little better i'm all for that 😄

sophiejam92

ray2 yes i think so to , even if the first post or edit is explaining that where here just to chat, and yes we can talk about how we feel and how we get through things etc , but if were feeling low/suicidal or medical/medication choices etc there is places you can call i.e doctor, mind, lets talk, etc ... but yes i agree general chit chat about how our days have been , the odd photo upload with quotes to make one another feel good, helping each other feel better im also all for x

jason1973tess

ray2
I don't know about this I cud make problems you now.
This is not good

orangeman33

hhsol04 Personally I think this is a fantastic idea and I am defiantly for a forum page revolving mental health. Myself I suffer from depression in the winter months so I can feel lonely myself and pretty down so I understand your point. I think mental health is a very important topic and there is defiantly ways it could be better supported.

hhsol04

orangeman33 Thanks a bunch,its nice to feel there are people out there wanting a place of no judgement and support.I feel for any sufferer and if im ever around then I throw your offer back atcha!And for anyone else that wants a simple chat

allan1954

sounds a good idea to me.

hhsol04

nefarius Wicked my friend!lol

orangeman33

hhsol04 No worries. I never mind talking at all. Talking to 0eople always helps I find. 😀

sophiejam92

hhsol04 you no whats nice about the idea, theres always some one to talk to , when i used to be on the other forum that got taken down, i used to wake up in a morning and think , oh i have friends i need to reply to , because you gain friends from it, yes its not like we can knock on each others door for a cuppa but we can chat on here or pm each other which is nice, just to chat to some one and for some one to ask how your days been like @orangeman33 said it always helps to talk to people and people shouldnt be ashamed of who they are or how they feel, and i totally agree with that x

hhsol04

orangeman33 Good stuff my friend....Ill talk to and support anyone who would like to....
But all those who suffer please remember you are not alone,dont feel ashamed to reach out people!!

richybhoy36

hhsol04 Hi i have bad mental health and physical issues ! I called my local crissis team on thursday and felt more suicidal after the fone call as i felt that they couldnt get me off the fonee quick enough ! And made fun of the position I was in as the last time I was like that I set a fire and sat down in the middle of it ! I am disgusted tbh.

hhsol04

richybhoy36 Hi mate.....Start with a well done and a pat on the back for you!!
Sounds like you have bought yourself down from the dark place,not reacted to negative attitudes and here you are still holding on....You my friend are a blimmen fighter,and will win this battle your fighting!!!
Please stay strong find them positives and kick <censored> out of the negatives.....If you want to make this chat private pm me.....STAY SAFE!!!!!

frenchielove

richybhoy36 they should never be doing that job if that is how they made you feel, dreadful!

dtuxcomp

richybhoy36 That's a terrible experience for you mate, I know they are really stretched but there's no need to leave you feeling like that. If you ever need to offload feel free to PD me.

Dave.

sophiejam92

richybhoy36 hi im so sorry you was feeling this way, and im sorry they had treaten you like that, they should of respected how you felt and not got of the phone till you had felt better , or at least given you the help you needed then, have you spoken to your doctor about how you feel, do you have mind or lets talk in your area .... id also make a complaint about your local crisis team if this is how they had treaten you because im sure this isnt how they had been trained x

johnr94160

richybhoy36 Yea completely agree , it sounds like they saying it to you aswell by there lack of interest 👍

alantony1

hhsol04 Hi there should be some sort of permanent dedicated thread for this issue to be talked about there was at one time but it ended up being locked the reason given was if my memory serves me right none of us were mental health expert's because some advice given was treading a fine line.Hence it was banished. Myself I'm a great believer in debating in a honest and open fashion. Alan

frenchielove

alantony1 I remember that thread and I think we all gained a lot from it 🤗

sophiejam92

alantony1 @frenchielove yes that was my thread, i remember having to change my member name and then not long later it had been taken down, shame really i would pop on every day ask how every one was , i remember you both been on there and @goofygirl @nancaz i cant remember any wrongly advice given at the time i was on there , but i did loose contact for a while as i say i had to change my member name and then i hadnt been on the community for a while. but i loved waking up in a morning and people asking how i was or how my day was it was nice, and i was able to see how they was feeling, just felt nice some one taking two mins out of there day to say hi x

dtuxcomp

hhsol04 As others have mentioned we have had threads on this subject before but it's difficult for the Educators as they have to consider all members well being with giffgaff being a family friendly forum so can include children. I'm always happy to chat with anyone who is struggling either via public threads or PD's so if anyone reading this thread ever needs someone just to listen, send me a PD or give me an @ mention in a public thread, it might take me a while to get back to you ( I'm currently catching up on over a weeks worth of posts here and on other platforms 🙂 ) but I always will.

There's nothing stopping you creating a thread to talk about your own issues which you can also open up to others input, as long as the Ed's don't think it's getting too close to the line. Or you could start a PD about it and add in people as you go, anyone added to a PD can read and post just like a public thread, maybe even do both, start a public thread about it and then if people want to join a private discussion about it you could then set that up, not sure if this makes any sense but if not tell me and I'll try to be clearer.

Either way, good luck with you own battles and call out if I can help in anyway 💗

Take care,

Dave.

frenchielove

dtuxcomp are you back hime now Dave or still away? It is a difficult one as giffgaff cannot be held responsible for any advice given, but surely they could cover that in the original post?
We have all supported each other on here in the past and it can be a lifeline for some

hhsol04

dtuxcomp Lovely reply dave and some very valid points!
Perfectly understandable advice given thanks a lot.Im a tech novice but ill find my way around,slow and steady wins the race lol
Thanks again dave….All the very best to you and everyone for 2020
Steve

sophiejam92

dtuxcomp i wonder if they could make an admin for the post maybe , some one who can delete curtain posts , but i suppose at the same time you wouldnt wanna ignore some ones cry for help , so its just finding a way round it isnt it i suppose

@twinkletoesneil always here if u need a chat welcome to pm me 🙂

angelfzpz

ray2 I would support a health and wellbeing forum

dtuxcomp

frenchielove Hi hon, I'm still out and about, currently at my Nephew's in Maidstone, but got back from the second trip down to Cornwall last night so not sure which way is up ATM, turned on the laptop to catch up on here and found over 200 notifications so that might take me a while 😉 🙂

I would assume if we are supporting one another as members in a general sense there's not an issue ( though I'm happy to be corrected if that's wrong ) I think the problem would be if someone was suggesting medications or specific talk about treatment decisions etc, something along those lines.

Yes, we've all given and received support haven't we, I know personally I've been overwhelmed with all the kind posts I've had in the thread about Mrs D and in PD's over the last 13 months, I really do appreciate having that space to discuss things and hear from others about their situations.

hhsol04

frenchielove Nobody can be responsible for anyone's undertaken to any advice given.....A large percentage of suicide attempts don't really want to do it,but getting to that place and having no one to talk to really hammer's home you are truly alone....
Be safe and be kind my friends ☺👍

dtuxcomp

hhsol04 No worries mate, if I can help out in any way just give me a shout 🙂

essie112mm

I can't see any reason why something like this should have to go to Labs to make progress where we all know it will fall victim to inertia and nothing will happen for ever and a day, if at all. hhsol04 if you really believe in it then keep the discussion alive and keep pushing for your idea.

I'd also stick my neck out and say that there seems to be a degree of support not only for the OP's thread but also another member @keithctaylor has dipped a toe in the same water (I know the OP has also posted in Keith's thread) and I am sure that if the tag gets going others will support and join it. It should be relatively straightforward to have a tag within the Run By You initiative (and space could possibly be made on the landing page by combining the three archived gameplan tags). To try and contain trolling the tag could be closed (but members could easily join as they do with brainstorm groups) and provided that members act responsibly in giving advice and support - and I have no reason to think they won't as the threads I have read on GD which touch on this kind of theme are always sensible - then I think that a tag which supports both mental and physical health should be a priority. Clearly it isn't for everyone, but equally it seems to be something that some would benefit from.

As a footnote, can we please have an update from @roxy_r on where things are at with the secondary tag discussion?

angelfzpz

hhsol04 all the best for 2020

surviver

The best view always comes after the hardest climb. Remember you can do it.