Encouraging people to talk about mental health issues

THE annual Time to Talk Day takes place on Thursday at Warrington’s Gateway Centre with a focus on encouraging people to talk more about mental health Issues with family, friends and work colleagues.
Warrington Bipolar UK Support Group (WBSG) will be there along with representatives of other mental health charities and visitors will be able to chat to them all about their local and national services.
Geoff Settle lead facilitator for Bipolar UK said “The Warrington Bipolar Support Group (WBSG) was set up two years ago as a legacy from my 2015/6 Mayoral Charity year. Its aim is to support people who suffer from the acute illness and their family, friends and carers.
“In 2016 the nearest support group for bipolar sufferers involved a 40-mile round trip to Manchester or Liverpool. I believe we have proved the need and benefit of having such a group in the centre of Warrington.”
The support group meet on the first Tuesday of the month at the Gateway for two hours, a lot longer than the 10-minute slot at the local doctor’s surgery. One of the strengths of the group is their combined years of practical experience and advice of living as a bipolar person or as a carer for a bipolar person.
The meeting room is a safe place for members to talk openly and confidentially about their manic and depressive episodes and the impact they have had on the people around them.
Members say that they find the meetings enjoyable, beneficial and worthwhile. Talking about their experiences to the group and listening to how others cope has proved a powerful example of how talk is so important. This is the message that Time to Talk Day is sending out to the wider community.
Mr Settle continued: “The WBSG have worked with the North West Boroughs Healtcare NHS Foundation Trust to help develop its Bipolar Pathway model, the Spectrum Centre at Lancaster University on a research study for the over 60’s, attended a two-day International conference on Perspectives on Mood and Anxiety Disorders at Kings College, London and submitted their comments for the Allen Street WBC consultation. Several members have been grateful for the services offered at the Allen Street centre and feel that it will be a great shame if it closes.
“The bipolar support group continue to invite guest speakers on a regular basis to talk on a variety of topics at their monthly meetings and meditation techniques have been practiced. More recently they have listened to an inspiring interview on TalkSPORT radio by sporting coach psychotherapist Gary Bloom with one of the best darts players in the world, James Wade. He suffers from bipolar disorder and yet has been at the top of his profession for the last 11 years.”
Famous people who have suffered with bipolar disorder such as Winston Churchill, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stephen Fry, Bill Oddie and Frank Sinatra have shown that despite the depression hanging over them at times they can excel and be an inspiration to others.
James Wade believes that at times it can be a gift but a gift that needs to be treated with great care as it can and does lead to tragic results. He has discovered the power of talk and speaking out about his condition to give hope to fellow sufferers.
The more that mental health issues are discussed openly then the greater the chance of reducing the stigma that still exists among ignorant and ill-informed people.