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Articles tagged with Depression
Using mindfulness to cut through the white noise of life
by Charlotte Vere / 03 May 2012 15:31
Up at 6am, you reach for the Blackberry, in its usual place beside the bed, and punch the radio awake to grab the first piece of news. The daily treadmill of incessant intensity has started and you know it won’t stop.
You surf through the deluge of emails, the calls, all the while thinking of key lines for the speech you are going to deliver next week, the paper you have to write,
Politicians, the internet and mental health
by Charlotte Henry / 03 May 2012 11:28
We value ‘real life’ experience from our MPs, or like we think we do, as my colleague Caroline Crampton rightly pointed out when launching this fantastic initiative. Depression is a real life experience for nearly a quarter of people in this country, yet we hardly hear of MPs referring to the day(s) that they just couldn’t face getting out of bed. Or felt that they never wanted to get out of bed
Depression is an illness, not a weakness
by Jayne Hardy / 01 May 2012 17:33
I have a new found admiration for Alastair Campbell. Before you pull a ‘really?!’ face let me explain.
Speaking out about a debilitating illness such as depression takes courage. It’s a hugely personal illness in that it affects different people in different ways. The stigma attached to mental illness means you’re never quite sure how people will react. There’s still a lack of understanding and prejudice.
It took me years
MPs alone cannot destigmatise mental health problems
by Alison Seabeck MP / 01 May 2012 11:45
I read the article by Kirsty Buchanan on 'Politicians and their black dog days' with great interest. Living life in the public spotlight, being on call via email and mobile phone pretty much 24/7, being regularly attacked on a very personal level, working 70-hour weeks, grabbing snacks when you can, being away from your family on a regular basis, is a recipe for disaster – and yet this is pretty much the life
Profile: Kjell Magne Bondevik
by Sebastian Mann / 30 Apr 2012 14:36
When Kjell Magne Bondevik stood down as Norwegian prime minister because of his mental health, he was the highest-ranking world leader ever to have done so. In August 1998 Bondevik suffered a depressive episode and temporarily transferred his powers of office to his deputy. After three weeks, Bondevik returned to office to carry out the remainder of his term. He even found himself re-elected a few years later. Many think this was partly
Depression and anxiety on the parliamentary estate
by Sadie Smith / 30 Apr 2012 08:36
“I heard a joke once. Man goes to doctor, says he's depressed. Life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world where what lies ahead is vague and uncertain. Doctor says "Treatment is simple. The great clown, Pagliacci, is in town. Go see him. That should pick you up." Man bursts into tears. "But doctor", he says, "I am Pagliacci." Good joke.”
A quote from the 2009
Welcome to TP's mental health week
by Caroline Crampton / 30 Apr 2012 07:24
This week, the Total Politics blog will be publishing a whole range of articles addressing the issue of mental health in politics. In the course of a year, one in four people will experience some kind of mental health problem, yet in the political arena, the issue is discussed relatively little. I wanted to do something to change that.
The stigma attached to admitting to a mental health problem - depression
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