A-Z of mental health
Information and advice on a huge range of mental health topics
Depression in the digital age
Posted Friday 22 July 2011
Guest post from Jane on how online resources and community have helped her get a handle on her depression
Until I had depression, I didn’t understand what it was. If I said I was depressed, it was usually because of something inconsequential like staying late at work. That’s not being depressed, that’s being fed up – but it’s not being depressed.
Depression is the complete and utter, all-consuming gloom. It’s the dark cloud that saps your energy, your spark and sometimes your will to live. It can be the torment of countless, endless, sleepless nights, trying to remember to breathe slowly while staring at the ceiling and believing you are the only person in the whole wide world who is awake at that time. And it is a thousand other permutations of barely living misery. Depression cannot be overstated.
So for people who don’t understand depression to say they’re depressed because there’s no milk for their tea is really rather insulting.
But it’s also understandable. Because if they haven’t experienced depression themselves, or seen someone they are close to experience it, why would they understand it? Depression is one of those things that people just don’t talk about because it’s to do with ‘mental health’ and the unfortunate link that having ‘mental health problems’ makes to someone therefore ‘being mental’ and having ‘the people in white coats come and take them away’. Depression is not glamorous, even if celebrities come out and say they have mental health problems, too. Sadly, unless handled well (Catherine Zeta Jones, Stephen Fry), they often get mocked for it (Kerry Katona, Charlie Sheen).
Which is why the internet is a wonderful thing. Mind is an essential charity whose website is filled with an endless stream of priceless resources, support and advice. In my early days of depression, I nervously visited this site worrying it might be tracked in my internet history file, and another user of my computer would then judge me as ‘mental’. This never happened.
What did happen was that I found lifelines such as plain English factsheets explaining why feeling the way I did was OK. The website is laid out in such a simple yet unpatronising way (perfect for those visiting in a less than calm state), is straightforward, easy to use and unendingly supportive.
Extensions of the Mind website (and similar organisations) are their Facebook and Twitter profiles (@MindCharity, @the_elephant_, @timetochange), and associated #timetotalk and #whatstigma hashtags… plus more I’ve probably forgotten, apologies. All of these are updated throughout the day with useful suggestions, relevant news stories and interesting links – and you should follow them all.
Bizarrely, a further extension of how social media helps to challenge ignorance and offer unconditional support, is (surprisingly – to me, at least) through the Twitter timeline. In real life, I feel too embarrassed to tell all but my closest friends that I have depression – it just never comes up in conversation. I certainly don’t tell my employer, even though I’m 99% sure they’d be supportive.
And I don’t shout about it on Twitter… but slowly, over the months I’ve spent in the Twittersphere, I’ve seen a few hints from people I follow (who I don’t know in real life, but I follow because they post amusing or insightful commentary on the news, or funny pictures of puppies in berets, or because they were once in a band I liked) that maybe some of them have depression, too. And while I obviously don’t feel pleased that they do, it is also incredibly reassuring to know that there must be thousands of other people out there (people who are pretty much like me) who do their best to get on with their lives, but some days it’s just not happening. And so when someone I follow suddenly apologises for being on Twitter that day, and saying they should never log on when ‘the black dog’ is around, a light bulb of affinity and connection clicks in my mind.
Like anywhere, Twitter obviously has its negative characters, but like anywhere, they are outweighed by the genuinely kind and generous people who populate the community. And in 10+ years of being online, I’ve never found that anywhere like I have on Twitter. Twitter is addictive because it is a 24/7 stream of news, jokes and pictures of cats on a mocked up front page of The Guardian. But it’s also addictive because among the anger and resentment at the people who are ruining our country and crippling us financially, there is a real sense of camaraderie and team spirit.
There are sometimes people on Twitter who, when having a bad time, tweet about what a horrible day they’ve had – and receive messages of genuine support from total strangers. Which is sometimes what you need, because often it’s easier to tell your problems to a stranger than it is to those you’re closest to in real life. I’m not saying that joining Twitter is the answer to depression, but it is certainly an amazing support network – even if people don’t realise that’s what they’re doing.
Jane
This post was originally published on Jane's blog.
All text © Jane 2011
10 Comments
-
Too true. It's very hard to appreciate, especially when you're suffering from poor mental health, that there are other people out there that are going through the same things you are. That's why it is so important that there are people as open as yourself out there; I would say that being able to draw strength and inspiration from other people's stories is one of the most useful tools in the fight against depression.
I try to wear my poor mental health on my sleeve and try to be as frank and open as I can be just because I know what it can be like feeling that no one is going through the things I am or believing that it is simply one of those things you just don't discuss. I have the utmost respect for people who are unabashed about their mental health problems and refused to view it as any more a taboo subject than any physical health complaint would be. Being able to do this is what is slowly changing the entire culture that surrounds mental health in this country.
Congratulations on having the courage to be open and honest about your mental health and would like to wish you all the strength you need to keep fighting. x
-
Hi Jane. I too have found digital technology and social networking to be unexpectedly comforting at times. But also destructively addictive at other times. Meanwhile, back in the real, non virtual world i have to cope with mood swings at times so severe that my whole thinking becomes distorted and full of rage, so it isn't a good idea to make contact in any shape or form. The pain of powerlessness involves severe sadness/suicidal depression and sometimes rage at my own inability to master my 'self'. Twitter and Facebook are all very well, but at times it feels like a cacophony of competing egos all trying to outdo eachother, and i cannot keep up with it. If you have had a life-long mental health problem which affects even your ability to relate to other people and maintain relationships like i have, Jane, the problems remain whatever the medium used to help them.
-
When I was severely depressed I found facebook such a lifeline, because I could interact with people at a 'safe' distance. Even a phone call can feel way too much, so without the internet I wouldn't have spoken to anyone at all.
-
I can completely relate to this article.
I am convinced that it was Twitter that saved my life during 2009 and 2010. It has such a great community of people that understand mental health difficulties, and they are all eager and willing to offer whatever type of help is required. They've been my confidantes, my advisors, my counsellors. Most of all, they've been my friends - and I'm convinced that most of those friendships will be long-lasting.
I do agree with Anna-Rose that it can be addictive, and the challenge for me has been - as I've slowly inched towards recovery - to not immerse myself *too* deeply in the online world of mentalism. I think it can be unhealthy at times to be too dependent on it. That said, the great thing about the community I've met on Twitter is that they understand this; so if you're away for a bit, they let you get on with your life, yet they welcome you back with open arms when you return.
And of course, the interactions aren't *all* about mental health, by any means. We talk about politics, TV, books, what's irritating us, what we're enjoying, even the bloody weather...in other words, a lot of the time, it's just like real life played out on screen :)
Anyway, thanks for a great article.
Best wishes
Pan
---
http://serialinsomniac.com
http://twitter.com/serialinsomniac -
For me, it's been the blog posts on here, and occasional comments, which have helped the most. After numerous "hey, it's not just me that feels like that / thinks that!" lightbulb moments, I'm finally starting to believe it.
-
personally i think the internet was created just for photos of cats and therefore for helping me with my depression.
thank you for this
-
Thank you all for your comments, I'm really glad you've mostly found my post interesting. And I'm really interested to hear that most of you agree that it can be helpful to use Twitter (or other social media) to share thoughts and feelings with the world - as you say, not just about depression, but about any topic under the sun! In my experience, talking about anything can be a huge distraction from magnifying your worries.
Of course, nobody thinks Twitter is a cure for depression (it's not!), but I genuinely think it can be helpful to know there are so many other people out there going through a similar thing to you. Even though of course you're not pleased that person has mental health problems, it is also reassuring to know you're not alone. I've certainly found it very 'comforting' (though it seems weird to say that).
Best of luck to you.
-
I just want to say I have read your blog and felt very proud of you!
I know it is not easy 'outing' ourselves. But we cannot challenge stigma and discrimination unless we are willing to speak out!
thank you
-
I don't really recommend the internet unless you are quite laid up which obviously we have all been at some point. I got addicted before and had to drag myself out of it because I was quite fit enough to go out and socialise.
Now Im alot more unwell at the moment, actualy physically more than mentally so have an excuse for enjoying the internet. But it can be addictive and like i should be doing these rests and meditations and stuff for the ME and I'm on here instead! and talking to freinds on the phone is good but its expensive.
hopefullly the novelty will wear off as I get better. And yes when you are very unwell then it makes all the difference
-
Yes, there are some good web sites and the best on recovery principles are British and from New Zealand. Time to Change now has many followers and if blogs are used constructivly they are very good at breaking the isolation many feel. Have seen a few where 'jack the lad' posts negative or idiotic comment but these usually come from those mortals who have no understanding of mental ill health whatsoever.
Commenting is now closed.