Whilst I started a thread on other MH issues it probably makes sense to keep them all together as they don't necessarily belong in separate pots, maybe rename this thread subtly Struggling with depression (and other things)
People under-estimate anxiety, melancholia has been around for 1000's of years but anxiety is only starting to be seen for the damage it causes, it underlies psychosis, paranoia, physical health problems and many more issues. Whilst depression feels like a a dark stormy, cloudy day anxiety is much more like the lightning that accompanies that sometimes and it bounces around your head unpredictably, it is a sort of loss of control but don't under-estimate it's corrosive nature when it gets too much.
While I'm talking about history, the lunacy act 1890 formed the basis of all MH legislation until 1959 and, believe it or not that defined Mental Health by four types (I kid you not, 1959)
a) Idiots, that is to say, persons in whose case there exists mental defectiveness of such a degree that they are unable to guard themselves against common physical dangers
b) Imbeciles, that is to say, persons in whose case there exists mental defectiveness which, though not amounting to idiocy, is yet so pronounced that they are incapable of managing themselves or their affairs or, in the case of children, of being taught to do so.
c) Feeble minded persons, that is to say, persons in whose case there exists mental defectiveness which, though not amounting to imbecility, is yet so pronounced that they require care, supervision and control for their own protection or for the protection of other or, in the case of children….make them…incapable of receiving education at school.
d) Moral Defectives, that is to say, persons in whose case there exists mental defectiveness coupled with strongly vicious or criminal propensities and who require care, supervision and control for the protection of others.
We truly have moved on since Shankly took over Liverpool