Mental Health: What's the cost?

                This year the charity Mind revealed that only 1.36% of local public health budgets are spent on preventing people from developing mental health problems. This is shocking in light of the fact that 1 in 4 people will suffer from a mental illness and that simple facilities and activities could make a huge difference to those people. There is a vast range of mental illnesses from schizophrenia to depression and many people in the country are affected by them; yet we choose to taboo the subject and avoid addressing the issue. When we learn that obesity is on the rise, instantly gyms and support groups are funded by the government however when we discover that a fifth of adults of the UK have taken anti-depressants at some point in their lives, there is no rush to provide activities such as therapy sessions or meditation classes  for the public.

                Furthermore, surely it would be even simpler to initiate the means to prevent the problem in the first place? Students receive countless lessons about healthy eating and fitness, yet there is hardly anything on the curriculum highlighting the importance of looking after your mental health as well as your physical health even though 1 in 10 students will be affected by mental illness at some point during their education. This statistic could be drastically decreased if children and teenagers were encouraged to adopt habits and strategies that enable them to feel in control of their mind and secure in themselves, the closest that we have to this at the moment is simply "how to avoid exam stress" crash courses near the end of the academic year which are usually held too late and not taken seriously.

                Sadly mental illness is too often not taken as seriously as physical illness even though it can sometimes be much more fatal. For men over 40 years old, suicide is the biggest killer but we still prioritise facilities for physical health problems much more so than mental health problems. A stigma in daily conversation has developed and we are so fearful of this issue which means that we never confront it.  When it takes some people 18 months to reserve a hospital bed for their eating disorder and others are forced to persist through exams or work commitments when they are suffering with personal mental problems due to fear that if they focus on their mental health it will be a massive obstacle to a successful career- it should ring alarm bells that we need to make a change and push the leaders of our country to put money, time and effort into the necessities to support the large fraction of us who are burdened with one of these illnesses.

                Mind has fortunately taken a stand and have been actively trying to make a change by encouraging people to send letters to their MPs and overwhelming  figures in authority with the Mind manifesto which consists of the following six main commitments for whoever forms the next government after the General Election next year:

1.       Reduce mental health stigma and discrimination and continue to support the Time to Change campaign

2.       Mandate the NHS in England to offer talking therapies to everyone who needs them within 28 days of referral

3.       Ensure everyone gets safe, speedy and accessible crisis care whenever they need it, no matter where they turn

4.       Transform the support for people who are not working because of their mental health and create a system that really helps them to overcome the barriers they face

5.       Increase the overall NHS mental health budget by a minimum of 10 per cent in real terms over five years

6.       Implement a national strategy that helps everyone to take care of their mental wellbeing

         To find out more about Mind's work and about mental health please visit the websites below and help raise awareness & end the stigma.

Fozz.

Recommended links:

http://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/policies-issues/in-parliament/mind-manifesto-election-2015/

http://www.youngminds.org.uk/

http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/

How My Privilege Makes Me Feel

                 Recently- in light of events that have been occurring across the globe- I have been more aware of my privilege than ever before. Like so many, from social media I have seen the scale of protests that have been happening as a result of injustices in various countries: the most noted being the racial discrimination apparent in the US due to the Mike Brown, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner cases which have sparked such trends as #Justice4MikeBrown, #BlackLivesMatter and #ICantBreathe (if you are not fully aware of what's been going on please read articles such as: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/11/us/police-slayings-reaction-roundup/ or explore the hash tags on social media especially on Tumblr and Twitter).

                Watching these protests from afar and being involved in the social spread of these incidents have reminded me of how the fact that I'm white, heterosexual and cis-gender protects me. However, I have also felt unnerved by why these traits give me a sense of security. When discussing this with my family, I told them "My privilege protects me; but it doesn't comfort me" in which a relative replied "Of course it comforts you" which I realised is true to some extent when I look at their definition of "comfort". It is obvious that I would be comforted by the fact that when I dress in the clothes I wish to wear, I will not have the life beaten out of me in a dark alley; when I kiss the person I love in public, I won't have people shout at me that "I will burn in hell" or that "my love is f*cking disgusting"; and that when I walk down the street I will not be afraid of a police officer aiming six 'warning' shots at my heart. Of course it is a comfort to know that in most circumstances my appearance and identity will not lead to hatred from those who feel that they are superior to me.

                But then again, the thought that some people who do choose to express themselves, love who they want or simply show the colour of their skin in daylight will be met with unjustifiable violence and abuse does make me uncomfortable- more so disgusted and astounded. To think that simply just because of traits I was born with, I am rewarded with a blanket of security. I am meant to be grateful for this yet how can I display my thanks when I have to watch others being punished for the traits they were born with? I find it shocking that my 'privilege' is something which by law should be basic human rights. I find it scary that we were born into this hierarchy set up through years of 'norms' and 'traditions' with no valid reasons being able to pardon it.

                So how does my privilege make me feel? I feel sheltered , comforted and safe yet disgusted, unnerved and scared at the same time. I guess that the only way I can feel more at ease is if I use this immunity to amplify voices of those burdened by societal bullies and to show that I do not believe that the socially constructed supremacy linked with my looks and preferences should be supported or encouraged in any way. I guess my privilege both protects me and frightens me.

Fozz.

http://celestialallegorist.tumblr.com/post/100838670244

Let's Talk About Sex

                Most students have been through the trauma of Sex Education lessons. We have been scarred by memories of cringe-worthy videos, disturbing "circle time" and condom covered cucumbers. They're meant to have a purpose: to teach and prepare teenagers for when the possibly daunting situation of sex comes along. But how informative are they really? Are they actually helping kids feel more comfortable with getting intimate with their own and somebody else's body?

                Teenagers today are part of a generation where sexual orientations are starting to thrive and sex is becoming a part of their everyday life increasingly. However, schools are not keeping up and are not advising their students as well as it may be necessary. This is because schools follow a syllabus consisting of heteronormativity and male dominance. Before sexual intercourse is even touched on, there is a lack of informal teaching about periods, menopause and general female anatomy-causing boys to develop a taboo and girls to be confused and oblivious to their own bodies. When we finally move onto the birds & the bees, crucial information is conveniently ignored and a stigma starts to bubble. As realistic as it is to yank a condom over a mushy banana, adolescents are still ignorant to the different forms of contraception and the importance of the use of them in regards to STDs and unexpected pregnancies. Some worry that discussing contraception encourages teenagers to have sex but this has never actually been proven and many teenagers disagree that it has an effect on their sexual drive.

                It's appalling to think that with sex itself there is, more often than not, no Sex-Ed lesson on the dangers of sexual abuse or the value of consent. One in three women will be a victim of sexual violence yet there is no information on when sex is & isn't consensual and what to do if a student ever sadly found themselves in a threatening situation. Sexual abuse is also an issue which can affect men too which makes this issue even more concerning when this is a gender-wide problem. In a society where rape culture is worryingly toxic and treacherous, surely to target the youth and inform them on how sex should be mutually consensual and safe for both parties involved, should be a priority?

                Thankfully however, our society over the last few decades have been more welcoming of alternate sexual orientations to heterosexuality- but when it comes to school sex education we reach a dead end. Teenagers are not told often enough that their sexuality is their own and that their preferences should not be shamed. It may not be appropriate to go into the graphics of sex in a classroom, but hardly ever are sexual orientations or gender identities discussed. The teen years are notorious for sexual exploration yet schools only ever speak about heterosexuality and sometimes homosexuality. What about bisexuality, demi-sexuality or asexuality? What about those who are transgender or non-binary? How does this make queer youths feel about themselves? Teens should never feel humiliated for who they are or aren't attracted to so by schools only discussing sex as a heterosexual cisgender experience, they are sending the subtle message that maybe their preferences are "wrong" and "abnormal" whereas it is simply just unique to the individual.

                At the moment, teenagers resort to useful internet sources (such as the 4:01 show or Laci Green), to common experimentation (which due to lack of knowledge can sometimes be risky) and pornography (which is unrealistic and heavily features male dominance and sexual abuse).  But why shouldn't schools be a reliable source as well? Why does a fear and awkwardness to converse about sex have to occur? We should talk about something which is such a huge part of our lives; let's talk about sex.

Fozz.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Sources and recommended links:

https://www.youtube.com/user/The401Show

https://www.youtube.com/user/lacigreen
http://amplifyyourvoice.org

My Apology to Taylor Swift

                I've always been quite proud of my music taste. I've loved everything from old classics to mainstream pop and indie rock to contemporary ballads; but I could never bring myself to like Taylor Swift's music. I had justified reasons for this, including the fact that I wasn't a massive fan of country music and I didn't appreciate the way in which her lyrics would tear down other girls in order to win over the high school heartthrob (You Belong With Me being a prime example). But then when Swift released singles from her album Red including I Knew You Were Trouble and 22, which featured addictive melodies and empowering lyrics, I still could not admit to liking them. Whenever I was asked why I held on to my hostility towards her, I would reply in a bitchy manner about how annoying it was that she was this crazy clingy girlfriend who acted  like a Queen bee. I hadn't developed this opinion by myself though- I hadn't watched interviews with her and given up my time to find out more about her- I had simply just repeated what the media had told me: that she was a flirty attention seeker.

                But while Taylor Swift had a two year break to tour and evolve her sound, I also spent the time educating myself about female empowerment and sexism within the music industry. So when Swift returned to 2014 with Shake It Off, I fully embraced the "let the haters hate" anthem and was thoroughly impressed with her Radio 1 Live Lounge session. I thought this would be the end of my love for Taylor, but after reading the huge amounts of fabulous reviews of her record 1989, I decided to purchase it and give it a chance. Now, a month later of listening to the album repeatedly and watching interviews with the reigning pop princess, I have fallen in love with Taylor Swift. 1989 is cleverly mastered with layered chorus vocals and synth sounds reminiscent of the 80's music scene but is also entwined with the feel of modern musicians including HAIM and Lorde. It also links in well with her intelligent and witty attitude discussing equality of the sexes and her career in a brutal and misogynistic industry whilst using sarcasm (Blank Space being a prime example).

                So I guess I have to apologise to Taylor Swift. I'm sorry that I made assumptions based on what I had read in gossip magazines and I'm sorry that I was a hypocrite and judged her for tearing down fellow girls when I did the exact same thing. I've matured as has she and now I am obsessed with a completely new artist! I've done this exact same thing before with other celebrities such as Kristen Stewart and Katy Perry but thankfully I have managed to let go of my prejudice. But I can't help but pity other girls stuck in the same mindset as I was. While we read and believe the bitchy articles that cover our media about our fellow females, we therefore restrict ourselves to embark on the work of so many talented women. This is especially a problem for teenagers who are trying to build a version of themselves constructed by what they see in our society so they need to make sure that they explore pop culture for themselves instead of being  tricked by the headlines on the magazine racks. 

Fozz.