MAGAZINE FOR WELLBEING
Winter Issue 51
2013/14
WINTER
ISSUE 51
>> Singing4Health >> Philosophy & Psychiatry >> EFT >> Brain Behaviour >> The Happiness Project >> Reality TV
Equilibrium Patron Dr Liz Miller Mind Champion 2008
Front cover: Eve Jones
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EQUILIBRIUM 2
editorial Through sunshine and storms, the editorial team here at Equilibrium have been working hard to put this issue together and we hope you enjoy it. Packed full of the usual news, reviews and opinion pieces, we’d again like to thank our guest contributors and photographers - do keep sending us your fantastic work! We’d love to hear your thoughts on this issue, so go ahead and tweet us at @teamequilibrium. And if you’d like to join the team, contribute an article or picture, or find out more, please do get in touch via equilibriumteam@hotmail.co.uk. Wishing you warm wishes for 2014 Kate, Editor/Team Facilitator
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EQUILIBRIUM
3
Singing4Health And we gave our very own sounds to it too, as it felt natural to produce the sounds that where coming to our lips and to our body. And we sang, and it felt so good. And we knew we were singing very much our own song, and that was a song of nature, a song without words made out of our mood and feelings. A landscape of our very being made sound with our bodies.
Since 2003 I have been a Primal Singing facilitator and performer, as well as an
I
improviser and voice teacher with a health t was that we felt like singing. Like singing
approach. I explore different ways of voice
songs, or learning songs to sing.
production that can be developed either in songs or vocal pieces, that integrate
And we wanted to sing the same song
the creativity and abilities of the different
together. Do we have songs in common, so
groups of people who come to my work-
that we can sing them? Maybe not many,
shops. We do primal singing between other
because we are diverse, so we should find
activities such as improvisation, relaxation,
a song to sing.
breathing techniques and songs.
So we started to find a song to learn to
This has been an amazingly enriching expe-
sing. But we couldn’t read music. And we
rience and a great opportunity for explo-
couldn’t read the words, so someone would
ration of ways to sing and create healthy
try to sing the words for us to remember.
group dynamics, singers with a sense of community and to deal with stress in our
But the words were many and we couldn’t
personal life through developing an activity
remember so many words that were not our
that will make people improve their breath-
words. So we gave our own words to the song.
ing, relax their minds and enjoy the many
EQUILIBRIUM EQUILIBRIUM 4
Summer/ Issue 38
Maria Soriano
sounds a human voice can produce,
And they realized that it was a good
giving value to self expression and vali-
idea to sing the song that comes out of
dation in the group over other aspects
you, and wanted to join and sing their
such as number of songs that one has
primal songs too. And they discovered
to “learn”, observing how the group
that it was liberating and aesthetic, and
evolves and becoming more than a
that it felt good too!
“director” who demands what has to be done, a catalyst of processes that will take in the group. Helping people connect with their voices, bodies and creativity towards the magical music that expresses our own. And then, other people who heard us, and who could read music, and read text, and remember words, and make
Maria Soriano is a member of the Natural Voice Practitioners Network and the founder of Singing4Health, that promotes physical, mental and
complex rhythms all at a time... asked us
social well-being through musical activities,
what we were doing. We are singing our
primarily centred in singing.
primal song.
www.haringey.gov.uk/equilibrium
EQUILIBRIUM EQUILIBRIUM 5
Philosophy & Psychiatry The Next 100 years
I
was led to this colloquium by a tweet
tions such as ‘Rethinking the First Person
from Medical Humanities – a tremen-
in Phenomenological Psychopathology’
dously active and inspiring bunch
and ‘Incomprehensibility: A New Ethics for
of people at Durham University – and
Psychiatry’.
thought I would enquire within. It was the third part of a travelling symposium marking the centenary of Karl Jaspers’ General Psychopathology. In the few weeks preceding it, there had been a week long summer school in Oxford: Philosophy of Psychiatry: Mind, Value and Mental Health. After which was the 15th INPP conference/travelling three centre UK Sympo-
The second part, at King’s College London, was entitled ‘Conceptual Issues and the DSM’. Among others, there were sessions on “The Definition of Disorder in the DSM: Evolving but Dysfunctional’ and ‘Lost in Translation: Dysfunction and Domains’. I was to attend the third part.
sium – firstly in Durham. The one day
The dominant theme was (and still is)
workshop there was titled Current and
Making Change Happen. And how
Future Applications of Phenomenology
philosophy and psychiatry can work
in Psychiatry. This included presenta-
together to achieve this.
EQUILIBRIUM EQUILIBRIUM 6
Summer/ Issue 38
Polly Mortimer
Back in January I was asked to provide
Standout moments for me included the
a 100 word biography/declaration of
patience and kindness of academics
interest and passed the first test (and
within the groups, highlighting the ‘moral
only test!). Then hefty reading material
courage’ of the survivor in sharing their
started to appear in my inbox – some
stories – and how possibly the psychiatric
surely only decipherable by the initiated.
community could follow suit. Off-piste,
Highly intrigued and appetite whetted, I
the amazingly delicious conference
set off at a punishing 4.30 am for Oxford
dinner at which I talked to Anke Maatz,
one bleary July morning and was for the
a young trainee psychiatrist from Zurich.
next two days buried in a fabulous mix of
Breakfast among European philosophy
ideas, thoughts, secret languages, buzzy
teachers from Lublin and Prague, lunch
presentations and edgy controversy – all
with a PhD student from Hearing the
adding up to a really mind-changing
Voice and a researcher for SANE , and
experience.
bonding with Alicia Monroe from Florida,
Dean of Tampa medical school, whose
Not being a philosopher or a psychia-
words are very wise. Conversations with
trist I guess I, as A.N.Other, would have
Sanneke de Haan working with OCD
positioned myself with the service user/
patients who receive deep brain stimu-
survivor cohort – if pressed. I began to boldly declare myself as an ex-psychotic (for that I am), as I found the environment a safe and trusting one. Swiftly I realized that my lack of knowledge of academic philosophy was something of a hindrance (some of the presentations were so arcanely worded that only
lation, and the ethics and outcomes of this intervention. Staying with me are Nev Jones (a US philosopher inter alia) and her fierce but principled calls for alternatives to heteronormative language and othering, as well as the dominance of men as main speakers at upcoming conferences. The power of the poster presentations included a graphic repre-
the inner cabal could decode). But
sentation of a state of breakdown by
nevertheless no-one made me feel at
Gay Cusack from Australia, calling out
all deficient and the atmosphere was
for the work of post psychiatrists Bracken
one of huge support and good will, and I
and Thomas; I was haunted by an eerie
summoned courage from somewhere to
film presented by a Social Sculpture DPhil
be able to feed back to the hall after the
student (and local psychiatrist) Dr Helena
group sessions.
Fox which took us through an asylum cont.
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EQUILIBRIUM EQUILIBRIUM 7
cont.
like setting to an intricate study of folds
I had come to the conference with the
of bedclothes and gradual revealing of
thought that it was about the philosophy
hands within.
OF psychiatry, rather than philosophy and
Topics flew around – value-based
psychiatry. This set me thinking…
models, narrative and the nature and
There is such a need to interrogate
form of narratives, deacademicising the
psychiatry for what it is. What is it? Does
language, critiques of CBT, the case for
it need to be? Is it a cult or a construct?
psychodynamic psychotherapy, true
What could replace it? Could psychia-
freedom of thought, meaning in delu-
trists all become neuroscientists in this
sions and hallucinations, recovery and
brave and sinister new world of diagnosis
all its meanings, service user engaged
by brain scan? Where will that lead us?
philosophical research, co-production
(experts-by-experience & by-training),
Is there a philosophy of psychiatry? What
and Thomas Fuchs’ lifeworld .
is it? How can the human rights abuses
within the field be ethical? What is psychi-
The colloquium opened with Victor
atric ‘care’? How ethical is psychiatry’s
Adebowale , cross bench peer and Chair
dependence on the major pharmaceuti-
of Turning Point, and his hugely inspiring
cal companies and the use of dangerous
words about change and how to effect
life-threatening drugs on young children
it. The mindset has to change. In his
and the elderly and others? The fact that
experience there is a tendency of ‘letting
recovery is higher in developing countries
the excellent get in the way of the good
than in industrialised ones needs to be
enough’. Renewal is crucial as well as a
examined. People are still subjected to
shift in power. Who holds the power is key
ECT and lobotomy; is this ethical?
– power needs to be shared.
There’s so much to explore, and I hope
We all parted with great goodbyes and
that this wonderful and awe inspiring
huge goodwill for change. Future plans
conference is just the start.
are being laid and hopefully the conversation that has been started will continue to gather momentum. Academia being naturally conservative and tending
St Catz Colloquium – Philosophy and Psychia-
towards silos of expertise, the fact that
try - The Next 100 years. Making Change Happen
the colloquium happened was a huge
– Oxford, St Catherine’s College. Organizers: Bill
boost, and the power imbalances can
Fulford, Matthew Parrott and Laetitia Derrington.
start to be addressed. As a complete
Department for Continuing Education.
layperson and fairly philosophically naïve,
July 25 and 26 2013
EQUILIBRIUM EQUILIBRIUM 8
Summer/ Issue 38
Brain Behaviour
Ian Stewart
A blog on brain behaviour from the
the unit of world peace, he said, and it is
Research Digest could be a sign that
through this experience of bliss that the
mainstream science is catching up
mind can harness the laws of nature that
with the science that the late Maharishi
are located at the minds unfathomable
Mahesh Yogi used to substantiate the
source. The blog in Research Digest refers
benefits that transcendental medita-
to research on the brain using electrical
tion can bring to its practitioners. In order
stimuli to try to fathom the complexities
to spread the ‘good news’ of TM he
of the brain and to produce bliss (Induction of a sense of bliss by electrical stimulation of the anterior insula, Fabien Picard, Didier Scavarda & Fabrice Bartomolei, 2013). Transcendental mediation means you don’t need electrical stimuli, however, as the Maharishi advocated that by practising TM twice daily the unlimited creative intelligence – or bliss – that we all have within us
reasoned that the square root of 1% of
can be tapped and brought to bear on
the population of the world practising TM
our experience in an expert and methodi-
(a law in physics that, to effect a mass,
cal way. It seems to me that while science
you only have to get 1% of the popula-
is becoming aware of the possibilities that
tion to do it), is all that is needed to bring
are within the capabilities of the brain,
about more fulfilled and successful socie-
Maharishi’s science is dawning with it a
ties, leading to world peace. His natural,
world of possibilities is being opened up to
easily learned technique is used to bring
us all.
about optimum use of the brain and its ability to rise to higher states of consciousness, which he addressed in his Science of Creative Intelligence. The individual is
www.haringey.gov.uk/equilibrium
Research Digest Blogging on brain and behaviour Thursday 19th September 2013
EQUILIBRIUM EQUILIBRIUM 9
Watercolours by Eileen Smith
EQUILIBRIUM EQUILIBRIUM 10
Summer/ Issue 38
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EQUILIBRIUM EQUILIBRIUM 11
The Happiness Project By Alice Croot
to each topic – eleven topics in all, with December being the chance to put them all into practice – and worked out how she could use that month to explore and appreciate her life more. She says early in the book that ‘I wanted to change my life without changing my life’, a theme which marks
I
her out from many first read The Happiness Project in early
of the famous life-changing biographies
2012 after reading a spate of positively
such as Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love
glowing reviews online. I did not really
or biographies about loss, such as Joan
know what to expect – a brand of zeal-
Didion’s A Year of Magical Thinking, and
ous, get-out-and-do-good, evangelical guilt
this is precisely what holds its charm. Few of
trip was my worst fear – but actually it did
us could take nothing whatsoever from this
exactly what I had hoped it would do. It
book, with topics that range from vitality
made me think about happiness and ways I
(January) to marriage (February) to money
could become happier.
(July), and certainly in my case even when the topic had no obvious connection to me
Rubin starts with the realisation that
– I have no children, which she spends April
although she was not unhappy, she also
appreciating – there were still things that
was not appreciating everything in her life
made me think about how I relate to other
which she felt she should, so she set about
people in general.
methodically researching happiness and its
For me, the most important point made
causes and came up with a list of what her
is about how deep the connection is
own priorities were. She dedicated a month
between your relationships with other
EQUILIBRIUM EQUILIBRIUM 12
Summer/ Issue 38
Gretchen Rubin HarperCollins: New York, 2009
people and your own happiness. This
feel obligated to do but is not neces-
may seem natural and particularly
sary or helpful. An oft repeated truth that
apparent with how you interact with
she finds is that ‘one of the best ways
your partner, your parents, your children
to make yourself happy is to make other
and wider family, but it also includes
people happy; one of the best ways
your friends, people you encounter only
to make other people happy is to be
briefly, your critics, and even the way
happy yourself.’ So if it is weight training,
you gossip – or preferably don’t. She
if it is foreign policy, if it is Barry Manilow –
quotes Tolstoy, who said ‘nothing can
wonderful. Find that passion and pursue it.
make our own life, or the lives of other people, more beautiful than perpetual
Throughout the book she gives exam-
kindness’, and she does this throughout
ples of other people’s experiences with
without seeming holier-than-thou; in fact,
their own happiness projects as well as
her frustrations and stumblings are part
mixing in her research, which gives the
of what makes the book so relatable,
reader a chance to think about how
and certainly make you feel you are not
to apply these deeply personal resolu-
alone in finding it difficult to resist gossip,
tions to themselves (always resolutions
or not snapping when you have had a
rather than goals – you achieve a goal
bad morning. In many ways it is about
in a way which does not apply to every
being aware of what is happening in
day happiness), and this is followed up
your life and recognising whether or not
by notes at the back which help you to
your actions will contribute to your happi-
set up your own happiness project. She
ness, rather than attempting to live a life
has set up a website (www.happiness-
of impossible virtue.
projecttoolbox.com) which will help you
Rubin suggests that a key part of being
decide what your priorities are without all
happy is to be yourself, and to be true
her painstaking research – for example,
to yourself. Do not worry about what you
her current front page article talks about
‘should’ like, or think you should like, but
making sure your habits are right, some-
invest in discovering what makes you
thing she talks about in her book. She
happy. It could be a hobby, probably
recommends four things; sleep, exercise,
similar to what you enjoyed as a child,
external order, and managing eating
or it could be cutting out something you
and drinking, things which she works cont.
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EQUILIBRIUM 25 EQUILIBRIUM EQUILIBRIUM 13
cont.
on throughout the book and which do make a difference to her. She also talks here about her other books on happiness at home, and her forthcoming book about breaking habits. When I first read this book I felt energised and motivated to change small things in my life. I started thinking about how I could do what I really wanted and implemented the one minute rule – if something can be done in a minute or
Poetry
Think of the beautiful garden
less then do it. My desk is now almost always
With roses and garlands
clear and has been since that first reading. The
Flowers of all kinds
second time I read it, only a few months later, I
And fresh air
made further plans and did some things which I would not have done otherwise – I jumped
Taking a walk in the park
from a boat into the ocean because it scared
Artistic endeavours
me, and that was as important to me as keep-
Planting plants and exercising
ing my temper when someone was deliberately
provoking my anger. But in reading it again for this review (which only took about a day, on and
Good luck to everybody in the
off – it is a quick read) I have made the biggest
future
changes. I was already much happier than I
And be good with behaviour
was when I first read the book, that is true, but
Do something constructive with
rather than taking small actions I have taken bigger steps. I have contacted people about a
your day
children’s literature book club I had been consid-
As long as it’s just one thing
ering for a while but not made time for, I asked
Communicate effectively
my mother if she would like to do a happiness
Complete your education
project with me next year as a way to keep in
With knowledge and know-how
contact when we are in different countries, and I have thought about whether I am actually really
helping people when I give my time to tasks
I thank you for those special days
which don’t make much difference, even if I feel
you gave me
virtuous, or if there is a better way I could try to
help.
Have fun with life
So would I say the book is for everyone? No,
Good luck for the future
probably not. But if, like myself, you thought that
Everyone
owning one self help book would immediately
spiral into a Bridget Jones-esque binge of lifechanging intentions and no real action then I
Denica Chaplery
would urge you to try this. Gretchen is happier, I feel happier, and there is a real chance that you could too.
Photo: Anthony
EQUILIBRIUM EQUILIBRIUM 14
Summer/ Issue 38
Facts: Strange But True!!!!
Here are 21 facts that you might not know, but are all true - even though they might seem strange! 1.
Crocodiles have over 240 teeth in their entire life.
2.
The world’s shortest man, Pinping, is only 2ft 7inches tall.
3.
The 14-foot-long narwhal is a whale whose teeth can reach up to eight
feet long.
4.
Night butterflies have ears on their wings so they can avoid bats.
5.
The T-Rex had a jaw strong enough to chop a person a half in one bite.
6.
Female triceratops wore ‘make up’ (painted their faces) to attract
male triceratops.
7.
Chimps have their own form of political elections within their groups.
8.
Baby robins eat 14 feet of earthworms every day.
9.
Indian police are known to have the largest beer bellies in the world; in
one case, an officer had a waste size that was triple his chest size.
10.
Cows in India can cause traffic jams for miles.
11.
The largest sandwich is over 3ft long.
12. A tiny lizard called a Tiktiky can sever its tail and grow another within
two weeks.
13.
The act of kicking a football, when in space, can cause a person to
move 500 yards backwards, due to the lack of gravity.
14.
There are worms that are 4ft long.
15. A baby Giraffe can already be over 5ft tall when it is born. 16. An insect called a Mayfair only lives for 8 hours. 17. An Astronaut sees about 36 sunrises and 35 sunsets in one mission. 18. When the Mayans played football, they used the head of the losing
captain as a ball for the next game.
19. Dragonflies can fly up to 50 miles per hour. 20. The first light bulb was actually created by the Egyptians. 21.
An ancient ruler of North East India is known to have over a 101 children and out of 100 only one was a daughter.
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EQUILIBRIUM EQUILIBRIUM 15
EFT - Tapping into Potential worked with and had much respect for. She’d already helped move my art business forward from a very stagnant place to quite a significant place. So if she said EFT had the potential to change people’s lives, I thought it worth giving the time of day. As I write the book is winging its way to me. EFT, or also commonly known as Tapping, was something I’d come across before; I’d met others who’d used it. I’d read the Healing Codes and used some of those ‘touch’ techniques, but to little effect because I’d become so frustrated with the process. EFT works by releasing blockages within the energy system which leads to limiting beliefs and behaviours. It is said that these blockages cause emotional and/ or physical issues and include lack of confidence and self esteem, feeling stuck, anxious or depressed, or the emergence of compul-
S
sive and addictive behaviours, even physio this week I was taking my first webi-
cal issues such as long term back pain.
nar about the foundations of business
practice in the arts, and this webinar,
So it goes back to ancient Chinese beliefs
which was the first to be performed by
based around the meridian system which
this woman, went severely pear shaped –
believes there are electrical energies pass-
that’s to say I could hear nothing through
ing throughout the body. These charges
my phones but white noise. But I did hear
need to somehow be balanced in order to
her say ‘You have to get this book: EFT
function at an optimum level. The tapping
Emotional Freedom Technique “it will
on these meridian points release blockages
change your life”’.
in these energy paths, allowing things to flow more naturally.
Well this kind if information is often ignored, I’ve done it a million times before, but
So EFT treatment involves the use of finger-
this time it came from Rosalind, who I’d
tips rather than needles to tap on the end
EQUILIBRIUM EQUILIBRIUM 16
Summer/ Issue 38
Nigel Prestatyn
points of energy meridians that are situ-
But in order to shift the problem, we need
ated just beneath the surface of the skin.
to truly understand the problem and
So it’s like a kind of finger acupuncture,
connect with it on a deep emotional
or acupressure.
level.
The process involves one focusing on
After stating the problem, you’d begin
their own specific problem whilst tapping
a round of tapping whilst using the
with fingers on the end points of energy
‘Reminder Phrase’ which in this example
meridians. The combination of send-
might be, ‘I don’t deserve happiness.’
ing kinetic energy to our energy system,
The key is to get to the real core of
whilst uncovering and focusing on root
the issue, digging around until you find
causes facilitates a balancing of the
statements that really resonate with
energy system thereby eliminating the
your problem on a deeply profound
“short circuit” to the body’s negative
emotional level. These core issues, the
emotion. The tapping areas are:-
powerful ones which bring about real
1) Top of the Head, 2) Beginning of the
change, are often deeply buried, and
Eyebrow, 3) Side of the Eye, 4) Under the
stemming back to our early years. So it
Eye, 5) Under the Nose, 6) Chin Point, 7)
takes a little emotional intelligence to
Beginning of the Collarbone, 8) Under
root around until you find these core
the Arm. The setup area is the ‘karate
issues. Often it is suggested to fire off
chop’ area of the hand. These would
several arrows in the hope of hitting the
be classed as the basic tapping areas,
true core issue.
though there are further areas around the body.
And the way to determine whether the process has been successful or not is
So the ‘Setup Phrase’ might be: ‘I really
by gauging the level of emotional or
don’t deserve to be happy because
physical pain before you start, and again
when I was a soldier at war I hurt many
after several rounds of tapping. So if the
people.’ (Apparently EFT is great for post
emotional pain in our example remains
traumatic stress disorder.) This would
at 10, we need to try other statements,
involve tapping on the karate chop area
if it comes down to 5, then we continue
of either hand. This is a difficult thing
through as many rounds as it takes to
for me to get to grips with, because
bring it down to 1 or 2, or even a zero.
it’s repeatedly stating a negative, and
focusing on that negative, and I’ve often worked hard to do the exact opposite!
EQUILIBRIUM 17
photo from http://albanylibrary.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/reality-tv.jpg
Reality Television & Mental Health
L
ong gone are the days when folks
under the bright studio lights, desperately
gather from all around to applaud the
begging the audience to vote for him and
Gladiators fighting in the Coliseum, risk-
stuttering as the masses of results from the
ing their lives with blood, sweat and tears all
public rolled in. They purposefully dragged it
in the name of active entertainment... Or
out. The lights got brighter, the music louder
have they?
and cheers from the crowd bellowed from beyond. I remember thinking to myself,
I recall being 16 years old and transfixed to
poor guy, what’s going to happen to his
the television screen. Tonight was the night.
confidence if he doesn’t win? More to the
Everyone was talking about it. It was a
point: Why am I watching this in the first
Saturday night and it was the Pop Idol final.
place? Was it because I genuinely liked the
I was glued to the edge of my seat, eagerly
sound of their voices covering songs I had
awaiting the results. As I sat in the comfort
heard a million times before, or did I secretly
of my family home, feet up with a cup of
like having the power of holding people’s
tea, I watched on as one of the finalists
destinies in my hands, knowing that people
was rapidly losing confidence, perspiring
all over the country were feeling the same
EQUILIBRIUM EQUILIBRIUM 18
Summer/ Issue 38
By Christina Clark, Psychiatric Nurse
way? I was allowed to feel sorry for them,
of unacquainted strangers through a
excited for them or even dislike them,
television screen. And questions must be
and with a mere 50p phone call I could
asked as to who these audiences are
manipulate their destiny. Their future was
and more importantly what their motives
in my hands!
are. Are they really there to help people become a success in life or just partici-
But can I really go as far as to compare
pants in a game, playing with other
a 50p phone vote to that of a Gladiators
people’s futures?
fate determined by the crowd’s ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’? Okay, so we
Andy Warhol once said “In the future,
can’t exactly accuse the likes of Simon
everyone will be world-famous for 15
Cowell of placing people’s lives on the
minutes.” But ‘At whose expense?’
line in the literal sense – it’s not as though
appears to be the question on lots of
contestants have to slay boars three
people’s minds…
times the size of them or wrestle wild lions to the ground. Perhaps though, society
Emily Marsden, a specialist psychiatric
could go as far as to accuse some of
Nurse, who works with young people
the producers of reality TV shows of plac-
presenting with their First Episode of
ing people’s lives on the line in a more
Psychosis explains how an overnight
emotional sense.
celebrity suddenly becomes very vulnerable. “The media have the power to
Reality is defined as “the state of things
either maintain or crush their over-
as they actually exist, as opposed to
night status depending on what sells
an idealistic or notional idea of them”.
at the time. I imagine that the people
But who exactly defines this? We are
in the media industry who are respon-
surrounded by reality TV shows, but do
sible for their overnight fame are more
they really portray reality? I mean, how
concerned about making money than
many of us suddenly wake up one day
whether that person is feeling okay and
and have become a global superstar
being well supported.”
overnight and what mental pressure must this surreal notion place on people?
When looking at reality TV and mental
I don’t think we can even begin to imag-
health, there have been a plethora of
ine what that must feel like. People are
cases which have bought the subject
literally putting their futures in the hands
to media attention and some much cont.
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cont.
more ongoing ethical debates amongst
are psychologically stable and able to cope
professionals. In 2006, a Big Brother contest-
with such experiences. Is this good enough
ant, Shahbaz Chaudry, shockingly claimed
though? Marsden hopes that “firstly, contest-
he wanted to take his own life whilst being
ants have someone that regularly meets with
broadcast live on television. Not surpris-
the person to check that they are coping
ingly, controversy and ethical debate arose
– ideally someone with psychology train-
after the contestant was placed on ‘suicide
ing that can provide therapeutic support if
watch’ and denied exit from the house after
needed. I would also hope that producers
requesting to leave. He was subsequently
and channel executives would have some
pulled out of the show after increasing
awareness of the pressures and make sure
concerns were raised around his mental
people are not put under too much pressure
wellbeing. Unsurprisingly, this raised ques-
– I’m sure that doesn’t happen. I would want
tions around how much support the contest-
to make sure they were aware of all the
ants were being given and whether or not
pressures and negative aspects that come
they were intentionally pushed to their limits
with being on TV/in the spotlight so that they
to increase entertainment and viewing; in
weren’t going in to it blind”.
other words, whether or not he had been exposed to intentional exploitation. Marsden
Another high profile example of the pressure
agrees that reality programmes regularly
that fame can place on a person’s mental
exploit those with mental health problems
health is the alleged ‘mental breakdown’
in the name of entertainment: “In general,
that Susan Boyle endured after coming
reality TV is purely a form of entertainment
runner up on the reality show Britain’s Got
and unfortunately doesn’t seem to exist to
Talent. Concerns were made public after
teach people anything. I feel that in a lot
Susan was rushed to a private psychiatric
of instances, TV producers go for the ‘shock
unit the day after the competition finale. This
factor’ to get good viewing figures, which
too led to numerous viewer concerns that
often means issues aren’t covered very
she was not provided with the correct duty
sensitively. This can often mean people with
of care by the producers of the show. This
mental health issues are depicted as ‘odd’
speed of overnight fame and public expo-
or different to you and I – when the ‘real-
sure must be enough for anyone to find hard
ity’ is that mental health issues can affect
to grasp.
anyone.” Thankfully, after making a good recovery, Big Brother producers, in a response to the
Susan went on to become a global superstar
incident, claimed that contestants are
with support from friends, professionals and
screened by professionals to ensure that they
even backing from the media. Perhaps in
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Summer/ Issue 38
turn, shining the light for those with mental
tions of the stigma this may bring from the
health problems and in turn potentially
wider public. It perhaps leads us to ques-
projecting positive outcomes which show
tion the ignorance of the TV producers; just
that mental health problems do not neces-
because you have a mental health problem,
sarily hinder success on reality TV shows.
it shouldn’t automatically exclude you from
The public embraced Susan, even those
being a contestant. We live in a nation of
who didn’t watch the show were able to
equal opportunities and a history of mental
follow her journey due to the vast cover-
health problems wouldn’t legally be able to
age in the media; some even termed her a
impact your employment aspects, so why a
‘national treasure’. She had been exposed
reality TV show? Where do we draw the line?
to the world and had shown everyone that
Another point to also consider is what nega-
she could overcome mental health prob-
tive affects rejection may have on a person’s
lems and that it would not hinder her future
mental health and on a larger scale: the fight
success.
against stigma and discrimination. Marsden emphasises the need to make more effort
Marsden discusses how reality TV shows
to portray people with mental health issues
could also be used to help tackle some of
as normal people “rather than highlighting
the stigma surrounding mental health prob-
their differences or exaggerating their weak-
lems. “For example, well made ‘fly on the
nesses”.
wall’ documentaries can definitely tackle the stigma surrounding mental illness. I do
Reality TV is a culture that defines a huge
however think it’s difficult to get that right as
part of my generation. Sometimes it seems
it’s a sensitive and complex subject. People
as though people around me are more
making the programmes need to have a
interested in voting off the latest Big Brother
good understanding of mental illness them-
contestant, keeping someone in the jungle or
selves or they risk reinforcing stereotypes.”
paying to see a contestant on the X Factor win the Christmas number 1 (again). I often
On the flip side of this, there have also been
wonder how many of these people vote
a handful of high profile cases of people who
in the general elections or even know the
have entered reality TV contests and been
name of their local MP.
denied continuation in the competition due to the fact that they have disclosed a current
It is apparent that much more education
or historic mental health issue. This may well
and insight is needed for the producers of
highlight the high levels of discrimination still
reality TV shows and not just around mental
apparent within the world of show business
health issues but also on the impact that
and perhaps even more so their concep-
‘overnight fame’ can have on anyone, cont.
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cont.
regardless of their psychiatric history.
support and sensitivity around these issues
More consideration needs to be given as to
perhaps more people will feel able to enter
whether the entertainment aspect of making
these competitions and be able to spin
these shows really outweighs the ethical
some of the unfortunate existing negative
impact it has on issues such as human exploi-
stigma and portray mental health in a more
tation. None of us can fully predict what
positive light. Some may even view people
such a phenomenon of becoming famous
with mental health problems as stronger
overnight would do to our mental health,
than the ‘average Joe’; having already
hence the necessity for appropriate psycho-
battled through problems they may be more
logical support and mental preparation
mentally resilient and prepared for chal-
beforehand, during and after the process.
lenges and difficult circumstances. They are also perhaps more able to accept the rejec-
But on the flip side, why should mental
tion and also put into perspective the bigger
health disclosure affect the opportunity to
picture and (crucially) the more important
enter these contests? After all, with the right
things in life.
Humour
comedians like Benny Hill, Frank Spencer and Dev
Kenny Evert, which is tongue and cheek, and lots of people still find funny now a days, as
Humour, also known as sense of humour, is
it is very visual. However, comedy since the
defined in the dictionary as “the ability to
mid nineties seems to have changed and I
appreciate or express that which is humor-
think some comedy sketches have become
ous”. There are several theories that make
too over done. A constant use of one specific
humour relevant to wellbeing, like the relief
type of humour could be seen as rather tire-
theory, which says that laughter is a mecha-
some; bringing in more new material it could
nism by which psychological tension is
be more fun.
reduced. This is because it releases a chemical called serotonin, a “feel good” chemical,
Humour also has a unique tendency to cross
into the brain. The best way to see humour as
cultural backgrounds, even if you are from
a form of entertainment; if you think about it,
an ethnic minority. Sometime it is designed
it is trying to cheer you up or trying to make a
to make fun of how people in their commu-
funny point about a subject.
nity behave. A prime example is Goodness Gracious Me, which is about life as a South
Over time different styles of humour have
Asian person in the UK. As a South Asian
been popular and have changed, from
myself, seeing this programme reminds me
Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy and Buster
what people from this community are really
Keaton’s slapstick silent comedy to today’s
like. You might also be able find some similari-
style of stand-up comedy. Slapstick comedy
ties from your own background.
continued during the 60’s and 80’s, with
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Summer/ Issue 38
Politicians and celebrities are often mimicked,
shouldn’t be doing. They can be rather over
A quote from Nelson Mandela… “Social equality is the only basis of human happiness”
exaggerated, no matter what country they
Comment:
made fun of and vilified by comedians worldwide, most commonly leaders of countries (i.e. Prime Ministers or Presidents) and other leading Politicians. Most of the humour is based on what they are doing or what they
come from. Comedians, or anyone who tries to be funny,
In an ideal society, the human
rely on the reactions of people on the receiv-
potential of the individual should
ing end. So if a person attempts a funny joke
always evolve towards an ever
or something silly, and it does not go well, that person may not try that joke again or at least re-work the joke. Most comedians tend
increasing harmony and diversification with others in the direction of
to do situation-based comedy or stand up
progress, achievement and fulfil-
comedy. One way of trying to be funny is by
ment. Social equality should be the
using language to play with different meanings, for example “I am taking a break” can be seen as a person trying to break something. Another interesting way is to be funny is
accepted norm, indeed without it the society would cease to function for the benefit of all.
by finding the meaning of the word in another language, for example in English ‘Hey dude’ mean you are saying hello to someone you think is cool, but in Bengali (a language from
I believe an ideal society motivated by the aspirations of the individual
the subcontinent) ‘Hey dude’ means ‘Hello
should involve a technique – like
milk’.
transcendental meditation – to
When it comes to mental health, humour plays a very important part. When you have
allow the individual to develop his personality so that the inner happi-
“mental health problems” you may find your-
ness of the individual provides a
self in a state where you have trouble control-
stability that resolves problems
ling your moods. Some people describe it as
before they arise, enabling a soci-
being in a big hole without any light at the end. In this state, gentle humour can be useful in making each step less daunting. It can
ety to be one of all solutions and not one of all problems.
slowly helping them get various ideas on how to get themselves out of any situation and to
Ian Stewart
see things from a different perspective.
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A Diagnosis Accepting a diagnosis of mental ill health, with
tion for a home-cooked lunch or dinner.
all of the unknown lifestyle implications is – let
Alan is self-employed and works in an advisory
me argue – easier to come to terms with if the
capacity doing consultancy work. Alan is also a
patient can or could be considered already
well-regarded writer and, himself having been
intelligent and well adjusted. Preserving the
moved to do so many times, often prompts
strengths of your personality is, Dr Johnson E
others to tell their life stories as a source of inspi-
Sabine might argue, the very essence of the
ration for others.
struggle with your mental illness.
Alan advises other mental health service users
Alan was first admitted to psychiatric hospi-
to carry on regardless. This does test us more
tal in 1986 and many years later he continues
than non-mental health patients. We all have
to pursue work, leisure, and his pursuit of the
our crosses to bear, however, and Alan is not
Lord’s wisdom. He does not deny his needs for
alone in finding advantage in so-called disad-
extra agency care and support. He is visited
vantage. Take the problem-solving route and
by his carer once a week on Sundays for help
make use of relevant and wider learning oppor-
with maintaining himself and his home – a well
tunities.
appointed and comfortably furnished one bed-
room flat, above and adjacent to the full array
As a parent, his day-to-day life consists of
of locally needed facilities.
making an earnest effort to provide for his
family and, who knows, one day he may have
Living only on a means-tested state pension,
time to read a good book. Take one day at a
this still allows Alan the relative luxury of eating
time, is his maxim: be thankful and count your
in local cafes and the occasional friendly invita-
blessings in all things.
A Personal Interview Alan’s Interview with an Anonymous Participant at the Recovery College: What is your diagnosis and how do you feel about it? Schizophrenia and OCD. I prefer not to think about it because it makes it worse when I think about it. How long have you suffered from mental illness? Around 18-23 years. How do you manage on a daily basis? Sometimes I find it difficult to manage but I try to concentrate on what I am doing at the time. Have you thought about telling your story to the public (anonymously or otherwise)? I come from a South Asian background and mental health is seen as a NO GO AREA so I just keep it to myself. What advice would you give to someone else with a mental illness? What have you found most helpful? Take it day by day. If you are having trouble find a friend or someone you can trust to tell what you are going through. Make sure you ask them to keep it to themselves. What are your hopes for the future? To deal with it better.
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Food Photography Helen Grace Ventura Thompson
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Summer/ Issue 38
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