The Mental Health Support Thread

[Smartacus]

I've been putting in some work to address my mental health.

In college I was diagnosed with ADHD. I chose to forego the medication since I was considering the army after graduation and was told that you cannot get in if you are prescribed Adderall.

Struggled a bit after college. Was a bit directionless with no plans to do anything with my Communications degree. I had a short stint as a credit card processing salesman which lead to bar backing weddings for 3 years until I finally found my way to Logistics working for Amtrak. I've always been decent enough at it although i have been plagued throughout my career by careless mental errors that show up to this day. I was always good enough to get by but wasn't quite excelling.

Today I am an Operations Manager for the American branch of a Korean Biotech Firm. My boss who's wife is a social worker suggested I seek counselling to address the small errors that pop up, so for the last year I've seen a therapist once a month that's helped me work through a lot of my issues and in general provides something of a guiding beacon to keep me from straying too far off my path. In general my mistakes are down and most people in my life feel they seen a change in me.

I also do group therapy twice a month which has been a positive experience as well. That's been a trip because there's a responsibility to help others through their own problems as they work with you on yours.

If you are considering therapy I do highly recommend it. I haven't faced much of a stigma personally and in fact you may be surprised at how many people are rooting for you to go through some self improvement and discovery.

Thanks for the thread Nick. Always nice to have an outlet to get it off your chest.

[nickagneta]

Calvin Ridley, star WR for the Atlanta Falcons, becomes the latest in a string of professional athletes going public with their mental health issues and taking time away from sports.

I am happy seeing that the more famous people that come forward with these issues, the less mental health is stigmatized and accepted as a real health issue in this country. People with mental health issues need to know they will be accepted by others and by society and not ostracized or stigmatized or felt to be considered weaker or less of a person simply because the have a mental health issue.

[Roy H.]

Calvin Ridley, star WR for the Atlanta Falcons, becomes the latest in a string of professional athletes going public with their mental health issues and taking time away from sports.

I am happy seeing that the more famous people that come forward with these issues, the less mental health is stigmatized and accepted as a real health issue in this country. People with mental health issues need to know they will be accepted by others and by society and not ostracized or stigmatized or felt to be considered weaker or less of a person simply because the have a mental health issue.

I'm curious what your thoughts are on this:  How do you handle mental health absences in a league of guaranteed contracts?  If a player wants to take time off because their mental health isn't right, should they still get paid?  What if the absence is a year, or two?  Depression can be chronic, and potentially career ending.  It's also almost based largely on self-report.  If Ben Simmons tells the Sixers he can't mentally play, are they on the hook for $160 million if his doctor says he's not getting better?

It's a really tricky situation to navigate, I think.  Mental health needs support, but is it an avenue for guys to force trades and not honor contracts?

[nickagneta]

Calvin Ridley, star WR for the Atlanta Falcons, becomes the latest in a string of professional athletes going public with their mental health issues and taking time away from sports.

I am happy seeing that the more famous people that come forward with these issues, the less mental health is stigmatized and accepted as a real health issue in this country. People with mental health issues need to know they will be accepted by others and by society and not ostracized or stigmatized or felt to be considered weaker or less of a person simply because the have a mental health issue.

I'm curious what your thoughts are on this:  How do you handle mental health absences in a league of guaranteed contracts?  If a player wants to take time off because their mental health isn't right, should they still get paid?  What if the absence is a year, or two?  Depression can be chronic, and potentially career ending.  It's also almost based largely on self-report.  If Ben Simmons tells the Sixers he can't mentally play, are they on the hook for $160 million if his doctor says he's not getting better?

It's a really tricky situation to navigate, I think.  Mental health needs support, but is it an avenue for guys to force trades and not honor contracts?

I think it needs to be handled much like physical ailments. If someone needs a mental health break with a game or two off, it should be handled no differently than someone getting sick or the flu and needing a game or two off.

Extended time off for physical ailments are almost always at the behest of team physicians who verify the injury and set a regimen for recovery and a timeline to return. Maybe have every team have a psychiatrist and psychologist to treat mental health issues and verify their existence and set about a plan to recovery and return to the team.

If the mental health issue is such that it's permanently going to impair the player's ability to perform, have the player retire and have it handled accordingly, like the Chris Bosh situation.

Just handle it like regular physical ailments. It might mean the 30 teams adding mental health professionals to their teams, if they don't already have them, and something put into the CBA that if you are claiming a mental health issue you must be seen by a team medical professional for treatment and verification.

Regarding Simmons, if he went to a mental health professional my guess is that professional could determine the veracity of his claim quite easily.

[Goldstar88]

May is mental health awareness month and I thought this story was worth sharing. Just heartbreaking…


https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40217371/stan-van-gundy-remembers-late-wife-reveals-cause-death

[tenn_smoothie]

May is mental health awareness month and I thought this story was worth sharing. Just heartbreaking…


https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40217371/stan-van-gundy-remembers-late-wife-reveals-cause-death

Van Gundy is quoted at the end of the article, "I just don't think I'll ever get over it," Van Gundy said.
God Bless, of course you will never get over her, No one could in such circumstances.
From my perspective being a person of faith, I believe you will see her again.

[kraidstar]

Before I clicked the link, I genuinely assumed this thread was about the mental health of Celtic fans after the roller coaster rides this team subjects us to.

Just convenient timing I guess

[Surferdad]

I have observed that the general public still has very little understanding of mental health problems and how to react when told that a person is suffering. Many mental health problems are not treatable with drugs, yet some folks try to force mental health issues into solutions similar to physical health solutions. Additionally, some folks tend to comment on solutions rather than simply offering their compassion. I think this is because of their unfamiliarity and the topic makes them uncomfortable.

My mother-in-law died of a form a severe dementia. Now my wife (who is 65) is on the same road as her mother. She is scared about her future prospects, but also worries about the embarrassment if she forgets something in general conversation or loses track of the conversation altogether. As a result, she hides her condition as much as possible but lives in fear of screwing up and exposing her condition. The worst thing she fears are the words, you already said that. That happened at her college reunion and, sadly, was uttered by a long-time friend, even after my wife admitted she had been having cognitive changes in recent years. People just don?t understand and don?t know how to deal with it, even when told in advance.

[Celtics2021]

I have observed that the general public still has very little understanding of mental health problems and how to react when told that a person is suffering. Many mental health problems are not treatable with drugs, yet some folks try to force mental health issues into solutions similar to physical health solutions. Additionally, some folks tend to comment on solutions rather than simply offering their compassion. I think this is because of their unfamiliarity and the topic makes them uncomfortable.

My mother-in-law died of a form a severe dementia. Now my wife (who is 65) is on the same road as her mother. She is scared about her future prospects, but also worries about the embarrassment if she forgets something in general conversation or loses track of the conversation altogether. As a result, she hides her condition as much as possible but lives in fear of screwing up and exposing her condition. The worst thing she fears are the words, you already said that. That happened at her college reunion and, sadly, was uttered by a long-time friend, even after my wife admitted she had been having cognitive changes in recent years. People just don?t understand and don?t know how to deal with it, even when told in advance.

I am so sorry for your wife, and for you.  My stepfather is going through something similar.  He has always been a little more reserved, but now he barely talks with anyone outside very close family for fear of embarrassing himself.  He?s gone downhill quickly in the last six months.  I wish you both strength as you struggle through this.

[gift]

May is mental health awareness month and I thought this story was worth sharing. Just heartbreaking…


https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40217371/stan-van-gundy-remembers-late-wife-reveals-cause-death

Van Gundy is quoted at the end of the article, "I just don't think I'll ever get over it," Van Gundy said.
God Bless, of course you will never get over her, No one could in such circumstances.
From my perspective being a person of faith, I believe you will see her again.

i was listening to lebatard's show when this came up in conversation between them. i had no idea his wife had died, let alone that she had been suffering. i know stan has good people around him and i hope they can find some peace together and keep the good memories they have.

i also did not realize dan lebatard lost his younger brother last year to cancer. i used to be a regular listener to his show and knew he was very close with his brother. just happened to tune in again to hear them talk to each other about their loss and grief. it was heavy and real.

[gift]

I have observed that the general public still has very little understanding of mental health problems and how to react when told that a person is suffering. Many mental health problems are not treatable with drugs, yet some folks try to force mental health issues into solutions similar to physical health solutions. Additionally, some folks tend to comment on solutions rather than simply offering their compassion. I think this is because of their unfamiliarity and the topic makes them uncomfortable.

My mother-in-law died of a form a severe dementia. Now my wife (who is 65) is on the same road as her mother. She is scared about her future prospects, but also worries about the embarrassment if she forgets something in general conversation or loses track of the conversation altogether. As a result, she hides her condition as much as possible but lives in fear of screwing up and exposing her condition. The worst thing she fears are the words, you already said that. That happened at her college reunion and, sadly, was uttered by a long-time friend, even after my wife admitted she had been having cognitive changes in recent years. People just don?t understand and don?t know how to deal with it, even when told in advance.

i'm sorry to hear that. i've seen the effect dementia can have. it is also one of my worst fears.

feel free to completely disregard the following, but i have personally found mental improvements by incorporating lion's mane mushroom (actually a complex that includes other mushrooms too), microdoses of psilocybin mushrooms and ginkgo biloba. i'm optimistic about their ability to potentially help improve, delay or restrict declining mental health conditions. i also understand what you said about there not necessarily being a "solution" to mental health issues. but i just wanted to throw out an idea (not a recommendation) that i believe has some promise on the off-chance it has some positive effect.

[Surferdad]

I have observed that the general public still has very little understanding of mental health problems and how to react when told that a person is suffering. Many mental health problems are not treatable with drugs, yet some folks try to force mental health issues into solutions similar to physical health solutions. Additionally, some folks tend to comment on solutions rather than simply offering their compassion. I think this is because of their unfamiliarity and the topic makes them uncomfortable.

My mother-in-law died of a form a severe dementia. Now my wife (who is 65) is on the same road as her mother. She is scared about her future prospects, but also worries about the embarrassment if she forgets something in general conversation or loses track of the conversation altogether. As a result, she hides her condition as much as possible but lives in fear of screwing up and exposing her condition. The worst thing she fears are the words, you already said that. That happened at her college reunion and, sadly, was uttered by a long-time friend, even after my wife admitted she had been having cognitive changes in recent years. People just don?t understand and don?t know how to deal with it, even when told in advance.

i'm sorry to hear that. i've seen the effect dementia can have. it is also one of my worst fears.

feel free to completely disregard the following, but i have personally found mental improvements by incorporating lion's mane mushroom (actually a complex that includes other mushrooms too), microdoses of psilocybin mushrooms and ginkgo biloba. i'm optimistic about their ability to potentially help improve, delay or restrict declining mental health conditions. i also understand what you said about there not necessarily being a "solution" to mental health issues. but i just wanted to throw out an idea (not a recommendation) that i believe has some promise on the off-chance it has some positive effect.

My wife has tried lion?s mane but you have to be careful about dosage. Also, any improvement is not instantaneous; like many OTC supplements you have to take over a long period of time.

I think psilocybin is still legally a controlled substance. My wife did her share of psychedelics back in college and has no interest in going there again.

Thanks to all who responded to my post.  Life is hard right now as I also have my own share of health problems including cancer.  Celtics basketball is my only form of entertainment these days as our lives are consumed by health issues. I wont be watching Game 3 because I am going for an MRI at the hospital. Hopefully I will be out of there in time to listen to the end of the game in my car.

[Kernewek]

Sorry to hear that SD - wishing you the best of luck with your health issues. Even with all the advances in modern medicine 'cancer' is still an intimidating word and can do a number on your mental & physical health.

[green_bballers13]

I have observed that the general public still has very little understanding of mental health problems and how to react when told that a person is suffering. Many mental health problems are not treatable with drugs, yet some folks try to force mental health issues into solutions similar to physical health solutions. Additionally, some folks tend to comment on solutions rather than simply offering their compassion. I think this is because of their unfamiliarity and the topic makes them uncomfortable.

My mother-in-law died of a form a severe dementia. Now my wife (who is 65) is on the same road as her mother. She is scared about her future prospects, but also worries about the embarrassment if she forgets something in general conversation or loses track of the conversation altogether. As a result, she hides her condition as much as possible but lives in fear of screwing up and exposing her condition. The worst thing she fears are the words, you already said that. That happened at her college reunion and, sadly, was uttered by a long-time friend, even after my wife admitted she had been having cognitive changes in recent years. People just don?t understand and don?t know how to deal with it, even when told in advance.

i'm sorry to hear that. i've seen the effect dementia can have. it is also one of my worst fears.

feel free to completely disregard the following, but i have personally found mental improvements by incorporating lion's mane mushroom (actually a complex that includes other mushrooms too), microdoses of psilocybin mushrooms and ginkgo biloba. i'm optimistic about their ability to potentially help improve, delay or restrict declining mental health conditions. i also understand what you said about there not necessarily being a "solution" to mental health issues. but i just wanted to throw out an idea (not a recommendation) that i believe has some promise on the off-chance it has some positive effect.

My wife has tried lion?s mane but you have to be careful about dosage. Also, any improvement is not instantaneous; like many OTC supplements you have to take over a long period of time.

I think psilocybin is still legally a controlled substance. My wife did her share of psychedelics back in college and has no interest in going there again.

Thanks to all who responded to my post.  Life is hard right now as I also have my own share of health problems including cancer.  Celtics basketball is my only form of entertainment these days as our lives are consumed by health issues. I wont be watching Game 3 because I am going for an MRI at the hospital. Hopefully I will be out of there in time to listen to the end of the game in my car.

The CS community is thinking of you and your wife. Here's to many years of health and happiness, from one Celtics fan to another.

[chicagoceltic]

I am sorry to hear about your challenges SD. I am not one to pray but you and your wife will be in my thoughts.