Cards can support people with mental illness

[Posted: Sat 10/10/2009 by Olivia Fens - www.irishhealth.com]

Experts are encouraging people to send ‘Get well soon’ cards to friends or family who are unwell with mental ill-health.

While most people send and receive cards of support during times of physical illness, people with mental health problems are often forgotten and infrequently receive messages of encouragement, a report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) has found.

But the RCP report has found that ‘Get well soon’ cards can boost mental illness recovery.

The RCP survey of more than 130 people with mental health issues, found that 51% of the survey respondents said they had received a ‘Get well soon’ card the last time they were physically ill – but only 31% received a card when they were last unwell with a mental health problem.

However, 81% of people surveyed said receiving a ‘Get well soon’ card would help their recovery.

TV presenter Trisha Goddard said that she was inundated with messages of support when diagnosed with breast cancer.

“If you’re thinking I only got those cards because I’m in the public eye, let me tell you this. When I lived in Australia, I was equally in the public eye and yet when news leaked out that I was in a psychiatric hospital following a breakdown – not a peep! No cards and certainly no flowers,” Trisha said.

Thomas, a member of the RCP’s Service User Recovery Forum said: “I first experienced mental ill health whilst I was studying at University. My friends and family did not know what to do, or how to react, so they did nothing.

“Some time later, when I went into hospital for a relatively minor operation, I received lots of visitors with cards, fruit, chocolates and enough Lucozade to sink a ship.

“It is such a shame that friends and family usually know how to respond if you are physically ill, and yet find it so difficult when you are mentally unwell. When you are ill you can often feel quite isolated, and knowing that people who care for you are thinking of you would have really helped my recovery.”

purple  Posted: 14/10/2009 17:43

hi i find that when i send a get well card to a member of the family, they say that it has helped them get through what they are going through,

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