Let’s be clear about this we are not talking about mental illness. Why not? People often do not realise that they could be diagnosed with a mental illness. They may recognise mood swings. They may recognise that they think differently about situations than other people. However, the idea that a medical professional would describe them as mentally ill would amaze them and possibly even offend them. They are not mentally ill they are just struggling with the circumstances that they are facing.
If we don’t mean mental illness what do we mean? The mental bit is easy i.e. what is going on in the mind. It is the activity of thinking. Mental distress is really about having painful or distressing thoughts. Some people diagnosed with a mental health problem have thought patterns that are painful or distressing but not all. Some people who have NOT been diagnosed with a mental health problem or who would never dream of seeking help from a mental health professional could be in mental distress.
Confused yet? When I looked up the definition of distress I came across an idea from the legal world. Here they talk about causing distress by taking away something that someone wants. For example someone has not paid a bill so the court arranges for them to experience the distress of losing some of their property so that it can be sold to pay off some or all of their debt. Of course outside the legal world we talk about distress to refer to the pain of other kinds of loss such as the death of a loved one or the loss of health (e.g. a mother being distressed because a child is ill). It could be caused by the loss of a job or business in which case someone could be facing both financial distress and mental distress at the same time.
Such situations may magnify previously unrecognised unhealthy thought patterns making them more recognisable. These are not necessarily seen as symptoms of mental illness. We cannot leave the mind out of it as our thoughts are what lead us to do the things that we do. Sadly some of us know first hand that some thought patterns can make a situation worse for us and for others. A vicious circle can develop where pain brings yet more pain.
What then is mental distress? It is the experience of having painful thoughts that can be, but need not be, caused by external events.
What can we do about it?
We are not mental health professionals. Our aim is to provide practical resources to support those in distress. The idea is to come alongside those who are in pain and show them love in action. You have no money then here is a way to earn some. You do not have the skills to set up a business then here is a way to learn them. Well that is our starting point. However, the dream is to recycle people so that instead of being people who need help they become people who can give help. They may set up a business. They may set up a charitable project supported by some of the businesses that others set up. They may work in a business or project someone else has set up. They may use their skills to help people move home, furnish their new home, take care of their home. They may use their abilities to teach others new skills or provide nutritional advice. In fact in a community like this the possibilities of helping others are endless.
Our desire is to build up people who can then build up their community using old fashioned values like thrift, and hard work. Communities where businesses and organisations exist to serve the needs of the community rather than the individual. Everyone playing their part to take care of others in the community. No one being seen as too weak or incapable of doing something to help someone else. You have a medical issue that means you struggle to leave the house well here is a way that you can help someone else and possibly earn money at the same time without leaving home. Communities where everyone is so busy giving and providing for the needs of others that the end result becomes miraculous. Communities where everyone has the character and ability to succeed in something. Communities comprised of people who have such good characters that they do not need to feel the harsh hand of compulsion to do good by others it just comes naturally. Well that is our founder’s idea of how to bring heaven to earth and in heaven there is no distress.
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