Overcoming Mental Illness

MENTAL HEALTH ACTION WEEK
23 - 29 MARCH 2008
Don’t let anger get the better of you

Next week is the Mental Health Foundation’s Action Week. The foundation uses this week to raise awareness of mental health issues across the UK. The theme of this years action week is anger.

What is anger?

“Anger is one of the most basic human emotions. it is a physical and mental response to a threat or to harm done in the past. Anger takes many different forms from irritation to blinding rage or resentment that festers over many years.

At any point in time, a combination of physical, mental and social factors interact to make us feel a certain way. It’s different for each of us. Our feelings are influenced by our emotional make-up, how we view the world, what happens around us and our circumstances. Like other emotions, anger rarely acts alone.”

What kind of problems can be linked to anger?

Anger is the emotion most likely to cause problems in relationships in the family, at work and with friends. people with a long term anger problem tend to be poor at making decisions, take more risks than other people and are more likely to have a substance misuse problem.

Anger has been linked with mental health problems:

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Self Harm

And anger can be a major factor in abusive relationships which can also lead to mental health problems for both abusee and abuser. Anger is also a major contributor to physical health conditions such as: blood pressure, colds, flu, coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer and gastro-intestinal problems.

What is being done?

Across the UK there will be thousands of people undertaking different activities to raise awareness and money for this campaign, here on My Journey with Depression it is no different.

The foundation is encouraging people to have a ‘RANT-a-thon’ where people come together to ‘let off’ steam and have a RANT. Well, that is what I will be doing. Everyday next week I will be posting a special RANT post where I let rip some steam and see what happens.

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Mental Health Action Week RANTs Quick Links

Sunday 23 March - Sexism
Monday 24 March -
Tuesday 25 March -
Wednesday 26 March -
Thursday 27 March -
Friday 28 March -
Saturday 29 March -

What would you like Addy to RANT about?  

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All that’s just for fun really, where the money raising comes in will be:

For every comment I receive on this blog between 23 - 29 March 2008 I will donate 50p towards the Mental Health Foundation’s Action week appeal.

For every interesting comment (my discretion) I will donate £1.

This will be for every post and page on the blog, not just the RANT posts.

(and will not include spam comments - sorry, don’t have a spare £million)

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TOTAL SO FAR - £1.00
(as of 23 March 2008)

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If you would like to donate merely from the bottom of your beautiful wee heart I have set up a secure donation page through the JustGiving.co.uk where all money donated will be paid directly to the Mental Health Foundation.

Let’s all help raise awareness of mental health issues.

For more information on Mental Health Action Week you can visit
THE MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION

Now I’m not generally very knowledgeable in the field of antique art, but when you discover you have a great-grandfather who was a painter, and a stack of his old work in the attic your brain starts ticking.

I could use this…
Yes…
That’s not such a bad idea…

So I have set about attempting to raise money for mental illness related charities by selling some of his artwork.

A little about the artist:
Frederick Thomas Penson was born in Stoke-on-Trent, England, in March 1866. He studied art at the National Art Training School - which would later become the Royal College of Arts - in South Kensington, London. He also studied and practised art in Paris.

During his life F.T.Penson had work accepted and displayed at the Victoria & Albert Museum’s permanent collection and was also responsible for designing and executing the re-decoration of the Prince of Wales Theatre in Middlesbrough.

His favourite source of inspiration was in the grounds of Trentham Hall, part of the Estate of the Duke of Sutherland, which is depicted in many of his paintings.

He passed away in September 1951 due to senile myocardial degeneration.

The paintings which are for sale are all one off originals (not prints or copies) and are each handsigned by the artist. They range in date from 1901 to 1915 and are mostly landscapes. They are sold unmounted/unframed so you can choose your own :)

And remember…aside from minor costs, all profit will be donated toward charities combating and raising awareness of mental illness (which no, isn’t me, in case you’re wondering)

You can visit the gallery and make purchases at:
STRAY VISIONS: THE ART OF FREDERICK T. PENSON