9th March 2011, 01:08 PM
Quote:My way of dealing with it is, well, my way of dealing with it... I keep telling myself that I don't need doctors or pills and that the situation will change for the better soon (optimistic thinking). Yes, I am also aware (afraid?) that I am burying my head in the sand and that, maybe the problem won't go away. But I live in hope and I still have my pride.
Quote:But are you really dealing with it or simply coping?
To be perfectly honest... I cope (just about). No, I haven't been to a doctor although I have seen a work-related councellor (CBT) last year. I was referred by my then work and then union... apparently I was more tightly wound than a coil and the stress was affecting my work (which in hindsight makes me laugh... I was referred by my employers because my stress was affecting my work, when actually my work situation was one, amongst many, of the contributing factors to the stress). Catch 22... between a rock and a hard place. Other factors conspired to result in what I am today... unemployed, feeling totally unemployable, technically homeless and pennyless. Sometimes I feel I can't move on (forward) but also very definetly unable to go backwards. But I have some plans (concrete ones and some pipe-dreamy ones) and ways of getting out of this situation - of these, only one involves archaeology. Maybe it is time for a fresh start (which will be difficult given my age)... something that isn't money or performance orientated. So long as I just get by, but actually feel happy about what I do, that's all I want at the moment. If anyone recognises me from what I've just said... then so be it. I don't care anymore. Maybe it is time that the profession recognises it's inherent instability... both in the nature of work and, more precisely, the nature of its workforce.
Quote:We have a thread, a forum and plenty of individuals who have shared their thoughts and experiences in as far as they are willing to do so. It's a start. As for the "powers" that be...I'm of two minds about this. I feel personally responsible to do something to address the issue of depression by seeking help (GP, NHS etc) and or changing my circumstances. I mean no disrespect when I say that my own feeling is my mental health is not the responsibility of a union or the IFA.
True, I agree... something I alluded to in an earlier post. However, as boxoffrogs has already said... the problem(s) won't go away. It maybe a small problem in respect to the total archaeological workforce... but if you add up all the other stuff that affects the archaeolgical community (much earlier threads regarding drugs) then maybe it isn't so small. As I've mentioned before, to me (my thoughts... maybe not true, but I can only go by personal experience) the archaeological community has more than its fair share of problems - health problems, addictions, debts to name a few. It's not just a mental health issue (which you are right by the way... it should be the responsibility of the individual). But, if the governing bodies of this community appear to not recognise that there are problems with its workforce or, to some peoples views, even try to shy away from it... where do we go from here? Why is it that the Lawyers (Law Society) recognise the problem has a range of in-house bodies and contracted companies that deal specifically with this (LawyersDefence Group, LawCare) or Teachers (Teacher Support Network) and we don't? (Ok, there are many more lawyers and teachers than there are archaeologists and also maybe they have recognised the problem way before us). I'm not asking the IFA, EH or ALGAO or whoever to set up a helpline, forum or whatever (to be honest it's probably none of their concern)... it's just that we are a relatively small community, yet with a (seemingly) large number of dissafected and disillusioned workers... or non workers as the case maybe. If BAJR can recognise it (and accept it)... what about the others?