Comments on: Spiritual Author Sharon Fawcett Writes In http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2008/06/30/spiritual-author-sharon-fawcett-writes-in/ A blog about mental health Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:55:48 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Joe http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2008/06/30/spiritual-author-sharon-fawcett-writes-in/comment-page-1/#comment-3307 Joe Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:40:40 +0000 http://trouble.pwblogs.com/2008/06/30/spiritual-author-sharon-fawcett-writes-in/#comment-3307 Sharon was fortunate to have someone who was so supportive. It says nothing less about her personal efforts in dealing with depression but I know too many persons who suffer from depression and other mental illnesses who have no one. It is not surprising that one of the frequently listed quality of life issues raised by persons who have a long standing mental illnesses is isolation. Sadly, I have ceased to be surprised by the number of mental health consumers who can go into considerable detail about the medications they have taken, the programs they have been in, and their hospitalizations, yet can't cite the last time someone hugged them. I suppose it is possible to get better sans meaningful human contact but for the life of me, I don't see how. Long past the Era of Evidence Based Practices and well into the Era of Recovery and Wellness, isn't there a place for a hug? Sharon was fortunate to have someone who was so supportive. It says nothing less about her personal efforts in dealing with depression but I know too many persons who suffer from depression and other mental illnesses who have no one. It is not surprising that one of the frequently listed quality of life issues raised by persons who have a long standing mental illnesses is isolation. Sadly, I have ceased to be surprised by the number of mental health consumers who can go into considerable detail about the medications they have taken, the programs they have been in, and their hospitalizations, yet can’t cite the last time someone hugged them.

I suppose it is possible to get better sans meaningful human contact but for the life of me, I don’t see how. Long past the Era of Evidence Based Practices and well into the Era of Recovery and Wellness, isn’t there a place for a hug?

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