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  #1  
Old 16th February 2016, 15:13
Dougella Dougella is offline
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Default Stephen Fry Documentary

It's called The Not So Secret Life of a Manic Depressive: Ten Years On.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...group=p02q33dg

He is revisiting the people he talked to in the programme he did 10 years ago, which I remember watching, and also talking about how his own illness has been.

Quite interesting.
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  #2  
Old 16th February 2016, 15:27
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

I don't really like Stephen Fry, but I thought that documentary was good. I'll have a gander at it.
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Old 16th February 2016, 15:45
Dougella Dougella is offline
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

But he's a national treasure :p

It's interesting seeing all the other people in the programme and how mental illness affects their lives etc.
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Old 16th February 2016, 16:50
Dougella Dougella is offline
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

^ Thank you HH . Any opinions on this documentary in particular?
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Old 16th February 2016, 18:16
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dougella
But he's a national treasure :p
He is unfortunately, yes

It would be preferable if someone bearable presented a show on mental health instead.
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Old 16th February 2016, 19:30
Dougella Dougella is offline
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

Quote:
Originally Posted by HermannHesse
Haven't seen it. Stephen Fry and his ilk, in my opinion, only ever show the acceptable face of mental illness.

I prefer a much more brutal look at mental illness - i.e. the fact that a lot of people with mental illness are actually horrible people, most of the "treatments" on offer are useless, that life is objectively a living hell and mental illness is often a valid reaction to this. But such discussions are off limits, and so we get photogenic types, saying all the right and proper things about mental illness, egged on from the sidelines by the mental health charities, such as Mind, that have zero interest in addressing the root causes of societal meltdown.

Anyone can put together a mental health show about 10 nice people we all like and relate to. I think it's far more interesting to have a show about 10 mentally ill people that society has completely abandoned and or rightly despises: that tramp on the street that has been depressed and drunk his whole life, but no one has ever even stopped to notice; the man who gets so angry over such trivial things that, in spite of himself, he finds himself lashing out at his wife, a horrible character broken by life; the women who wants to kill her children, to smoother them out of existence with the power of her 'love'; the weirdo loner who can't speak in front of a camera and has ended up addicted to hateful porn; the horrid thug whose only excitement in life is breaking the law and causing pain to others.

There are countless examples of people who aren't acceptable faces for mental illness. TV shows never feature them. The tramp f'ing and blinding and pooing down the back of his own legs because he just doesn't care anymore doesn't appeal as much as Fry's witticisms, and feww want to see the brutality of mental illness, only its sanitised form.

However, IGNORE me. I have no right to rant on your thread like this. Go away HH.
You make some valid points. This programme is a bit more sombre and serious than others I've seen.

Of the people they follow, one is a young woman whose life is still seriously affected by her mental illness and has now found out she has breast cancer. There's a young guy who during a manic episode was singing very loudly to himself on the tube and someone filmed him and posted it online and he got ridiculed about it. He was sectioned after that.
There's a young girl who during a manic episode jumped off a balcony believing she could fly and now has permanent injuries and uses a wheel chair.
There's a guy who works as a chef, but even his understanding boss says he will end up on a park bench if things don't improve and he loses friends because of his mood swings. His wife says she can't go on the way things are. They show him trying some medication and the side effects he gets.

They might not show the absolute worst effects of mental illness, but if they only did that then it wouldn't help to reduce stigma and help people realise that all sorts of people can have mental health problems. That's the way I think of it anyway.

Of course you're welcome on my thread
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Old 16th February 2016, 19:41
Dougella Dougella is offline
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Originally Posted by Fungus
I liked it and thought it was sympathetic and showed the real consequences of mental illness. Considering social anxiety is supposed ot be about the third most common form of mental illness you'd think that there would be a documentary on it by now. I also reall, really, really like Stephen Fry.
That's true, but it might be more difficult to convince people with social anxiety to appear on camera! I did see a programme once before where people made video diary type things though, that worked quite well.
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  #8  
Old 16th February 2016, 19:58
Indigo_ Indigo_ is offline
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

I like Stephen Fry. I thought it was a well-made documentary.
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Old 16th February 2016, 20:18
Dougella Dougella is offline
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^ I did too
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  #10  
Old 16th February 2016, 20:42
Dougella Dougella is offline
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^ No no, don't want to drag you away from that.....
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  #11  
Old 16th February 2016, 20:55
misska misska is offline
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

It was an OK documentary but the people all seemed to be in London, I don't think their would ever be an SA documentary it would be too boring
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  #12  
Old 16th February 2016, 22:57
kirbycrackle kirbycrackle is offline
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

I watched this. T'was okay. Find fry a wee bit dramatic in his descriptions of his 'lowest ebb' and a bit hard to sympathise with, just my opinion. The young lady that was diagnosed with cancer was the saviour of the film for me and very relatable/ inspiring.
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  #13  
Old 16th February 2016, 23:28
Dougella Dougella is offline
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^ I remembered her from the first programme, she was very inspiring and spirited.
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  #14  
Old 16th February 2016, 23:42
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

Not sure where I read it, but I recall a psychologist (?) saying Fry has Narcissistic Personality Disorder rather than Bipolar.
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  #15  
Old 16th February 2016, 23:44
kirbycrackle kirbycrackle is offline
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dougella
^ I remembered her from the first programme, she was very inspiring and spirited.
Aye
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Old 17th February 2016, 01:29
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  #17  
Old 17th February 2016, 03:17
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dougella
They might not show the absolute worst effects of mental illness, but if they only did that then it wouldn't help to reduce stigma and help people realise that all sorts of people can have mental health problems. That's the way I think of it anyway.
Yeah, I agree, showing a brutal and cynical look on mental illness probably isn't going to help combat people's misconceptions about mental health issues, if anything it could even reinforce them which I think most can agree should not be the intention of anyone making a mental health documentary. And like you say, it wasn't like the documentary didn't look at some pretty serious effects of mental illness, yes the people featured all spoke very well and were likeable and things seemed to have turned out pretty well in the end in their lives, but these people clearly had all been through a fair amount of shit.

I thought it was a good documentary myself and I learnt a fair bit, there were some very interesting stories, it was good to see Fry being so honest about his experiences and it can only be good for awareness in this country having such a high profile and well respected celeb speaking about mental health in this way. And I thought the story of the guy who sang on the tube (Alika I think his name was?) was a really good example to feature too and made a very important point too, people are all too quick to laugh and ridicule at what most would probably describe as 'the crazy guy in the corner', but you never know what people are going through, it may not have even occurred to the vast majority of people who watched the video initially that this man was unwell.

But yeah, all in all an enjoyable and inspiring documentary for me, if I can overcome my own problems I hope I can do what these people have done and try to help others
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Old 17th February 2016, 03:20
Olly. Olly. is offline
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dougella
That's true, but it might be more difficult to convince people with social anxiety to appear on camera! I did see a programme once before where people made video diary type things though, that worked quite well.
Do you mean the BBC3 programme 'Diaries of a Broken Mind' I think it was called? That was not a bad one, there was a couple with SA on there I seem to remember. Oh and one that went to the same uni as me and in one of their videos walked down the same corridor I walked down pretty much everyday
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Old 17th February 2016, 14:33
Dougella Dougella is offline
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

Quote:
Originally Posted by New Dawn Fades
I tend to agree with you here , though the examples are a tad extreme , I have BP2 and partly down to documentaries like this, Bipolar has become almost fashionable. I worked with someone not long ago who was working on a ward where they shot a documentary as part of the "don't call me crazy" season a couple of years back and she was surprised at how anodyne what eventually aired appeared, as the film crew had witnessed a number of the more distressing realities of an acute ward but none were shown.

For a more honest look at bipolar illness I suggest " A summer in the cage" which is an excellent and heartbreaking documentary.
Interesting, I'll have a look.

Thanks firemonkey for posting the video.
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Old 17th February 2016, 14:39
Dougella Dougella is offline
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

Quote:
Originally Posted by Olly.
Yeah, I agree, showing a brutal and cynical look on mental illness probably isn't going to help combat people's misconceptions about mental health issues, if anything it could even reinforce them which I think most can agree should not be the intention of anyone making a mental health documentary. And like you say, it wasn't like the documentary didn't look at some pretty serious effects of mental illness, yes the people featured all spoke very well and were likeable and things seemed to have turned out pretty well in the end in their lives, but these people clearly had all been through a fair amount of shit.

I thought it was a good documentary myself and I learnt a fair bit, there were some very interesting stories, it was good to see Fry being so honest about his experiences and it can only be good for awareness in this country having such a high profile and well respected celeb speaking about mental health in this way. And I thought the story of the guy who sang on the tube (Alika I think his name was?) was a really good example to feature too and made a very important point too, people are all too quick to laugh and ridicule at what most would probably describe as 'the crazy guy in the corner', but you never know what people are going through, it may not have even occurred to the vast majority of people who watched the video initially that this man was unwell.

But yeah, all in all an enjoyable and inspiring documentary for me, if I can overcome my own problems I hope I can do what these people have done and try to help others
Yes, I think it was interesting when the guy who was filmed on the tube went into a school to talk to teenagers about what happened to him. A lot of us have probably had the experience of being on public transport or out somewhere when someone seems to be acting really strangely and realising that they may well need help is important.
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Old 17th February 2016, 14:41
Dougella Dougella is offline
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

Quote:
Originally Posted by Olly.
Do you mean the BBC3 programme 'Diaries of a Broken Mind' I think it was called? That was not a bad one, there was a couple with SA on there I seem to remember. Oh and one that went to the same uni as me and in one of their videos walked down the same corridor I walked down pretty much everyday
Ah yes, that was the one I watched! There was a particular girl in it called Kiera who has social anxiety who still makes youtube videos.
Did you have a look in case you were in the background at any point?!
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  #22  
Old 17th February 2016, 15:15
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

Not seen it but will make a mental note to.

Gotta love Stephen Fry, if only for General Melchett alone!
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  #23  
Old 17th February 2016, 16:18
Dougella Dougella is offline
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^ That's a shame, anything in particular that you were disappointed with Nat36?
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Old 17th February 2016, 16:46
Dougella Dougella is offline
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^ Actually that's a good point, I don't think anything other than medication was mentioned as treatment in this programme.

The psychiatrist was quite blunt, but not the worst I've seen to be honest. The thing I usually find difficult about them is that they seem not to work 'with' patients, they make up their minds and patients have to go with that. Which I understand when someone is having a psychotic episode or something similar, but not when people have good insight and understanding of their conditions.
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Old 17th February 2016, 20:20
indiegirl1980 indiegirl1980 is offline
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I was looking forward to it, shame it was overshadowed by that stupid row about the BAFTAs 'bag lady' joke. If it was a private joke between friends it should have stayed private as NO-ONE ELSE GOT IT WITHOUT HAVING IT EXPLAINED, STEPHEN!

Moving on....

I thought that the psychiatrist was very honest with him, especially in his comments that Stephen's drinking too much and taking cocaine has not helped his mental state, and may even have caused his mental illness, at least in part.
I felt very sorry for Cordelia, seemed to me that she'd had a lot of pain in her life.

I could emphasise with the guy who was filmed on the tube and also with Rachel.

I do agree that sometimes only the 'acceptable' face of mental illness is presented and we need more of a balance.

I often wonder if half of the time, our problems are because most of us aren't starving to death and aren't having bombs dropped on us, so we need to find other things to worry about, so we turn inwards and turn on ourselves? It would be interesting to find out if the levels of mental illness were lower during the war, but that's probably impossible to prove as it wasn't talked about then.
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Old 17th February 2016, 20:42
Dougella Dougella is offline
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^ Maybe, but people with mental health problems can tend to self medicate with drugs and alcohol. They certainly can make things worse, especially mixed with medications but I don't think they are the cause mental illness.

The people in the documentary were interesting I thought, and I could empathise with aspects of what they were experiencing.

Since mental illnesses can be triggered by trauma I would have thought that during and after war people have a lot more problems with it, certainly ptsd. But like you say it was a lot less discussed and understood back then so it's impossible to know.
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Old 18th February 2016, 14:44
Dougella Dougella is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by abc
Mental illness can effect a wide range of people and can manifest itself in different ways. I think featuring someone like Stephen Fry who is intelligent, well-spoken and likeable is probably the best way of removing some of the stigma surrounding it. I think focussing on the so-called "darker side" of mental illness is likely to reinforce negative stereotypes. I think it's important to realise that the majority of people diagnosed with a mental illness are relatively "normal" and live normal, everyday lives.

I think people definitely be more sympathetic towards the sort of people you mention, but I'm not sure what the best way of addressing it would be. If you made a documentary about the man who hangs around the bins at Kwik Save shouting at traffic I imagine you would get an overwhelmingly negative response and it would do nothing but reinforce negative stereotypes. I'm not sure what the answer is.



My own experience is very similar to this. They painted a very bleak picture for me, telling me I would have to spend the rest of my life on horrible medication and offering nothing in the way of real support. Despite considering myself fully recovered I now have a label for life and will always have the stigma of being labelled with a serious mental illness. I think this is a problem with the way mental illness is treated in general.

As for a documentary about SA, I don't think it would be considered "interesting" enough for anyone to make a documentary about it.
You make some very good points. Although Stephen Fry isn't everyone's cup of tea he is well known, intelligent, etc so people may watch the programme because of him even if they wouldn't normally watch something about mental illness.

I have watched documentaries about Broadmoor for example in the past, which have been a lot darker and more bleak. But I wouldn't want that to be the only type of programme made on the subject because like you said, it would just reinforce the stigma against people with mental illnesses and the fear that someone with a serious diagnosis must be dangerous, which isn't the case at all.
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  #28  
Old 26th February 2016, 23:35
Tembo Tembo is offline
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Default Re: Stephen Fry Documentary

Was a very interesting watch, and I learnt some more about bipolar. I obviously knew there were highs, but didn't realise it could make people genuinely believe they can fly, and things like that.

Interestingly, one of the people on there is a mutual friend, so felt strange seeing them on TV.
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