R U Okay Day - 15th September

[Geez Louise]

R U Okay Day is happening on Thursday 15th September.

Such a simple idea and such an effective one.

RUOK Website

Originally Posted by RUOK website

Thursday 15 September, 2011 is R U OK?Day. It’s a national day of action which aims to prevent suicide by encouraging Australians to connect with someone they care about and help stop little problems turning into big ones.

On that day we want everyone across the country, from all backgrounds and walks of life, to ask family, friends and colleagues: "Are you OK?".

Staying connected with others is crucial to our general health and wellbeing. Feeling isolated or hopeless can contribute to depression and other mental illnesses, which can ultimately result in suicide. Regular, meaningful conversations can protect those we know and love.

It's so simple. In the time it takes to have a coffee, you can start a conversation that could change a life.

Now I will be the first to admit, that when this first came about in 2009, I thought it was some sort of fad, something that was a quirky thing and that it would fade away into the background after awhile. I mean seriously? asking someone you talk to - Are they okay?


This has become something that I am behind 100%. I have lost a couple of very dear friends to suicide and I know so many friends that suffer from depression. I try and make a few minutes in my day - Everyday - to ask people how they are. It doesn't take long and asking how someone is, could actually uncover an issue they were not happy to bring up themselves or could assist them in some way.

Please support this day and if you know anyone who is suffering from Depression please have them contact Beyond Blue

Cheers
Col

[Franco Cozzo]

I've got a good mate who has been diagnosed with depression and he can just at the drop of the hat want to end himself, he's also been having a real bad run of luck:

2007 he had both his knees operated on when he was 17
2010 he had been diagnosed with serious carpel tunnel syndrome and had to have both his wrist operated on, costing him his job up until two days ago, where he managed to get another and is capable of using his wrists again.

He's also got problems with his anti depressants causing issues with his liver.

He's had a real bad run of luck, all these operations, losing his job, unable to work up until now, his car failing a RWC a few weeks ago, failing his license test last week because he touched a kerb doing a reverse park and having depression.

I always go out of my way to do things together with him and help him out.

[zdcol71]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

I've got a good mate who has been diagnosed with depression and he can just at the drop of the hat want to end himself, he's also been having a real bad run of luck:

2007 he had both his knees operated on when he was 17
2010 he had been diagnosed with serious carpel tunnel syndrome and had to have both his wrist operated on, costing him his job up until two days ago, where he managed to get another and is capable of using his wrists again.

He's also got problems with his anti depressants causing issues with his liver.

He's had a real bad run of luck, all these operations, losing his job, unable to work up until now, his car failing a RWC a few weeks ago, failing his license test last week because he touched a kerb doing a reverse park and having depression.I sometimes think there is a big difference to depression and what makes us feel depressed!
I always go out of my way to do things together with him and help him out.

I'm a big believer in finding out "how people are" too, it's part of my job....but..I'm also a big believer in letting (young) people know that there is a real world out there...
I sometimes think there is a big difference between depression and what makes us feel depressed!
Don't obviously know the full story damo, but,..having a couple of ops,(at 17), or being 'diagnosed' as having carpel tunnel syndrome,(I had that operation nearly 15 years ago, It was day surgery then and I was off work for a week...I was boilermaking then)....car failing RWC, failing a driving test,et al.. and having depression(or being depressed??)... are not all bad luck, it's actually called real life...
There are all sorts of issues that affect people differently,and Beyond Blue(and others) certainly are there to professionally help, but there are also all sorts of issues we haven't been prepared for (open can of worms here) because lots of people in lots of ways have let lots of others down in preparing them for the "real" world.
Still....I'm a big supporter of asking your mate, (partner, spouse, sibling....) 'Are you OK??"

[vhcbm]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

I always go out of my way to do things together with him and help him out.

Not a good story to hear...Unfortunately it always seems to get the wrong people, I mean nobody deserves to be sick but you know what I mean. It's good to see you're there for him and I'm sure that helps him. Champion.

I think it's a great idea, probably isn't very affective now but it could be in the future.

[GhiaGal]

It's nice to see some responses to what could be considered a 'sigh!, charity bloody thing in the news' idea. That is, the idea of R U OK? Sometimes clinical depression and having a truly crappy time of things can be confused as being the same thing......it;s not.P.S- I've had fights with the black dog that sometimes turned into a feral puma lol.....so I post this with empathy But ya know? It sort of doesn't matter in the scheme of things- asking if someone is OK and actually feeling that they can talk to you , even if it's an embarrassed confession of "yup, I'm not all good" can be helpful. I think I like the R U OK bizzo because at the base of the concept is kindness to another person- so simple and sometimes fairly lacking in our communities. Good stuff posters!

[Zero_PSI]

Lucky for me, nobody I know has any problems with depression (that I know of).

But, I really do go out of my way to help people in need.

This is a great idea.

[vibe_xr6]

It seemed to be a joke with my friends, I got a text message saying are you ok ? I said wtf, Then he just laughed and told me, Pitty he doesnt know behind the scenes of my life at the moment and since the last 12 months, anyhow, yeah its a good idea, pitty everyone doesnt take it serious though.