Caroline Flack

[SocketRocket]

Right now it’s far worse for those two than anything Caroline Flack had to put up - she didn’t have very prominent media and social media figures calling her a liar for saying she has suffered mental health issues and suicidal thoughts. Surely the current issue should highlight to abyone the dangers of the media and social media and how is can harm people.

Do you think putting yourselves Infront of the World Media like Harry and Megan did and engage in tittle tattle about your relatives who can't defend themselves is a good way to get the media off your back. How on earth do they think the queen's mental health may be affected at a time when her Husband has been ill in hospital. When living in the spotlight and accepting the advantages that brings you need to be very careful about how you project yourself. I have much more sympathy for the family who are struggling to put bread on the table and keep a roof over their heads than any celebrity.

Note! I am not being rude to posters and merely expressing an opinion. Other opinions are available.

 

[toyboy54]

As for this forum, have a look at this forum the past few days were faceless/nameless people are insulting each using words like “dense” “moronic” “stupid” etc at each other.

Paul-I used the word 'moronic' but I certainly wasn't referring to anyone on here-so I really hope that you were not meaning me??

If you were then please come out and say so?!
Jimbo

 

[Deleted member 16999]

As for this forum, have a look at this forum the past few days were faceless/nameless people are insulting each using words like “dense” “moronic” “stupid” etc at each other.

Paul-I used the word 'moronic' but I certainly wasn't referring to anyone on here-so I really hope that you were not meaning me??

If you were then please come out and say so?!
Jimbo

Never seen you use it, try the “random irritations” thread earlier in the week.

 

[Golfmmad]

I watched the documentary last night - how very sad it is for Caroline and her family and close friends.
I was absolutely amazed at the vitriol she received on social media. Nobody, nobody deserves that, except maybe paedophile, murderers and violent individuals.
Even on here sometimes when I see how people like Mark Roe, Michael Owen and Adam Scott for example, are unfairly criticised and shown hatred.
Why? Why can't people just keep their thoughts to themselves?
I quite liked Caroline Flack, her fun personality shone through. But l have no interest in her private life, or anybody else's!
I don't do Facebook, twitter, Instagram or any other gram.
I wonder how guilty those perpetrators now feel, knowing that they played a large part in her suicide, and not forgetting the Media's constant harassment during her last few years.
I truly believe that the Internet, social media are responsible for so much depression and suicidal thoughts of today's society.
Finally, I'm reminded of the saying, "If you can't say anything good, then don't say anything at all".

 

[stefanovic]

Is there a direct correspondence between the rise of social media and suicide? If so, we can expect more.
When I was young I don't recall any mention of mental health problems. You would just get down in the dumps or depressed and bump along the bottom until things changed.
Go to a very poor country and I doubt if you'll find much incidence of suicide. T.E. Lawrence commented on this when he went to Yemen. Nobody there (apparently) even contemplated suicide.
Yet Samoa may have a high incidence.

Caroline makes it into this list.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicides_in_the_21st_century

So nothing is certain.
Also this week Panorama was about suicide in the young, with no real conclusions.
My opinion for what it's worth is that the true meaning of life is hardly ever discussed, which is a pity because I'm not sure who is going to be upset.
From the 17th Century my favourite ever quote: 'Life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.' (Thomas Hobbes).
The biological reasons for this were not found until much later with contributions by among others, Charles Darwin, George Price and Richard Dawkins.
Very briefly, it all adds up to life being based upon unimaginable cruelty and suffering from the past.
Temporarily, the spotlight has fallen on our generation, and like Dawkins says, enjoy life while you can.

 

[Smiffy]

I wonder how guilty those perpetrators now feel, knowing that they played a large part in her suicide.

Sadly Chris, they will feel absolutely nothing, and will most probably derive some sort of satisfaction/pleasure from her actions.
The world is full of sick people, and social media exposes them as quickly as anything.
Sad world.

 

[Ethan]

Is there a direct correspondence between the rise of social media and suicide? If so, we can expect more.
When I was young I don't recall any mention of mental health problems.

There is a relationship between the two. I got heavily criticised above for making a point which could be put in a different way, that over-empathising with some of those who threaten suicide actually makes the problem worse for those individuals and broader society. The more than external factors, media, relationships, social pressure, whatever is blamed, the more it facilitates and legitimises self-harm or suicidal threats. Getting people to accept responsibility reduces self-harm and suicide. Some of the people who actually kill themselves did not intend to do so.

I will always vividly remember two examples, a teenage who took paracetamol after a row with a parent, and her fatal mistake was to wait until morning to tell the parent, by which time she was beyond medical help. She died, and as a 26 year old junior doctor I had to tell her that was what was going to happen to her in a couple of days. Another took paraquat, thinking he would get a couple of days in hospital and some sympathy. He didn't, he got a wooden box. I also saw loads who did various versions, some dangerous, some not, but sought help sooner and were fine, as well as many cutters. Same thing happens with eating disorders. I bet coverage on The Crown of Diana has led to an increase in bulimic behaviour.

Those cries for help are facilitated and unintentionally encouraged by reports of others doing the same, in those days in papers rather than online. And if that coverage emphasises blaming others and sympathy for the victim, it can go badly wrong.

 

[RichA]

If it emphasises empathy, it might go well.

 

[Ethan]

If it emphasises empathy, it might go well.

Well there is a balance to be struck. Empathy is fine and an appropriate degree should be a part of every medical intervention, but blaming a type 2 diabetics problems on the pie makers is relieving the diabetic of the responsibility of managing their own nutrition.

 

[RichA]

There are four doctors in my family - two couples. Two are retired specialists and two are current GPs. Two speak very similarly to yourself. Their other halves are constantly berating their lack of empathy.
Whilst everyone is entitled to their opinion, I'm just pointing out that perhaps you aren't representative of the entire medical profession.

 

[Ethan]

There are four doctors in my family - two couples. Two are retired specialists and two are current GPs. Two speak very similarly to yourself. Their other halves are constantly berating their lack of empathy.
Whilst everyone is entitled to their opinion, I'm just pointing out that perhaps you aren't representative of the entire medical profession.

I thought I was talking about my views, not those of the entire medical profession.

Specialist is a very broad term, psychiatrists, lab guys and surgeons are usually very different in their outlook.

My point, is simply you can have empathy without blaming others. You do not need one for the other.

 

[Tashyboy]

No apologies but this could be a bit long.

When I first qualified as a Medical centre attendant at the pit. I knew a nurse who worked in the now flattened Mansfield district hospital A and E. She said she could get me 2 days work experience in her department. She recommended Friday and Saturday night shift. I turned up at 7pm prompt. The general was a town centre hospital which was guaranteed its 10 pm onwards drunks requiring treatment but one case amongst others stands out re this topic.
On the Friday night a mother came in with her young teenage daughter who had taken an overdose. I stood in a room with 2 nurses, a dr, mother and teenage daughter. The Dr was very quiet and sympathetic asking questions to the Girl. What have you took, ( mother showed a bottle), when did you take them, how many, why? All questions were met with a surly shrug of the shoulders. After a few seconds of silence the Doctor erupted and slammed his hand on the desk. I jumped out of my skin, But not as much as the girl. The nurses never flinched. I got they impression they had seen this play out before. He bellowed, what have you took, she looked scared witless and told him, when was that, she never hesitated in telling him the time. He then asked how many. For arguements sake she said 24. He was in her face and said “ your lying, there’s only 16 in a box” by this point she was crying her eyes out and managed to say “ I finished off one box and put them in the bin, mum came in as I started on the second box”. The Dr looked at mum who was devastated, she admitted there was two boxes but panicked and had forgot about the other box. At this point the dr asked the nurse who was mentoring me for the two nights to contact the “ poisons centre” Dundee rings a bell. The info was input which came back with the treatment. I was gobsmacked. The most important bit was would she live or die. The nurse said “she is going to live but she is going to have a night she will never forget”
Am sure her treatment involved Ipecac, which means she spent the night throwing her rocks up. I walked past her bay on my way home, she was crying her eyes out, full of apologies to her mother. I heard the dr say “ you are very lucky tonight, another time you may not be so lucky”.
It was the first time I had been involved with someone that had tried to take there own life. To say I was shaken is an understatement. The professionalism shown that night made a lasting impression on me. It also made me adamant that should anyone question some ones mental state in front of me they would be under no illusions as to how I felt.