Monthly Archives: October 2013
The Great Emoti-Con: well-being and emotional intelligence
It occurred to me this past weekend that I have lost traction on my emotions. I went to see Captain Phillips. It was a packed cinema and you could sense the tension and anxiety in the audience: I could sense … Continue reading
The Commodification of Mental Distress: voyeurism and value in the public sphere
As the debate about Thorpe Park’s Asylum experiences is on the cusp of moving into its second week, I am beginning to reflect on the value of mental distress to a culture predicated on image and entertainment. I want to … Continue reading
Masks, Fear and Thorpe Park
“No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true.” The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne It is much easier to hide … Continue reading
“I’m not quite right at all…am I?”
“Here I stand, foot in hand, talking to my wall, I’m not quite right at all…am I?” ‘All the Madmen’ David Bowie All the Madmen (YouTube) Ever since I can remember, I have felt out of step with reality; I’m … Continue reading
“Biting the bullet”
How did I recognise that I needed help? One night I was wandering along Tottenham Court Road. Typically for me, it was very late at night few people passed me in the street. Those that did were Londoners who knew … Continue reading
“Do you think you might be depressed?”
This was not my finest hour. I’m ashamed to say, that when this was mooted, I was insulted. I wasn’t curled up in the corner crying under a sheet. I came to school. I did my work. I hadn’t fallen … Continue reading
I am what I am. Except when I’m not.
Over the past year, my friends, family (and my psychotherapist) have often asked me whether I would consider writing a blog. My initial and usual response is that I have lots of things to say, but end up saying a … Continue reading
Gulliver Unravelled 