Lewis Bridger (depression)

[Gemini]

 

 

Gem, enough now surely. You've made your point!

I don't really need telling as that was my last post anyway. Just summing up.

[Vince]

I don't really need telling as that was my last post anyway. Just summing up.

 

Oh no it wasn't

[Gemini]

Oh yes it was. My way of drawing my part in the discussion to a close. Anyway, just think how much I have extended this thread - if it hadn't been for me not being too sympathetic about Lewis's 'depression' it would just have been full of 'Aww.....get better soon Lewis' type posts and would have struggled to reach two pages.

Perhaps I am influenced by Facebook too much and all the 'take notice of me today, I'm feeling depressed' posts followed by a loads of 'Oh dear....what's wrong? Take care. Aww...we all love you.' I actually do wish Lewis well and I'm sure he will be on top form against Coventry.

And you've gone and done it Vince because it wasn't my last post now but this is.

[Debbi]

Reading his thread it appears that a lot of people are assuming that it's Lewis' profession that is causing his illness, has he stated that himself anywhere? If not could it not be life outside of the sport that could be affecting him?

 

I have known other riders & friends that have hit bad times in their careers and unfortunately they have had to seek help from medics/psychiatrists/psychologists to get them through, but it was also things away from work that contributed to their situation. They didn't want to go public with their fights and that's their choice but Lewis may have felt that part of his recovery is admitting that he is ill and hopefully this is the stepping stone that he needed. However whether he's pulling a wheelie or not is neither here nor there depression manifests itself in many different ways and can never be pigeon holed!

[SCB]

Reading his thread it appears that a lot of people are assuming that it's Lewis' profession that is causing his illness, has he stated that himself anywhere? If not could it not be life outside of the sport that could be affecting him?

 

I have known other riders & friends that have hit bad times in their careers and unfortunately they have had to seek help from medics/psychiatrists/psychologists to get them through, but it was also things away from work that contributed to their situation. They didn't want to go public with their fights and that's their choice but Lewis may have felt that part of his recovery is admitting that he is ill and hopefully this is the stepping stone that he needed. However whether he's pulling a wheelie or not is neither here nor there depression manifests itself in many different ways and can never be pigeon holed!

Correct. It's very often the case than depressed people throw themselves into work as a coping mechanism

[guitar_art]

If we are on the subject of Lewis Bridger's depression which I presume that's what we are still talking about - I am anyway because that is what the thread is headed. I have every sympathy for those with a real reason to be depressed (including some posters on here) but if a speedway rider is 'depressed' then it's in his hands to change things and make his life better. Give up speedway and get a job in a supermarket, care home or something similar where there will be less stress and there isn't the importance to perform to a high level.

And yes Star Lady I have been close to people with depression, including my mother who had a 'nervous breakdown' and I took time off work to look after her and she eventually got back to her normal self.

 

 

 

 

So someone has already said. Next time I'm at a meeting and a rider is popping wheelies whilst in last place and the other 3 are racing like they're paid to do I'll try to be more sympathetic.

What people are failing to understand is that depression is an illness not something you can just tackle by 'pulling yourself together'. Its an illness in exactly the same way a cold or a virus is and not in the way that a broken bone is. It has many causes including problems with brain chemistry. Its something that you carry with you and no amount of changing jobs or other suggestions will rectify. I know this from bad experience. You carry it with you no matter where you are how many life changes you make.

Edited May 4, 2014 by guitar_art

[spin king]

Depression is a very complex illness, and I think that the first step and bravest step is to actually admit that you have a problem.

 

I am the first to admit that I find it hard to understand, but the one thing I have learned is that it does not help dealing with it to simply tell people to pull themselves together, and speaking from experience when dealing with people who I work with the best thing you can do is to point people in the right direction for help and be as supportive as you can possibly be.

 

End of the day the brain is probably the most complex part of the body and when it goes wrong it needs experts to deal with it.

 

Well Done to Lewis for taking first steps in admitting he has a problem, and dealing with it, whether the problem is from his personal life or professional it is important that he gets all the help and support he needs to make him better.

[hagonshocker]

I would respectfully suggest that there are one or two posters on this thread who have never suffered with depression or been close to anyone that has.

 

At least I prefer to put their attitude down to ignorance/lack of knowledge rather than idiocy/lack of sympathy as I have great regard for some of their other posts.

 

Edited for spelling

Perhaps they are in denial or just a couple of attention seekers?

[Grachan]

Before I get jumped on for having lack of understanding or lack of sympathy - I have close family experience of depression and suicide, so I'm not shallow minded on this.

 

For me, the word "depression" gets bandied about far too much. I was shocked to find out a few years ago that an awful lot of people I knew were taking pills for depression. It seems to me that a lot of people seem to have few problems, feel a bit down about them, so they go to the doctor, get diagnosed and start taking pills.

 

I don't know the whole story in the case being discussed here, so it's a more general comment, but, to be honest, I feel that a lot of people in theses situations would actually to better were they to come to terms with their own problems themselves rather than just put themselves on medication. And if that puts me in the heartless category of telling people to "pull themselves together" then so be it.

 

Also, from what I have witnessed about genuine depression, it involves a very deep, dark state of mind. And if someone is generally in that state of mind then I would tend to agree with what was put earlier that they shouldn't be riding a speedway bike.

 

Unfortunately the whole world and its wife seems to be depressed nowadays. I would even go as far as to say referring to it as an "illness" is a bit of a cop out. In fact, it quite offends me. To me it's a state of mind, and one that needs to be sorted out if someone is out racing motorbikes because, from what I have seen, a genuinely depressed person would not be safe doing that.

 

So there you go. One more attention seeker on here. Sorry about that.

[Trees]

When I had post natal depression I just kept breaking down and had no confidence. I just about managed to function as a mum of two children but it was a difficult time for us all. After probably 2 years of medication I knew I was strong and basically myself again so I came off the tablets. I was lucky I guess.

[spin king]

Before I get jumped on for having lack of understanding or lack of sympathy - I have close family experience of depression and suicide, so I'm not shallow minded on this.

 

For me, the word "depression" gets bandied about far too much. I was shocked to find out a few years ago that an awful lot of people I knew were taking pills for depression. It seems to me that a lot of people seem to have few problems, feel a bit down about them, so they go to the doctor, get diagnosed and start taking pills.

 

I don't know the whole story in the case being discussed here, so it's a more general comment, but, to be honest, I feel that a lot of people in theses situations would actually to better were they to come to terms with their own problems themselves rather than just put themselves on medication. And if that puts me in the heartless category of telling people to "pull themselves together" then so be it.

 

Also, from what I have witnessed about genuine depression, it involves a very deep, dark state of mind. And if someone is generally in that state of mind then I would tend to agree with what was put earlier that they shouldn't be riding a speedway bike.

 

Unfortunately the whole world and its wife seems to be depressed nowadays. I would even go as far as to say referring to it as an "illness" is a bit of a cop out. In fact, it quite offends me. To me it's a state of mind, and one that needs to be sorted out if someone is out racing motorbikes because, from what I have seen, a genuinely depressed person would not be safe doing that.

 

So there you go. One more attention seeker on here. Sorry about that.

I think these days depression is dealt with differently to what it was years ago.

 

Generally, its a combination of medication, but more than anything it counselling, that is the chose way forward with the medication coming secondary.

 

You may have a point to a certain degree with the word depression been over used sometimes people mix up depression with stress related illnesses, and stress can be just as hard to deal with.

 

But as I say in an earlier the brain is a complex part of the body and when it goes wrong it needs expert help, and I think that telling someone to pull themselves together who is genuinely suffering from depression is dangerous. We are all different and we all react in different ways, just because you or I can deal certain situations or life events does not mean that the next person can. And if that happens to someone it needs expert help.

 

One thing that I do agree with wholeheartedly is that if Lewis Bridger is suffering from depression then he should not be riding s speedway bike.

[guitar_art]

I think these days depression is dealt with differently to what it was years ago.

 

Generally, its a combination of medication, but more than anything it counselling, that is the chose way forward with the medication coming secondary.

 

You may have a point to a certain degree with the word depression been over used sometimes people mix up depression with stress related illnesses, and stress can be just as hard to deal with.

 

But as I say in an earlier the brain is a complex part of the body and when it goes wrong it needs expert help, and I think that telling someone to pull themselves together who is genuinely suffering from depression is dangerous. We are all different and we all react in different ways, just because you or I can deal certain situations or life events does not mean that the next person can. And if that happens to someone it needs expert help.

 

One thing that I do agree with wholeheartedly is that if Lewis Bridger is suffering from depression then he should not be riding s speedway bike.

 

I think these days depression is dealt with differently to what it was years ago.

 

Generally, its a combination of medication, but more than anything it counselling, that is the chose way forward with the medication coming secondary.

 

You may have a point to a certain degree with the word depression been over used sometimes people mix up depression with stress related illnesses, and stress can be just as hard to deal with.

 

But as I say in an earlier the brain is a complex part of the body and when it goes wrong it needs expert help, and I think that telling someone to pull themselves together who is genuinely suffering from depression is dangerous. We are all different and we all react in different ways, just because you or I can deal certain situations or life events does not mean that the next person can. And if that happens to someone it needs expert help.

 

One thing that I do agree with wholeheartedly is that if Lewis Bridger is suffering from depression then he should not be riding s speedway bike.

 

 

That really is up to Lewis and his doctor to decide.