[shyamz]

I have known people with clinical depression and they couldn't function properly. They couldn't just 'pull themselves together' and they weren't just a 'bit down' . Of course I don't know Pearson's mental state and I am not a psychiatrist but on reading that article I don't come to the conclusion that she had a clinical depression.

"My story is no different from any other Sandwich Woman. For a time, my mum was seriously ill, I ran into gynaecological problems, I fell badly behind with a novel I was writing, and I felt so bad I was letting people down that I didn’t have the self-confidence to finish it. "

She was struggling with life, illness and a career and it no doubt had an effect on her health to some degree. But depression? I don't think so.
'sandwich women ' may be able to identify with her but people with genuine depression, no.

This is why I feel suspicious as well.

If she were genuinely depressed, I doubt very much she would have had the drive to go for an interview for another newspaper (the Telegraph I believe) and accept a new job.

Her behavior does not equate with someone who is suffering from anything other than the ordinary troubles of life that most of us just try to get on with.
Feeling the pressure of deadlines and so on is not that unusual, and "gynecological problems" could mean anything (bear in mind she has managed to have children) it is typical of a woman like her to make out as if she is unique or special in her "suffering".

Liz Jones not only took all the attention away from her with her very public announcement of her mental issues (Pierson would have hated that), but Allison clearly saw how much sympathy Liz received from her idiot followers that she couldn't resist going public too...about very little of any interest to the rest of us.
Ask yourself why -if she saw no problem in been so open about it- did it take her this long to mention it? It is too much of a coincidence I feel.

There is a lot to be said for dealing with things in a dignified manner, something she and Liz Jones know nothing about.

[Fflaps]

Exactly, she kept functioning throughout which is not, to me, a sign of real, clinical depression. Of course middle class people can suffer depression - I have and I am middle class. I was unable to work or even go out on my own for almost a year. It's only because of medication I was able to get to a point where I could rejoin the world and get on with my life. I certainly wasn't worrying about whether I was letting people, down, it's too self-absorbed an illness for that (in that you don't have the mental energy to think much about other people)

As for bipolar being 'cool' among some people I am guessing it's because quite a few well-known creative people have it (or supposedly do) and also it somehow doesn't sound as scary or serious as, say, schizophrenia or psychosis when in fact, of course it is.

[InkyGB]

I have known people with clinical depression and they couldn't function properly. They couldn't just 'pull themselves together' and they weren't just a 'bit down' . Of course I don't know Pearson's mental state and I am not a psychiatrist but on reading that article I don't come to the conclusion that she had a clinical depression.

"My story is no different from any other Sandwich Woman. For a time, my mum was seriously ill, I ran into gynaecological problems, I fell badly behind with a novel I was writing, and I felt so bad I was letting people down that I didn’t have the self-confidence to finish it. "

She was struggling with life, illness and a career and it no doubt had an effect on her health to some degree. But depression? I don't think so.
'sandwich women ' may be able to identify with her but people with genuine depression, no.

This is why I feel suspicious as well.

If she were genuinely depressed, I doubt very much she would have had the drive to go for an interview for another newspaper (the Telegraph I believe) and accept a new job.

Her behavior does not equate with someone who is suffering from anything other than the ordinary troubles of life that most of us just try to get on with.
Feeling the pressure of deadlines and so on is not that unusual, and "gynecological problems" could mean anything (bear in mind she has managed to have children) it is typical of a woman like her to make out as if she is unique or special in her "suffering".

Liz Jones not only took all the attention away from her with her very public announcement of her mental issues (Pierson would have hated that), but Allison clearly saw how much sympathy Liz received from her idiot followers that she couldn't resist going public too...about very little of any interest to the rest of us.
Ask yourself why -if she saw no problem in been so open about it- did it take her this long to mention it? It is too much of a coincidence I feel.

There is a lot to be said for dealing with things in a dignified manner, something she and Liz Jones know nothing about.

I suffered from anxiety and depression for most of my life but still managed to work and function to some degree, including getting through interviews. However it wasn't just "the normal troubles of life" that I was suffering from but a mental illness. Just because I wasn't bed-ridden or housebound didn't mean my problems were trivial. They cost me a career and wrecked a large portion of my life. I've thankfully through medication, finding the right therapy and sheer bloody mindedness managed to overcome most of it. Not all mental illnesses are severe but they can still have a terribly detrimental effect on your life. In fact in some ways mild mental illness is worse because people refuse to believe that you're ill and treat you like a malingerer.

[liberalharpie]

http://madamearcati.blogspot.com/2010/0 ... queen.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Explains a fair bit.

[shyamz]

I have known people with clinical depression and they couldn't function properly. They couldn't just 'pull themselves together' and they weren't just a 'bit down' . Of course I don't know Pearson's mental state and I am not a psychiatrist but on reading that article I don't come to the conclusion that she had a clinical depression.

"My story is no different from any other Sandwich Woman. For a time, my mum was seriously ill, I ran into gynaecological problems, I fell badly behind with a novel I was writing, and I felt so bad I was letting people down that I didn’t have the self-confidence to finish it. "

She was struggling with life, illness and a career and it no doubt had an effect on her health to some degree. But depression? I don't think so.
'sandwich women ' may be able to identify with her but people with genuine depression, no.

I suffered from anxiety and depression for most of my life but still managed to work and function to some degree, including getting through interviews. However it wasn't just "the normal troubles of life" that I was suffering from but a mental illness. Just because I wasn't bed-ridden or housebound didn't mean my problems were trivial. They cost me a career and wrecked a large portion of my life. I've thankfully through medication, finding the right therapy and sheer bloody mindedness managed to overcome most of it. Not all mental illnesses are severe but they can still have a terribly detrimental effect on your life. In fact in some ways mild mental illness is worse because people refuse to believe that you're ill and treat you like a malingerer.

Of course, I agree with you.

it wasn't just "the normal troubles of life" that I was suffering from but a mental illness.

It is in this crucial area that I feel you differ from Allison, in that I believe you when you say you have depression, but I don't believe her.

By saying that she was making something out of nothing I was in no way saying that all people who claim to have depression are doing so as well, it does affect people in different ways after all.
I just feel that while many people suffer from varying degrees of depression, that she however, does not sound as if she is suffering from any.

I don't think she has a mental illness, just that she sounded run down, stressed and unhappy.
Which isn't good, but in turn doesn't compare to the difficulties encountered by people with real depression.

Which is why I'm pleased that people like Stephen Fry have made such good documentaries about mental illness, as anything that can be done to raise awareness of what it is really like to have such conditions can only be a good thing.

And perhaps people will be able to tell the difference between real symptoms like you describe, and people like Allison.

[Samanfur]

Did anyone else see that even the DM Glendas seem to be having a catfight over this? Janet Street-Porter waded in.

And then, so did The Daily Telegraph.

[sirbob]

Exactly, she kept functioning throughout which is not, to me, a sign of real, clinical depression. Of course middle class people can suffer depression - I have and I am middle class. I was unable to work or even go out on my own for almost a year. It's only because of medication I was able to get to a point where I could rejoin the world and get on with my life. I certainly wasn't worrying about whether I was letting people, down, it's too self-absorbed an illness for that (in that you don't have the mental energy to think much about other people)

Which may be true in some cases but not all. In many cases the feeling that you are letting others down because you are depressed can serve to compound the problem. It can feed a vicious circle of negative thoughts which is where support from those you care about can be a make or break factor in recovery.

[plumpgoose]

On the sex ed thing, it's precisely because of people like Pearson that we have such a high teenage pregnancy rate.

In the Netherlands they start sex ed at five (FIVE) and they have the lowest rate of teenage pregnancy in the EU.

Now why might that be?

What utter bollox!

[bluebellnutter]

On the sex ed thing, it's precisely because of people like Pearson that we have such a high teenage pregnancy rate.

In the Netherlands they start sex ed at five (FIVE) and they have the lowest rate of teenage pregnancy in the EU.

Now why might that be?

What utter bollox!

Proof or GTFO.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Just GTFO.

Why is it that only really stupid Mailies come here to troll?

[lord_kobel]

What about Tits or GTFO?

[Tubby Isaacs]

Oh man, seen the front of The Telegraph today?

"Introducing our brilliant new columnist: Alison Pearson".

Come back, Conrad Black.

[crabcakes_windermere]

"Introducing our brilliant new columnist: Alison Pearson".

Well she's new and a columnist. And as Meatloaf almost said, two out of three is pretty shit when it's the important one you've missed off.

[shyamz]

So how has the fragrant Ms Pearson been demonstrating her worth for her new employees so far?

Also it's rather surprising to see a woman who not so long ago claimed to be depressed due to overwork coupled with family responsibilities, taking on yet another job (I say another, as as far as I know she's still at the Heil).

[Tubby Isaacs]

Don't think she is. Anyone?

But you're right, going off sick with mental illness then popping up in a high profile other job is exactly what Mailites would normally see red over.