'My mother killed herself with alcohol'.Byline: Linda Elias RHONDDA MP Chris Bryant has revealed how he was moved to campaign on mental health issues after his mother "killed herself with alcohol". The newly-appointed deputy leader of the House of Commons The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons. Although at one time the position was usually held by the Prime Minister, in recent years, the post has usually been opened up on his family heartache, as he voiced support for a new suicide prevention strategy. At the launch of the National Assembly's Talk To Me consultation, he called foramajor increase in talking therapy talking therapy Talking cure, verbal therapy Psychiatry A popular term for psychotherapy patterned after Freudian psychoanalysis. See Humanistic psychology, Psychoanalysis. services for people in the South Wales Valleys The South Wales Valleys are a number of industrialised valleys in South Wales. Many of them running roughly parallel to each other, they stretch from eastern Carmarthenshire in the west to western Monmouthshire in the east. Located in roughly the centre is the famous Rhondda valley. with mental health problems. "My own experience, both as a curate CURATE, eccl. law. One who represents the incumbent of a church, person, or20 vicar, and takes care of the church, and performs divine service in his stead. and as one whose mother killed herself with alcohol, has taught me that the most important thing, as the Assembly has identified, is to tackle the stigma attached to mental health problems," said Mr Bryant. He said there should be no shame attached to suffering from depression, as mental health problems could affect one-in-six people at some stage in their lives. Men in particular, he said, were often too frightened to talk about their problems and ended up self-medicating with drugs or alcohol. Then the addiction itself becomes the problem, often leading to a spiral of self-harm. Unemployment could also beamajor factor in leading to depression as a man out of work for more than six months is six times more likely to develop a serious mental health concern, said Mr Bryant. He said there was an urgent need for morecounselling and advice services to be provided locally. "In the Valleys, where waiting lists have fallen dramatically for most medical conditions, it still takes too long for people to get mental health support," Mr Bryant said, pointing out that 73% of people who take their own lives had not been in contact with mental health services health services Managed care The benefits covered under a health contract in the year leading up to their death. "The Assembly rightly wants to encourage people to talk about their personal difficulties and to make sure that people get help quickly when they need it, but I suspect the public sector can't do it alone," he added. "Is there anyone in Wales who would launch a new volunteer training centre in counselling and cognitive behaviour therapy? "That's what the Valleys desperately need." CAPTION(S): FAMILY INSIGHT: Chris Bryant, MP for Rhondda, has been motivated by his mother's battle with mental health issues |
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