I don't think being drunk enough to exhibit anti-social behaviour indicates mental health problems, just stupidity, lack of moral compass and, for many, lack of social awareness combined with poor education. Those are social problems, not mental.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
@madpenguin I agree with you, it’s a sad state of affairs when a kind gesture towards someone you love is criticised by people who know nothing about your situation. I am glad you hugged your mom. No harm came of it as I am sure you considered the risks carefully. I am very pleased too that now your mom is getting the vaccine. Hope that puts your mind at rest and makes many future hugs possible.
The conversation started as far as I'm aware from what madpenguin said on 474 - ie:
'My Mum who is 87 was desperate for a hug and I gave her one and I will not apologise for it.
She lives on her own and I see her everyday but she has been in her home for the best part of a year.
She
has been denied so much by not seeing the rest of her family the least I
could do was give her a hug when she asked for one. '
...and the follow up on 475:
'Yes I do talk from hindsight and if she had caught the virus I would still have done the same. When you see your Mum in tears a few feet away would you really be so cruel as to deny them a hug?'
The implication being that it was in some way uncaring and cruel NOT to hug someone who was obviously upset.
Normally, without Covid, I would agree. But these are different times. Covid can be spread without people realising they have it, and it then forms an infection chain that can damage people's lives outside your immediate contact group. Individual decisions spread like ripples on water. So you need then to define cruel and uncaring, as is it crueler to potentially infect and seriously damage someone you don't know because of a 'caring' action that could have been avoided?
They're (a survey from Imperial College London) now saying that in early Jan, 1 in 63 people may have had the virus and the infections rates aren't decreasing. If people aren't adhering to the rules - and have their 'special circumstances' - then you can see a potential reason for the numbers not dropping.
What is a circumstance that says you can potentially act as a link in the chain? Can I hug my daughter who's been in tears? My sis who I haven't seen since Dec 2019 and who's got medical problems? Where is the line?
Goodness me,all this lecturing because @madpenguin hugged her mother! I'm sure both her and her mother knew the possible consequences of the hug but decided for themselves it was worth the risk,like when you go shopping or even having your shopping delivered. All contact of any kind is a risk to ourselves and in turn those who may have to look after us.
Do you all disinfect your shopping when it arrives? Or your postal deliveries?Do you go in your garden as maybe that's a risk too?You may just breathe in some virus contaminated air...
I'm as frightened as the next person and am staying the hell away from people as much as i can,hence me giving up work.As i've said,we've had covid and just this morning my OH is having breathing problems again.
We're trying to protect each other as well as everyone else but hell,if i had a parent/relative who was isolating and had been for what seems forever and was having a hard time mentally through all this,if they were so desperate for a hug and we'd both weighed up the risk and were prepared to take it then who is anyone else to deny that person a moment of comfort. Stop being so judgemental!
Sorry @Klink, but I totally disagree. As I have said before, taking any risk you like is fine, if it is only you that suffer the consequences of that risk. However, with this virus the risks you take put others at risk. Have you not heard what hospital staff are saying? We are so close to the NHS becoming totally overwhelmed, and if that happens so many people will die, because some people decided the risk was worth it.
How can you lie there and think of England When you don't even know who's in the team
Why is lecturing only one sided? You could say equally a lecture was also being given on being a caring person. The 'lecture' could be seen to say (to me) that you're cruel and not a caring person if you don't hug someone who is upset and who has issues. But I thought that there was just a discussion with different views. No lectures.
I say too much I know - so I'll finish by just repeating that when anyone makes a decision re covid that potentially increases the risk, they take the decision away from the chain that may get infected. It imposes their decision on others. Their 'decision' risk may have been assessed to be small, but the risks within the chain may have very different assessments.
I understand that @punkdoc ,i've watched the news. Personally i think more coverage of the seriousness of covid should be shown. Only yesterday we had the highest number of cases since the start of the pandemic and what did we have on two main tv channels,Biden being sworn in. Good news it maybe but it overshadowed the seriousness of what's happening here IMO.
My question is,what do you do when someone is suffering? We try to help i hope.I don't suggest you all go and hug and party,that's NOT what i'm suggesting but,if you have an isolating relative,elderly perhaps who thinks life isn't worth living anymore or if you have someone with a terminal illness and all they would like is a hug,surely you have to weigh up the risks and decide for yourself if you're prepared for the consequences.
And yes, the consequences may be death as there's not enough hospital beds,staff etc.Take that into account and then choose...
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When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
She lives on her own and I see her everyday but she has been in her home for the best part of a year.
When you see your Mum in tears a few feet away would you really be so cruel as to deny them a hug?'
We are so close to the NHS becoming totally overwhelmed, and if that happens so many people will die, because some people decided the risk was worth it.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border