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Welcome from the editor

Sometimes Serendipity pays a visit. I’d been talkingÌýwith a depressed client about the depressing blogsÌýthey read about depressed young people doingÌýdepressing things because they feel, like, depressed.ÌýSo I went to have a look myself at their virtual life.Ìý

And on the very same day, I was offered the article byÌýDebbie Lee that I’ve led off with in this issue. SheÌýwrites about allowing and encouraging the youngÌýperson to bring their smartphone into the room, andÌýdiscusses what meaning it seems to have for themÌýand how we can incorporate the phone’s importanceÌýinto the therapy and make the virtual social media lifeÌýof the client available for discussion and thought. ItÌýalso acknowledges the urgent pinging, and rolls withÌýtheir resistance to being separated from such a hugeÌýpart of their life.

I commend this piece to you because it may wellÌýstrike a chord and offer a new way of thinking. ButÌýmay I also suggest that you brave the flood and visitÌýone such website that I know young clients follow?ÌýHave a look at , because I think the frequent images of tricklingÌýtears (male ones and female) sum up somethingÌýhelpless, the sort of gazing that has become inward,Ìýdownward and backward, and almost addictive andÌýtrance-like in quality. Yet this is blogged by a youngÌýperson who intends to help her online followers whoÌýsuffer with anorexia, self-harm, negative thoughtsÌýand deep sadness (she answers messages). TheÌýblogger declares at the top of the screen that it isÌýthe place where she lets out bad thoughts but doesÌý‘not promote self-harm or eating disorders’. YetÌýprominently displayed is her ‘last cut’ date andÌýreblogged messages of despair (there’s a lot ofÌýreblogging of despair). This is the virtual world thatÌýmy – and your – depressed clients may beÌýfrequenting daily. We need to be able to discuss itÌýwith them, as Debbie does. Imbibing daily negativesÌýfrom other young people is a downward spiral. A bitÌýlike having foggy personal boundaries instead of aÌýchain link fence (see Julie Fallon), and can result fromÌýan inability to be alone (see Nick Luxmoore). HowÌýcan we enable our young people to change courseÌýwithout depriving them of their curiosity forÌýinformation about life (see Jeanine Connor)?

Sometimes my client and I deal out playing cardsÌýin a pile, naming them with plus or minus numbers,Ìýto indicate the negative and positive inputs each day.ÌýOur brains intuitively know if the total implies ‘goodÌýday’ or ‘bad day’, but we don’t. So the best way toÌýensure a positive nightly tally is to deliberately insertÌýmany more positive than negative events. That way,Ìýwe don’t need to rely on blogs or status updates forÌýmental health.

Young people can readily learn this proactive skillÌýif given a safe space to be honest, think openly andÌýfeel respected. Both Robert Birkbeck and DeniseÌýAlcock demonstrate how they do just that in theirÌýdifferent work contexts. And I know we do, too, inÌýour own. So if you think you could write about it,ÌýI’ve given some relevant tips in this issue and lookÌýforward to hearing from you. Of course, it won’t beÌýSerendipity next time, because I’ve prompted you.ÌýBut somehow it feels good to talk upfront about ourÌýneeds instead of hiding them away along with ourÌývirtual selves.

Eleanor Patrick
Editor

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