4 Goes Mad Season - Ruby Wax's Mad Confessions

[Ashley]

Next week, starting on Monday at 10pm, Channel 4 launches a bold season challenging mental health stigma and discrimination. Somewhat questionably titled, 4 Goes Mad, the series will take a look at people's perceptions of mental illness, including programme's on OCD and Hoarding.

The season starts on Monday at 10pm with Ruby Wax's Mad Confessions. Building on the success of her mental health stage show, during which the audience is encouraged to speak openly about their own experiences, in this documentary Ruby campaigns to break down the stigma that still surrounds mental illness. She follows three successful businesspeople as they disclose their mental illness to their employers and, in some cases, their friends.

This will also be shown on digital station, 4Seven (Sky 140, Freeview 47) on Wed 25th at 10pm, Thu 26th at 2:35am, Fri 27th at 11:35pm, Sun 29th at 2:55am.

[Ashley]

Does tonight's #4GoesMad prog with Ruby Wax inspire you to be more open about your OCD at work? or would you still be reluctant to open up?

[Guest Elle Belle]

I did! Wish I hadn't.

I like Ruby Wax a lot (her show was fantastic) and it was a good programme! What did people think about the portrayal of OCD? I do like how the Obsessive Compulsive Hoarder (which I'm not watching) is also on 4 at the moment; so they're showing that OCD is a many faceted thing. However, I would like it if the media had a stronger focus on intrusive thoughts. (I know I've digressed completely from your topic Ashley - Ruby's programme was about mental health in general in the workplace.)

At the risk of sounding cynical, the companies those two people work for (not counting the chef who runs his own business) wouldn't dare treat their staff badly or differently now that they've been shown on TV as they'd never get away with it. In reality, there's a long way to go.

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Edited July 23, 2012 by Elle Belle

[Ashley]

At the risk of sounding cynical, the companies those two people work for (not counting the chef who runs his own business) wouldn't dare treat their staff badly or differently now that they've been shown on TV as they'd never get away with it. In reality, there's a long way to go.

A very good point, I think the programme Wednesday may give a better insight into how employers think.

[Guest Elle Belle]

Ooh there's one on Wednesday? Darn, I'll be out. I'll check people's comments on here and see if it's worth catching up with!

[Guest Bushbaby]

I found the programme quite uncomfortable yesterday for a number of reasons, especially people having to 'come clean' about their mental illnesses. I thought they were brave to do so, but I think it is society's attitudes that need to be changed first and I applaud the MPs who have started this valuable process. People will only admit they have issues if they are convinced that they won't be made pariahs by society. I doubt many sufferers will be rushing to confess all to their bosses after yesterday's programme.

I just wonder how many viewers now think that OCD is a result of sexual abuse. It was sad to see how Charlotte was affected by her OCD, but I dare say that a good number of sufferers who ritually wash are actually in fear of harming other people more than themselves. I agree with Elle Belle that to really raise awareness of OCD, more education about intrusive thoughts when dealing with OCD would be better. I hope Jon Richardson's programme does this tonight. Charlotte also pitied the boss who thought her cupboards would have tins neatly lined up. Some sufferers do this. A valuable opportunity was missed to explain how OCD has many dimensions to it, I thought.

Nevertheless, I am pleased that Channel 4 is dealing with these issues, but they need to be very careful with how they portray individual sufferers. I am not terribly impressed with the 'Bonkers' music being continually played either. I don't think it helps anybody. People aren't mad; they are poorly!

[Guest Elle Belle]

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I just wonder how many viewers now think that OCD is a result of sexual abuse. It was sad to see how Charlotte was affected by her OCD, but I dare say that a good number of sufferers who ritually wash are actually in fear of harming other people more than themselves. I agree with Elle Belle that to really raise awareness of OCD, more education about intrusive thoughts when dealing with OCD would be better. I hope Jon Richardson's programme does this tonight. Charlotte also pitied the boss who thought her cupboards would have tins neatly lined up. Some sufferers do this. A valuable opportunity was missed to explain how OCD has many dimensions to it, I thought.

I totally agree. My one criticism of Ruby Wax is that her work always takes this stance: that any mentasl illness is routed in the past.

[Guest sarah1984]

I enjoyed the show but I feel the whole set up felt very artificial. It's hardly likely that any of the participants' colleagues would display a negative reaction on television - while they all appeared to take the news well we just don't know what they were really thinking inside. I've read about Charlotte before in Prima magazine - I believe she used to edit a mental health magazine that recently folded. In the article she talked about her mum's agoraphobia and her own agoraphobia and panic attacks but there was no mention of OCD. I think they could only skim the surface last night so there wasn't the opportunity to go into much depth about what OCD really is - I'm looking forward to tonight's episode and I hope they do discuss intrusive thoughts. Unfortunately, due to the taboo nature of some common intrusive thoughts, I think they might struggle to find participants who're willing to talk about their experiences on TV - they would need to give quite a bit of background and to clearly explain that OCD sufferers are the last people to act on their thoughts. I don't necessarily think all viewers will get the impression that OCD is the result of sexual abuse - the programme was right to point out that sufferers of abuse and people with a family history of mental illness are more likely to become sufferers themselves.

Sarah

[Biccy]

I found the program really good I believe that it opens up mental health issues just a bit more to everyone. of ocurse its not going to explain all but the more we talk about it the stigma will start to lessen. I cant wait to see the rest of them.

[Ashley]

I posted on Twitter about the 'Mad' title earlier and although it is not the most sympathetic title, it will get people watching out of curiosity, which hopefully will lead on to education. I would hate for us to be called mad for having OCD, as we are not mad, but I have done some 'mad' things because of the OCD.

Charlotte's story I would hate to dismiss as being trivial as all of our OCD story's are hard, but her hands looked very good for someone that washes so much, although maybe she uses lots of girly products to keep them nice. Brave of her to open up.

[Guest Zonegirl]

I didn't like it at all! Just my opinion felt it was really patronising and didn't show OCD for what it was at all and agree it was made to look Charlotte only had OCD cos she was abused (not that it wasn't awful) but nothing ever happened to me bad in my childhood and I still have OCD xxx

[Guest PartVie]

Is this one available anywhere that doesn't have international restrictions?

[Ashley]

I have asked the question for you PartVie

[Guest Elle Belle]

I didn't like it at all! Just my opinion felt it was really patronising and didn't show OCD for what it was at all and agree it was made to look Charlotte only had OCD cos she was abused (not that it wasn't awful) but nothing ever happened to me bad in my childhood and I still have OCD xxx

My sentiments are similar. However, in defense of the programme - it wasn't about OCD; it was about mental illness in the workplace.

Re Sarah's point: 'due to the taboo nature of some common intrusive thoughts, I think they might struggle to find participants who're willing to talk about their experiences on TV - they would need to give quite a bit of background and to clearly explain that OCD sufferers are the last people to act on their thoughts.'

Half of me wants everybody to know more about intrusive thoughts and their nature and half of me doesn't for exactly that reason!

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