Alistair Campbell- a book about his depression, will you buy it?

NO. I do sympathise but he has already had a lot of air time about this.

No chance!

Alastair Campell has had depression long before he was advisor to the Blair Labour Government.

Depression is an illness and to claim suffering this illness is
Karma is so wrong.

No too depressing

I’ve had enough trouble with my own depression during my life, two major instances, and now my medication keeps me reasonably well most of the time. Lockdown and Coronavirus has not been good for my mental health, and consequently I have no desire to read about anyone else’s struggles with depression, in particular someone who I don’t know. It would be far too depressing. I am very empathetic towards people who suffer from clinical depression, but more towards ordinary people who I might meet or know in life.

Yes he is an excellent writer. He is a troubled man but very interesting.

He's lucky to have such a decent partner.

Yes I imagine she has had a difficult life.

Perhaps it isn't Karma but surely if someone has depression (and I have had a period of this) one of the things it should trigger is more sympathy and feelings for others. I'm sure there are many who will in spite of their problems behave in ways which do no harm to other human beings. Campbell certainly didn't do that and even if it didn't cause his depression it must have contributed towards it. It is something the Catholic church is very aware of and one reason for confessions. It is called guilt.

Depression is caused by guilt ?

You disagree with him politically that doesnt mean he doesnt show sympathy for others.

Galaxy he may be showing sympathy for others now. Unfortunately for millions of Iraqis and others in the Middle East it's a bit late, they're dead.
No depression is a mental state which is caused by many things-mine was reactive. But when you face something like depression it can be a signal that your life needs to change. If you then want to write a book about your suffering it might be a good time to reflect on your actions.

He showed sympathy and spoke of his depression long before
the Iraq war,

trisher you speak out much about Womens rights etc yet you caused much hurt by calling posters ‘embittered old
crones’,

Well that's OK then Annie the poor man was depressed so causing the deaths of millions is completely acceptable
Appreciating women's rights doesn't prevent you from criticising whan it is due.

That is very interesting trisher, I hadn’t thought of his position in the Blair government as being anything to do with his depressive episode. Because I have suffered from depression and have other family who have done so too, I would normally be very sympathetic towards sufferers of depression, true depression that is, not just feeling a bit low. However there seems to be a bit of a bandwagon with celebrities who claim to have suffered with alcoholism, addiction to drugs, even sex, and who claim to have suffered from depression. They seem to want to ‘share all with the public’ and this makes me wonder really. I believe their suffering to be genuine, but I wonder why they feel the need to write a money making book about it, or want to talk about it or give interviews about it. Are they addicted to the attention?

Alistair Campbell has had depression and other issues for a very long time, I am really not keen on armchair psychiatry, I dont think it's kind.

No it’s not kind, but if people put themselves ‘out there’ then they have to accept the consequences ie the public will discuss it.

trisher there is criticism and there is insults , you chose the latter,

You are using the Iraq war no matter Alastair suffered with
depression long before this.

Galaxy so you are actually saying that it is wrong to discuss this? Isnt' one of the points of the book supposed to be that it brings things out into the open and mental health issues are more widely discussed? If that is to happen I don't think it is "armchair psychiatry" to bring into the debate beliefs that have circulated in many religions and philosophies for hundreds of years, that is that there is in the human make up something which drives most of us to behave in a moral and ethical way, and that not listening to that is destructive for the person concerned.

The extracts and interview that I read in The Guardian were enough to make me decide to read it. He sounded to me like he was more than aware of the circumstances and context of the political times he lived and worked through and his role in them.
I think its helpful when public figures write about their mental health issues. Mental health is still hidden and disparaged in the UK.

Interesting ,I didn't know it was Alistair Campbell who took us to war with Iraq...i always believed it was the Labour government of the time.Mr Campbell was IN that government but I'm sure his boss was equally or more culpable .I've heard Blair on the subject and it seems Iraq was his "baby" he has done exceptionally well finacially sine then ! I'm not a fan of Alistair Campbell so no axe to grind but if its good enough for the two "princes" to share their depression with the world I dont see an issue with Campbell doing it .

I am not saying it's wrong to discuss it, I am not comfortable using mental health to make a political point.

paddyanneI think Blair and Campbell were both guilty and should if there were any justice have been tried as war criminals. It may have been the Labour government but Labour MPs who defied the whip were subjected to what can only be called intimidation by Campbell.

Galaxy Alastair isn’t making a political point, trisher a staunch Corbyn supporter is making a political point.

Alastair did a tv programme some years ago , he had treatment and was filmed doing so. He has suffered depression from a young age.

He has spoken of the effects of depression on the family of
a depression sufferer, this is important