From surviving to thriving with my mental health
Posted on: Monday 17 October 2022
Author: FPM
Monday 10 October 2022 was World Mental Health Day where the theme was to make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority. Following a searingly honest post on LinkedIn, Dr Marc Watson courageously shared his experience and insight on surviving and thriving with his mental health at the Fireside Chat hosted by FPM.
Marc spoke eloquently and openly about the challenges he has faced since he was a teenager and how finding the right treatment has made a difference not only to his mental health but also to his quality of life. The stigma men as well as doctors face in speaking about their mental health was also explored.
Marc shared the experience of the mix martial artist Paddy Pimblett who spoke out on mental health after learning that his friend had taken his own life and said that he would have preferred if his friend had cried on his shoulder than go to his funeral. Marc left the audience with three take away messages:
- If you are struggling with your mental health, find someone with whom you can talk
- Get the right help – “If you suffer from diarrhoea you see a gastroenterologist so why don’t we do the same for our mental health?”
- Have hope – if you are struggling you can turn it around.
You can watch the event in full below.
If you're in crisis and need to talk right now, there are many helplines staffed by trained people ready to listen. They won't judge you, and could help you make sense of what you're feeling.
Crisis helpline resources
From surviving to thriving with my mental health
Fireside Chat with Marc Watson
Dr Marc Watson
Dr Marc Watson joined the pharmaceutical industry in 2013 following ten years in the NHS and became a Fellow of the Faculty Pharmaceutical Medicine in 2021. Dr Watson has a breadth of experience within pharmacovigilance and medical affairs and has expanded his expertise to become a senior medical leader in the industry, making a difference to patient health at a population level. He has volunteered his expertise to the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine and is a former member of the FPM Policy and Communication Group and has been Chair of our Ethics and Practice Committee for two years.
Currently Dr Watson is a Senior Medical Director at Norgine for Global Medical Affairs.
Dr Watson has openly shared his struggles with his mental health and recently a LinkedIn post [Content warning – this post discusses suicidal feelings] he wrote garnered an outpouring of support.
