Interdependence

There's an obsession currently amongst mental health & social services in the UK about independence. The term is handed down to us by our government to be used as a mantra.

We're charged to ensure that;

"services help maintain the independence of the individual by giving them greater choice and control over the way in which their needs are met;"

Well, aren't we all nice people? We're "Giving them greater choice and control..."?

I know I'm being flippant. In truth I support a lot of the current developments in health & social care. However, I'm left with a nagging feeling that we've missed the point somehow about independence.

I'm involved in a bit of research at the moment consulting with people who have 'severe and enduring' mental health problems. Our focus is finding out what people identify as contributing to their well-being and recovery.

Perhaps unspirisingly the main emergent theme is positive relationships; Ones that have hope and optimism at their core. These are established predictors for well-being and recovery (though I'm not so clear whether they represent a causation or a correlation), so I doubt I'll get my PHD through it.

Nonetheless I think it highlights the significance of interdependence as opposed to Independence.

The last thing I'd want to be is independent in the purest sense. What a bleak, lonely existence it would be living 'independently' in my own flat, unreliant on anybody to meet my needs.

As it is I'm dependent on so many people. In particular I'm dependant on Miche (my beloved), not least to stop my head disappearing up my own arse.