Cricketer Jonathan Trott has left England's Ashes tour to recover from a "long-standing stress-related condition".
Lots has been written recently about changing attitudes to mental illness and the Time to Change campaign. As depression sufferer Alastair Campbell says, "You would never say: 'What does he have to be cancerous about, diabetic about, asthmatic about?', so why do we say 'what does he have to be depressed about?'"
Someone needs to tell these Twitter users.
This guy's Twitter bio says he's at medical school.
When he's a doctor, make sure to only go and see him with real, physical problems like broken bones - none of this made up "mental" illness stuff, yeah?
Wish i too could skip my exam due to ''stress related illness'' !! #Ashes #Trott
— Deepjyoti Bharali (@DeepSpeaksUp) November 25, 2013
It's as easy an "manning up" and "growing some"
@warne888 'Stress-related illness' really just means mental weakenss-Trott needs to man-up, not "recover". It's embarrassing, quite frankly
— Harry S (@sportingharry) November 25, 2013
Jonathan #Trott you big wuss. Absolute joke of a cricketer. #theashes #manup #growsome
— MHA (@MHA92_) November 25, 2013
FACT: having a glamorous job makes you invincible
Can traveling the world first class in warm climates playing the sport you love be so tough? Sounds like a good gig to me. #Trott
— ProV1 (@prov1jcb) November 25, 2013
Trott has come home because of stress from cricket #areyoubeingserious #manup playing sport as your job can't be stressful can it?
— Martin Hunn (@MartinHunn88) November 25, 2013
Disappointed with trott, rep your country at cricket is hardly stressful. Rep your country in a war is and I doubt they get sent home
— bridgey (@Bridgey9) November 25, 2013
'Stress related illness' #Trott makes me laugh. It must b really hard playin cricket 4 a living, innit. Joka!!
— Mr Worldwide (@16Hitesh) November 25, 2013
Blame
Because, like any illness, whether you suffer from it or not is completely within your control.
Jonathan #trott has a stress related injury? Fear is no reason to leave an ashes series mid way. #coward #Ashes #Ashes2013
— Aamir Malik (@aamirmmalik) November 25, 2013
I will never forgive you Jonathan Trott
— Kyle Gill (@KyleGill3) November 25, 2013
@Jonathan_Trott you've left the team due to 'stress' related problems? You've let your country down. Johnson giving you nightmares?😂
— Aamir (@AShazadx) November 25, 2013
Needless to say...
These tweets are highlighted to show some of the outdated and appalling attitudes that still exist around mental health. I wish Jonathan Trott all the best with his recovery.