Blog Categories

The power of words: speaking about mental illness for good or for bad

Submitted by Time to Change on Sun, 15/04/2012 - 8:45pm

Charlotte blogs for Time to Change I started experiencing mental health difficulties at the age of fourteen, except I didn’t realise I was suffering with a mental illness. I thought I was ‘odd’ or ‘broken’. I knew something wasn’t right but I didn’t think that I was ill.

You never stop needing your mum

Submitted by LAURAMAY on Wed, 14/03/2012 - 1:20pm

With a diagnosis of bipolar and borderline personality disorder, I have managed my mental health pretty well over the years, even if I do say so myself. I have stayed employed, volunteered for charity and even found someone to marry me! And the one person who has been there every step of the way is, of course, my mum. Supportive, often humorous and always on my side, my mum Chris is an inspiring woman in so many ways, however one instance springs to mind when I think of how much I still need her, even though I am a grown woman with a home and life of my own now.

Stigma turned inward

Submitted by Seaneen on Wed, 12/10/2011 - 7:46pm

Seaneen, Time to Change blogger Mark Brown recently wrote a post on the topic of stigma. Stigma surrounding mental health problems is rife in society. Challenging the stigma of mental health problems within society is one of the aims of Time to Change. However, how do we challenge the stigma of our own mental health problems in ourselves?

Crown prosecution service consultation

Submitted by Karen Machin on Sat, 07/02/2009 - 3:21pm

Just to let you know that there's a current consultation (ending March 1st 2009) on the Crown Prosecution Service's website, that wants your views.

Its about their Policy on prosecuting criminal cases involving people with mental health problems and/or learning disabilities as victims and witnesses

A Depressive is for Life

Submitted by Andy Harley on Wed, 04/02/2009 - 5:43pm

Here's a piece of information which might make one or two recoil in shock. For the most part you couldn't spot a depressive from any other member of society; you might need to get very close to someone before it became apparent.

Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before...No Actually Don't‚ Just Tell Someone Else Who Hasn't

Submitted by Andy Harley on Tue, 20/01/2009 - 7:17pm

Stop me if you've heard this one before...no actually don't. Having a mental illness makes finding work hard. This might sound many things; astounding, sad, ridiculous, perverse, surprising, frightening, unlikely, justifiable, understandable or just blindingly obvious. You might secretly feel something you would not publicly air. It's nothing to be ashamed of, we all have overt or latent prejudices, but it is most certainly something to be aware of and to open your mind about.

My BDP diagnosis and my friends reaction

Submitted by Stigma Rejector on Thu, 15/01/2009 - 7:02pm

Hello. Thanks for visiting my blog. It's a bit odd for me to write with a focus (or even slant) towards stigma and discrimination as these are a relatively minor part of my lavish mental illness experience.

Coming out: Marion's story

Submitted by Time to Change on Thu, 09/10/2008 - 4:24pm

I first came out 28 years ago. My coming out promotional message was that I was happy, sane and well. I was a happy, sane and well lesbian. The coming out process was remarkably simple and painless but it was the era of Greenham Common and second wave feminism. Three years ago I had to work out a new coming out strategy to accompany the onset of what was to become a severe mental illness.