Borderline Personality Disorder

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.

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.

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? 

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