I was in secondary school when I developed mental health problems and started to self harm. I had experienced a lot of bullying from my peers and I felt very isolated and low, often spending lunchtimes sitting in a toilet cubicle or in the library studying alone.
It all started when I noticed Adam’s behaviour had changed. He became quiet and started to isolate himself, staying in his room more than usual. He was irritable too, getting upset about things which wouldn’t normally bother him so much. Looking back on it now, he was just feeling frustrated – he didn’t understand why he was feeling the way he was.
I have always been someone who worries about things, letting them take over my mind, no matter how big or small the issue is. I remember at school things like public speaking and having to do presentations in front of a room full of classmates would send me into meltdown, causing me such worry and stress for weeks leading up to the event.
I’ve experienced mental health problems for many years now, but apart from a few close friends and family members, I found it hard to talk about. I felt that no one around me could understand what I was going through just trying to get through day-to-day life, at work and generally.
In 2018 I had a particularly negative experience in my workplace at the time. I disclosed my generalised anxiety disorder and social anxiety to my line manager. She gave a dismissive response and an unfortunate, repeated stigmatising attitude.
