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Melissa's story: Finding a treatment that works

I am 35 and struggled with severe depression for most of my twenties. I tried so many types of treatments including dozens of drug trials, various therapies, even ECT . I attended day programs and lived in residential treatment and group homes, often needing intense care.The pain was so severe I was hospitalised 20 different times for suicidality and self harm . Much of the time I was completely without hope. Though I have limited memory of the worst years, I know that it was like slogging through mud. Every movement, every step took so much effort. Being alive was exhausting. But I had...

Barry's story: Tourette's and true love

Barry has Tourette's syndrome, which causes him a lot of stress and tension.

Rebecca's Story: Living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder "I am now living with a mental illness. That is so hard to write and it conjures up horrendous false images portrayed by the media. That's not true, people with a mental illness are unique and have so much value. It can strike anyone at anytime so why is it so shameful to admit to anyone that you have a mental illness? No one would think twice admitting they've broken a leg would they? Â I find it hard to value myself but I am trying so hard. I have chronic post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of being stalked by an ex-work colleague. I was...

Paul's story: "I'd recommend exercise to anyone suffering with mental health problems"

I have suffered with depression and anxiety since 1997 and have been on medication, had counselling and taken CBT courses but by far the best method of controlling my conditions has been exercise. In 2010, I lost my father due to cancer, had redundancy from a job that I loved doing and more recently went through a horrible divorce. Needless to say I was probably at my worst I had ever been and started to consider giving up on life. With the help and support of my family and GP, I started exercising and really enjoyed Zumba. I was the only male participant in the class and started to gain...

Robin's Story: Running the London Marathon in memory of my mum

I chose to run for the Mental Health Foundation because this year marks 10 years since the death of my mum, Dawn Owen. My mum experienced various mental health issues, specifically a combination of severe anxiety , obsessive compulsion & depression . On a few occasions she experienced the more extreme aspects of mental ill health such as psychosis & borderline schizophrenia . At the age of 50, she died of a sudden and completely unexpected heart attack. A decade later I decided to do something special to pay tribute to my mum. Although a keen footballer, I am not an avid runner...

James K's Story: Running a Marathon to Manage the Stresses of Daily Life

"I find running empties my mind."

Saira's Story: Exercising to Manage Depression and Physical Pain

"I am an unemployed single mum of one. I have suffered with back and shoulder problems for nearly 10 years, from a couple of years before becoming pregnant with my daughter." "A year after giving birth, my physical health deteriorated dramatically when I developed a chronic pain in my left foot, for which I was given an unsuccessful steroid injection. This was the beginning of around three years of chronic pain in my left foot, ankle and knee where my whole left leg felt like a dead limb but immensely painful, making having a good night's sleep impossible. In pain and desperation I started...

Michele's Story: Running to Manage Stress

"I started to run to escape from the pressures of life." "My son, who is now 23-years-old, has suffered from mental health issues since the age of 15 and there was very little support for him and the rest of the family. I also work as a nurse with patients with addiction problems who often also have mental health problems and too often society sees people with these issues as a burden. I wanted to help raise awareness so in 2012 I ran the London Marathon for the Mental Health Foundation and, along with my friend, raised nearly £3,000! I have encouraged my son to run and sometimes when he is...

Janet's story: Reclaiming madness - a search for one's true self, following sexual abuse

Giving background information about myself or writing a few lines about who I am is where I start feeling resistance. Resistance to an attempt at producing the understandable story. Trigger warning: Janet's story describes her experiences of sexual abuse and rape. I've tried that too many times in my life - to explain things to others and to explain things to myself. Madness meant asserting the right to be tired of that, madness was daring not to be explainable and understandable, and I try to keep the memory of being that right and that daring. Every time I tried to satisfy someone else's or...

Julia's Story: Running to Manage your Mood

"If someone had said to me that I would be running a marathon in 2013 I would have laughed politely and told them they were mixing me up with a fitness junkie with too much time on their hands - however, this is exactly the position I now find myself in." "I originally started running (and I use the term in its loosest sense) three years ago when I was told by my doctor that my blood pressure was too high and that I was too fat! I work in a primary school, so under cover of darkness, I would attempt to run around the playground hoping no one would see the sorry sight or hear my rasping breath...

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