The Other Side of Depression E-BOOK

Henry Maudsley in the 1920's led the way in the approach to this kind of recovery. There was no path to curing people until Henry Maudsley pioneered this kind of recovery. That is developing relationships with professional boundaries.

By the psychiatrist telling me 'It is ok' empowered me and allowed me to overcome the stigma of being diagnosed with a mental illness.

Even though, it has been a long journey with seven Sections, and two attempted suicides, however, because of the professionalism of the South London and Maudsley Trust staff and my faith in Christ, I no longer hear voices and they have given me a desire to hope for a better tomorrow.

The talking therapies that I engaged in for many years at South London and Maudsley Trust helped me to come to terms with being a victim of satanic paedophilia as a child. Part of the healing was to forgive those who abuse me. However, it was through the church that the healing came. But what I can say is that without the input of secular mental health recovery teams, my recovery would have been one sided because South London and Maudsley Trust taught values that I now practice in my faith.

One of the things that secular mental health recovery has done for me is to give me back my humanness, and dignity. I became a human being contributing to the progress of humanity. South London and Maudsley Trust gave me back my purpose and something to live for. They eradicated the guilt and shame of being abused by telling me it is ok. That was the first time and the only time in 47 years that I heard that phrase.

I am hoping that from my story in my writing and YouTube Channel, which is called Barrocks Productions, you will gain a perspective on your care practice, especially how important it is to leave a positive impression on vulnerable service users. Is not what you see today when the service user is unwell, but what you leave in the service user's heart that will grow into hope for a better tomorrow, which may even be the seeds to recovery like the phrase the psychiatrist uttered to me. The first time I saw her. 'It's ok.' That short sentence changed my life.

Now I am involved with SUITE, I used to work as Peer Support worker with Hear Us, I used to share my story of recovery at the Universities with social work students. I used to work with psychology students. I used to sit on committees sharing my lived experiences with South London and Maudsley Trust staff to help shape and improve mental health services for patients through the Involvement Register. I helped developed a course on hearing voices and how to overcome them at a housing charity for vulnerable customers. I have started my unregistered charity and church helping the vulnerable. It has grown to about 30 members throughout South London.

I wrote two books about my story. I passed my driving test and briefly drove. Furthermore, I am saving for a second-hand car. I have gained a Certificate of Education from Open University in Social Care. I worked parttime through my writing to produce books that I sell on Amazon KDP and I also use my talents as a singer and musician by producing songs in my bedroom to release on CD Baby. My YouTube Channel where I promote my music is called Barrocks Healing Productions. I maintain my own rented flat and I have paid back over Seventeen Thousand Pounds worth of debt that I defaulted on while very unwell. I am now paying off my student loan.

Finally, I like to thank the staff at Lambeth Hospital for their hard work in my recovery, even though I still have some way to go.