Self-Harm
“I was driving home with my three kids. They were fast asleep on the back seat when I felt it again. This big hole in my chest opened up again and I couldn’t bear it anymore. By this time, I was regularly self-harming, but it wasn’t working anymore. The tension didn’t stop building inside me. […]
Drugs and Alcohol
“I tried cocaine on a college trip when I was 18. I thought I would give it a try, sure look! What bad could happen? This single decision started a cycle that lasted up until I was 25. I was surprised to realise that it took away all my inadequacies, my low self-esteem and lack […]
Suicidal Thoughts by Anthony
Through national school and the first two years of secondary, I was happy, but then things started to get bad. Nothing particular happened or changed apart from my own feelings. I started to lack confidence. I began to feel different, and I had low self-esteem. Despite this, I got through Secondary and passed the Leaving […]
Depression by Mary
My first dealings with depression began very slowly and gradually when I was in transition year of school. In “TY”, while everyone was growing in confidence and making new friends, I was becoming more introverted and had very low self-esteem. As an outsider looking in, you would never suspect or believe anything was wrong with […]
Stigma
Stigma is described as a disgrace as if you have something to be ashamed of. It sets us apart from others. I have been stigmatised for half of my life, feeling inferior to others, treated like a second class citizen, just because I have spent time in a psychiatric hospital. While I was in and out down through the years I received only two get well cards and very few visitors. Why should your physical health be any different from your mental health.