Thanks so much for having a look at my page!

Ever since I can remember, I've had mental health problems. Mostly they are anxiety and depression, though I have experienced auditory hallucinations, visual weirdness (I called them 'visions', and they were pretty horrible), and eating troubles. It's really affected my life - I have no proper qualifications above AS-level, I've never finished college (though I'm giving it another go this year!), and I nearly became a total recluse. When I first tried to get help for what was swiftly becoming a crippling mental illness - I could barely leave the house and I was pretty much terrified of everything - I went to the NHS Mental Health Services, and they were slightly more useless than a dead woodchuck at diagnosing what was wrong with me. They essentially accused me of making it all up, pretty much because I was a teenager. Shortly afterwards I tried to off myself - and they still didn't believe that I wasn't pretending!

In the end my parents decided to pay for me to go to The Priory, which was a major turning point, and I'm so much better now because of it, thankfully!

However, not everybody can afford to do that, and it makes me sick that the mental health provisions on the NHS are so hilariously rubbish. In my experience, you're either (according to them) a liar, or schizophrenic beyond help. Whereas charities such as MIND recognize that people can be in mental distress, but not necessarily at the point of sitting in a corner rocking and speaking in tongues. So I've decided that, since I do like a bit of a hike and pretty scenery, I will hike up Ben Nevis in July 2010 (exact date TBC) to raise money for this charity that does such good work for people who are exactly like me!

So if you choose to donate, how will it help? Well...

£7.50 can pay for a specially-trained MindinfoLine staff member to answer a call from a person experiencing mental distress - this could save a life!
£15 can help to produce/update MIND's award-winning information resources on topics such as self-harm and post-natal depression.
£20 can help pay for a local 'befriending' scheme for somebody unable to leave their house due to their mental illness, providing that ultra-important connection to society from which so many sufferers can feel totally cut off.
£50 can help to support a local MIND association to provide training and work experience for people recovering from mental distress - 'contributing to society' may be an extraordinarily irritating phrase, but working is great for mental wellness.
£75 can help MIND to lobby the government to provide better safeguards and treatment for people who (like me!) are prescribed medication for their illness - in the past, MIND has been able to lobby for changes in legislation to give better protection for the mentally ill, but they can only keep doing this if people keep donating!

MIND also uses your donations to fight the prejudices and pre-conceived notions held about mental illness - notions which, as we all know, are ridiculous in the extreme, and I will not get into that subject because I could rant and rave for Britain if I did!

So please, just think on, and donate whatever you can. Thanks for reading - Better mental healthcare is the way forward!