Blogs
06 2023
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“The isolation of being a carer is the scariest thing” – Steve’s story
For Carers Week, Steve explores his tumultuous journey caring for his wife who has experienced paranoid schizophrenia for 29 years. He brings awareness to the lack of recovery-focused support for acute schizophrenia, the importance of community and how his caring responsibilities deeply impacted his own mental health.
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“Caring is not for the faint-hearted” - Julie's story
In this blog for Carers Week, Julie shares her experience caring for her son who deals with severe anxiety and agoraphobia. She sheds light on juggling many responsibilities at once, the debilitating nature of mental illness and the value in appreciating the little things.
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“No one knows what life’s like as a carer” – Sharon’s story
For Carers Week, Sharon shares her experience of caring for some of her family members at the same time, one of them being her son who experiences autism and difficulties with his mental health. With the help of Julie from Rethink Mental Illness and a supportive carers group, Sharon has spent the last 20 years keeping her family well.
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“Little sparks of motivation” – Radley’s story
When Radley first experienced psychosis, he was unable to do the things he enjoyed, like competing as a junior athlete, his hobbies or socialising with friends. However, little sparks of physical activity and meditation allowed him to regain the hope and happiness he had lost.
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Stand-up comedy for male suicide prevention? You must be joking!
Can recovery from suicide ever be a laughing matter? Can comedy be the light at the end of the tunnel for people affected by suicide? In this blog, GM, one of our Experts by Experience, talks about the comedy course he attended this spring and how it helped to see the world from a brighter place.
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My advice for visiting a loved one in hospital - Helen's story
In 2022, Helen's brother, who experiences schizophrenia, was sadly detained under the Mental Health Act for 12 months. She reflects on her personal experiences, sharing advice to help other carers, particularly siblings, who may be preparing for a hospital visit.
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"I believe I am worthy to heal" - Jazmin's story
After training as a holistic therapist and yoga teacher, Jazmin has been able to create her own toolkit for healing. She steps out of definitions created by traditional psychiatry, learning to treat her traumatic experiences with more self-compassion than before.
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"Remember you’re doing the best you can” – Tayyibah’s story
In this blog, Tayyibah takes a moment to reflect on her progress over the last four years. Although she struggled a lot with social anxiety and panic attacks, she has now managed to get out of the dark place and into the light.
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How to manage your mental health in a heatwave
Warm weather is something many of us look forward to. But a heatwave can have a severe impact on our mental health. Aisling Traynor, Head of Advice and Training at Rethink Mental Illness, discusses how extreme heat can affect people living with a mental illness and offers some practical tips.
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Here's what change we need to improve LGBT+ mental health
In this blog, our Chief Executive Mark Winstanley looks at the challenges LGBT+ people in England face when it comes to their mental health and what change is needed to improve their wellbeing.
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75 Year Anniversary of Windrush
22 June 2023 marks 75 years since the HMT Empire Windrush docked at the Port of Tilbury in Essex in 1948. Rethink Mental Illness trustee, Garrick Prayogg, reflects on the historic anniversary, the positive impact of migration to the UK, and his passion to influence the ways in which mental health services are affecting West Indian communities to this day.
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Love is love
Love is love / love wins / love knows no bounds. We hear these sayings a lot during Pride month. But what happens when the person you love takes the brave step and tells you they are trans? Does love thrive? It sure does! This is Sarah's story.
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