“The staff here are brilliant” – Ben’s story

A stock photo and alias has been used on this blog at the request of the author. 

After multiple hospital admissions, Ben has been living in supported housing with Rethink Mental Illness for two years. Whilst being here, Ben has gained more independence and praises the staff for their unwavering support.

I’ve previously lived in another Rethink Mental Illness service after a long stay in a recovery unit. Prior to that, I had an admission into psychiatric hospital. When I was living in the previous Rethink property, I had a psychotic breakdown and went to psychiatric hospital again. I still do suffer quite heavily with my mental health, it’s a condition called schizoaffective disorder. I also suffer from symptoms of depression and anxiety.

The staff were really amazing, they managed to get me into a Rethink property - a building that is rented from private housing association and has its own individual flats. You’ve got a completely self-contained flat, so you don’t have to share a kitchen or a washing machine. It’s just a bit more of a mellow environment. So, I came from hospital to here. I’ve been here for two years now.

Being here has helped with my mental health, it’s given me independence. I used to live with my mum and dad four or five years ago and hadn’t left there, even though I had a job and everything. I had a major breakdown in 2014 which ended up in me losing my job. I was just using up my savings until 2020, the first time I got sectioned into psychiatric hospital. So, it's definitely been beneficial with being more independent.

The staff here are brilliant. They’re there to help all the time, nine to five. There’s also a crisis team based in Gloucester that you can get help from out of hours. So, this has been a positive.

I have a keyworker who’s really helpful with letting me remember the good things I’ve done and helping to put things into perspective, things I’m worrying about or anxious about. It’s reassuring. All of the staff members have been really, really understanding.

I have extreme social anxiety so it’s helped me to do more exposure therapy. Some days I can’t get out of the house. So, it helps if I’ve got an appointment to go to or a walk with my keyworker who checks in every week. That gives me more exposure therapy to being outside and being around people, which is good.

I’m thinking about going back to the gym, trying to get back onto a good healthy diet. I watch a lot of current events, keep up with the news. I like to go for walks as well. Also, I volunteer at the British Heart Foundation. For four hours a week, I just help them with building up furniture, loading it into the delivery van. It gives me meaning and purpose, which is beneficial for my mental health.

I was really anxious when I first came here. I had paranoid delusions and thought people were going to come in, break the door down, kidnap and torture me. So, there’s less of that now. It does feel like home.

I’m actually in the process now of moving into private housing. I’m quite anxious about that but just taking it day by day. They’re happy that I’m able to look after myself; the supported housing isn’t required anymore. I haven’t really made any future plans, I just sort of live day-to-day.

It can always get better - even if you’re in the worst place imaginable, you can still use exposure therapy to get over what you’re afraid of or what you’re anxious about. There’s always time.