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• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Recovery >> Recovery

Recovery

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• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 40 - 49 >> Niabingi - Interview 01 >> She's ambivalent about taking an antipsychotic; although she realises she needs it she feels she isn't well if she's taking medication. (Played by an

This 42 year old Black, British born woman was diagnosed at the age of 25 with paranoid schizophrenia but disagrees with the paranoid part. She believes that her mental distress was caused by the racism she experienced when growing up.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 60 - 69 >> Anton - Interview 13 >> Anton had to give up his home and a job he loved and take part time work.

Anton, 64, is an Asian man who came from Sri Lanka to the UK in 1962. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder aged 45 and was given various medicines but none worked. Now he is not receiving any treatment: he was told by doctors they had "given up" on him.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 20 - 29 >> Ali - Interview 33 >> Ali says he didn't want to seek help because mental health is a taboo and because he was worried about being in the mental health system for a long ti

Ali, 27, was born in Pakistan and has been studying and working in the UK. Ali says that although it's easier to explain things to professionals from the same culture, as long as the other person is understanding, you can always clarify things.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 30 - 39 >> Sara - Interview 32 >> Sara's eating disorder is in remission, and although she feels a lot better and can function, she still gets depressed. (Played by an actor).

Sara, 34, describes herself as Indian and has a diagnosis of depression. Sara's food bingeing was interpreted as psychotic behaviour and she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. In her late twenties, however, a specialist diagnosed an eating disorder.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 40 - 49 >> Hanif - Interview 30 >> Hanif thinks sharing experiences of recovery gives people hope. He still experiences "highs" but is able to manage them.

Hanif, 49, describes himself as Indian and has lived in the UK for 25 years. Hanif experienced cannabis induced psychosis and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder aged 23. Hanif works in mental health, campaigning to reduce stigma.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 20 - 29 >> Patricia - Interview 16 >> Patricia believes that a cure for mental health problems is unlikely. She's got used to feeling anxious and having panic attacks and says it's importa

Patricia, 25, describes herself as White European. She was born in Portugal and came to the UK to work and has been here for 9 months. For the past five years, Patricia has felt anxious every day and experienced numerous panic attacks.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 60 - 69 >> H. Y. Leung - Interview 29 >> She says try to be positive and look to the future; get help from organisations offering support and look at other people's experiences. (Audio in Can

HY Leung, 60, was admitted to a London psychiatric hospital. She says her doctors don't understand what she's going through. She feels God accepts and understands her, which supports her to face the challenges of her illnesses and to carry on her life.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 40 - 49 >> Jay - Interview 27 >> Jay says whatever you're experiencing there is someone else with the same experience and however hard it seems, it can be overcome - but you have to w

Jay, 42, describes herself as Black-British. She was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder aged 34 and now works in mental health. Jay's voices say mainly negative things, but two voices encourage her and give her tenacity and drive.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 40 - 49 >> Niabingi - Interview 01 >> Niabingi compares professionals with a plaster - they help people to heal. She says listening and empathy makes people feel comfortable to talk. (Play

This 42 year old Black, British born woman was diagnosed at the age of 25 with paranoid schizophrenia but disagrees with the paranoid part. She believes that her mental distress was caused by the racism she experienced when growing up.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 40 - 49 >> Imani - Interview 26 >> Imani is learning to live with her depression but believes it will pass. She finds it difficult to consider that she might have to live with it for th

Imani, 48, describes herself as African-Caribbean, and was born in the UK. She was diagnosed with depression aged 47 having survived an abusive marriage. Imani is feeling better now she is taking antidepressants and having Christian counselling.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 30 - 39 >> David - Interview 15 >> For David, recovery means getting treatment and being treated seriously.

David, 37, describes his ethnicity as mixed (White/North African). David was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder and severe depression, 29 years after he first saw a psychiatrist. David's wife is also his carer.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 60 - 69 >> Mae - Interview 04 >> Mae says nothing should get in the way of recovery and that you should approach one step at a time. (Played by an actor).

This 62 year old woman has manic depression and describes herself as mixed race. She enjoys life now and is glad to be alive. She thinks going to groups is important and says black families sometimes push away relatives with mental health problems.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 50 - 59 >> Edward - Interview 10 >> Edward calls his recovery a "major project"; he says recovery takes a long time but it's worth it.

Edward, 59, was born in Australia and diagnosed with schizophrenia aged 20. A former head teacher, he took early retirement for health reasons and now stacks supermarket shelves. He believes his condition is caused by genetic and environmental factors.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 40 - 49 >> Imani - Interview 26 >> Imani compares two different counsellors and says one seemed to be afraid of her.

Imani, 48, describes herself as African-Caribbean, and was born in the UK. She was diagnosed with depression aged 47 having survived an abusive marriage. Imani is feeling better now she is taking antidepressants and having Christian counselling.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 40 - 49 >> Niabingi - Interview 01 >> Niabingi says all is not lost after being diagnosed, try to come to terms with your diagnosis and then try different things to aid your healing. (Play

This 42 year old Black, British born woman was diagnosed at the age of 25 with paranoid schizophrenia but disagrees with the paranoid part. She believes that her mental distress was caused by the racism she experienced when growing up.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 20 - 29 >> Ali - Interview 33 >> Ali believes that his depression is caused by a chemical imbalance that will cause permanent damage, but wonders about a cure. (Played by an actor).

Ali, 27, was born in Pakistan and has been studying and working in the UK. Ali says that although it's easier to explain things to professionals from the same culture, as long as the other person is understanding, you can always clarify things.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 60 - 69 >> Mae - Interview 04 >> For Mae, recovery was about finding herself and feeling glad to be alive. (Played by an actor).

This 62 year old woman has manic depression and describes herself as mixed race. She enjoys life now and is glad to be alive. She thinks going to groups is important and says black families sometimes push away relatives with mental health problems.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 40 - 49 >> Niabingi - Interview 01 >> Niabingi was injected because she stopped taking her medication and says she felt undignified, upset and like "a passive animal." (Played by an actor)

This 42 year old Black, British born woman was diagnosed at the age of 25 with paranoid schizophrenia but disagrees with the paranoid part. She believes that her mental distress was caused by the racism she experienced when growing up.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 40 - 49 >> Devon - Interview 12 >> Devon says professionals could treat people with mental health problems as a whole: mentally, physically and spiritually.

Devon, 49, is married and was born in Jamaica; he came to the UK in 1965. He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia aged 22 and depression aged 48. He is a founder member of the organization Sound Minds - www.soundminds.co.uk - a user-led music project.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 40 - 49 >> Devon - Interview 12 >> Devon says he was given bigger dose because he is Black, and couldn't walk properly as a result, but he listened to the doctors because he wanted to g

Devon, 49, is married and was born in Jamaica; he came to the UK in 1965. He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia aged 22 and depression aged 48. He is a founder member of the organization Sound Minds - www.soundminds.co.uk - a user-led music project.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 60 - 69 >> Ataur - Interview 03 >> Ataur's antidepressant made his head burn and itch and caused pain in his joints.

This 60 year old, Bangladesh-born man moved to Britain in 1964 and developed depression aged 17. He believes a weak mind makes it difficult for him to deal with life's problems and finds talking with friends the best way to manage his depression.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 30 - 39 >> Dolly - Interview 14 >> Dolly says medication is not a cure.

Dolly, a 36 year old writer and author of The World is Full of Laughter, is of mixed ethnicity (White/Asian), and first experienced psychosis aged 14. She finds Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Buddhism and meditation very useful.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 60 - 69 >> Mae - Interview 04 >> Mae says getting her social security benefits and housing sorted helped her recovery.

This 62 year old woman has manic depression and describes herself as mixed race. She enjoys life now and is glad to be alive. She thinks going to groups is important and says black families sometimes push away relatives with mental health problems.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 50 - 59 >> Nelsy - Interview 21 >> Nelsy says her recovery was hard work but it was worth it.

Nelsy, 56, was born in Colombia and has been in the UK for 19 years. Nelsy experienced a nervous breakdown. She believes that illnesses are caused by accumulated anger and "fear of the social pressures for an impossible social equality".

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 30 - 39 >> Shaukat - Interview 17 >> Shaukat doesn't know what triggered his anxiety but felt less to blame when he found out it was an illness and can happen to anyone.

Shaukat, 36, was born in Pakistan and came to the UK aged 9. He has been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and general anxiety disorder. He finds going to support groups and talking to other people with similar experiences supportive and helpful.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 40 - 49 >> Michael - Interview 31 >> Michael believes drugs such as psycho-stimulants cause mental health problems, not social factors; but says mental health services disagree with him.

Michael, 49, describes himself as a European Ashkenazi Jew. He has been given a variety of diagnoses, including bipolar affective disorder, personality disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, learning disability, and severe mental impairment.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 40 - 49 >> Jay - Interview 27 >> After she became unwell in her new job, she made special arrangements with her manager. She also noticed that her colleagues' attitudes towards her ch

Jay, 42, describes herself as Black-British. She was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder aged 34 and now works in mental health. Jay's voices say mainly negative things, but two voices encourage her and give her tenacity and drive.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 50 - 59 >> Lorenz - Interview 11 >> Lorenz says he'll never get rid of his schizophrenia but he can control it.

Lorenz is a 50 year old Black Afro-Caribbean man who has been in the UK since 1966. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia aged 20 and this is now controlled by the anti-psychotic Aripiprazole (10mg daily) enabling Lorenz to work as a social care assistant.