• Clip
• 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 >> Tariq - Interview 06 >> Tariq is inspired by people with mental health problems who have gone on to do well because you can still make a contribution to society; he says pers

This 21 year old Asian student was diagnosed with manic depression and then schizophrenia. He disagrees that the mental health system is institutionally racist, saying that he encountered discrimination due to his mental health not his ethnicity.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 40 - 49 >> Devon - Interview 12 >> Devon says don't use drugs or alcohol.

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 50 - 59 >> Edward - Interview 10 >> Edward says life does get better because having a mental health problem is a 'gift' or an 'enabling disability'.

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 20 - 29 >> Ali - Interview 33 >> Ali says keep struggling and maybe you'll find a solution.

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 >> David - Interview 15 >> David says don't give up, don't hurt yourself and don't commit suicide because things will get better; he recommends getting as much help as possible.

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 >> Anton - Interview 13 >> Anton goes to several support groups - even if he doesn't feel like it - and finds them helpful for sharing advice.

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 30 - 39 >> Dolly - Interview 14 >> Dolly says your life is precious and you have the right to live a fulfilling life - don't say you can't do it - say you can do it.

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 >> 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 50 - 59 >> Judy - Interview 05 >> Judy says be honest with your doctors and you'll get help.

This Black-Caribbean woman was diagnosed with manic depressive psychosis in Jamaica. She says she has not been back to hospital for 6 years because she hasn't stopped taking her medication, even though it makes her extremely drowsy.

• 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 30 - 39 >> Ugo - Interview 02 >> Ugo says knowing your rights when you're in hospital is important because she didn't know hers.

This Black-British woman became depressed in 1981 after 6 miscarriages, and losing her husband and home. She's also diagnosed with personality disorder (which she disagrees with) and lost custody of her child because of her mental health problems.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 40 - 49 >> Michael - Interview 31 >> Michael says if you have made a complaint, keep talking about your experience to managers and councillors and make it clear that you're doing things '

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 >> Devon - Interview 12 >> Devon believes people with mental health problems should support each other and help themselves.

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.