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Mental health
Mental health: ethnic minority experiences
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Onset of mental health problems
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Discrimination - mental health
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Experience of mental health services :
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Mental health: ethnic minority experiences
Subject index
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Mental health
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Mental health: ethnic minority experiences
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Aged 20 - 29
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Ali - Interview 33
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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
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Mental health: ethnic minority experiences
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Aged 40 - 49
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Imani - Interview 26
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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
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Mental health: ethnic minority experiences
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Aged 30 - 39
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David - Interview 15
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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
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Mental health: ethnic minority experiences
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Aged 40 - 49
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Hanif - Interview 30
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Hanif thinks people don't want to talk about mental health problems and unlike when someone has a physical illness, they don't visit or offer sympathy
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
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Mental health: ethnic minority experiences
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Aged 20 - 29
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Tariq - Interview 06
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He thinks the Disability Discrimination Act is unhelpful for people with mental health problems; he says race discrimination is recognised, but mental
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
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Mental health: ethnic minority experiences
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Aged 30 - 39
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Shaukat - Interview 17
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Shaukat believes he hasn't been promoted at work because of his mental health problems and says his workplace should make reasonable adjustments for h
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.
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