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• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 60 - 69 >> H. Y. Leung - Interview 29 >> She felt her GP didn't try to understand what was wrong with her, whereas another doctor gave her practical support. (Audio in Cantonese, text in Engl

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 30 - 39 >> David - Interview 15 >> David says he experienced a lot of trauma while he was growing-up that made his personality "quite distorted".

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 30 - 39 >> Ugo - Interview 02 >> Ugo says the abuse she experienced as a child caused her mental health problems.

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 30 - 39 >> Shaukat - Interview 17 >> Shaukat found it difficult to sleep because he felt constantly anxious and tried hypnotherapy to see if it helped.

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 30 - 39 >> Sara - Interview 32 >> Sara was "thrown out" of school after taking an overdose. (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 50 - 59 >> Edward - Interview 10 >> Edward had his first experience of psychosis after the "shock" of migrating to Australia and meeting his mother for the first time aged 20.

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 >> Rehana - Interview 18 >> Rehana says her problems began when she came to the UK and was separated from her family; her father later died and this triggered her depression. (Pl

Rehana, 49, describes herself as Pakistani and has lived in the UK for 27 years. She experiences severe depression, anxiety and panic attacks. Rehana feels ashamed of having depression and is worried that if people find out they might make fun of her.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 60 - 69 >> Ataur - Interview 03 >> Ataur occupies his mind with his family responsibilities, although sometimes it can add to his depression.

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 50 - 59 >> Judy - Interview 05 >> Judy became sick when she couldn't cope any more following the murder of her brother and her mother's illness; other people noticed and she was taken

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 believes her schizoaffective disorder developed as a way of coping with her upbringing and traumatic experiences.

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 60 - 69 >> Ataur - Interview 03 >> Ataur enjoys going back to his home country where he can forget everything.

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 >> 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 >> Devon - Interview 12 >> Devon's mother called the doctor and then the police because she noticed that there was something wrong - although he didn't think there was.

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 30 - 39 >> Marlene - Interview 23 >> Marlene was separated from her parents and brought up in Pakistan by her grandmother and thinks this contributed to her mental health problems. (Playe

Marlene, 38, was diagnosed with anxiety aged 24. Marlene's father is Pakistani, and her mother is white. Her sister, Shareen, was also interviewed.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 50 - 59 >> Nelsy - Interview 21 >> Nelsy wrote letters to members of her family to express her anger.

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 >> David - Interview 15 >> David says various factors contributed to his mental health problems, including an unstable family, racism and a confused identity.

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 50 - 59 >> Edward - Interview 10 >> Edward describes the things that help him cope: keeping a diary, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and recognising warning signs.

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 30 - 39 >> Dolly - Interview 14 >> Dolly's friends with experience of mental health problems help her to challenge feelings of paranoia, and this helps because they know what she's goin

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 30 - 39 >> Ugo - Interview 02 >> She says her brother helps with shopping and cleaning, and makes sure she goes to see her psychiatrist, but he also signed the section forms when she

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 >> Reena - Interview 07 >> Reena feels her family "abandoned" her when she became unwell. (Audio in Bengali, text in English).

Reena, 42, describes herself as Bangladeshi, and came to the UK aged 9. She was diagnosed with depression in her early 30s.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 30 - 39 >> Marlene - Interview 23 >> Marlene feels the only person she can talk to is her sister [see Interview 22]; she says she doesn't talk to her parents because they don't understand

Marlene, 38, was diagnosed with anxiety aged 24. Marlene's father is Pakistani, and her mother is white. Her sister, Shareen, was also interviewed.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 20 - 29 >> Tariq - Interview 06 >> He says that being cared for at home by your family is best for young people, although he says his family had to physically restrain him when he was u

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 50 - 59 >> Raj - Interview 19 >> He describes the effects on himself, his wife, and their relationship. (Audio in Punjabi, text in English).

Raj, 55, describes himself as British-Indian. He was born in India and came to the UK aged 13. He developed depression following a heart attack but says it took the doctor a long time to diagnose it. Raj's wife helps care for him.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 20 - 29 >> Tariq - Interview 06 >> Tariq says he wasn't sectioned because he was young, vulnerable and less risk to the public and support was available for him in the community. (Playe

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 >> Reena - Interview 07 >> She received no help from her relatives when she needed them and there was no-one to look after her children; instead, she got support from nurses. (A

Reena, 42, describes herself as Bangladeshi, and came to the UK aged 9. She was diagnosed with depression in her early 30s.

• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 50 - 59 >> Edward - Interview 10 >> Edward believes that his mental health problems have a genetic component and an environmental trigger - in his case migration and meeting his mother f

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 50 - 59 >> Edward - Interview 10 >> Edward believes that his mental health problems have a genetic component and an environmental trigger - in his case migration and meeting his mother f

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 30 - 39 >> Shareen - Interview 22 >> Shareen asked herself why she was suffering and wondered whether she was being punished for something. (Played by an actor).

Shareen, 39, describes herself as Asian. She was born in the UK but lived in Pakistan between the ages of 11 and 19. Shareen experiences panic attacks, anxiety and depression. Shareen's sister, Marlene was also interviewed.