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• Mental health >> Mental health: ethnic minority experiences >> Aged 50 - 59 >> Nelsy - Interview 21 >> Nelsy says language and communication are crucial for therapy and at first lacked confidence in her ability to speak English.

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 40 - 49 >> Rehana - Interview 18 >> Rehana says she was given lots of information leaflets and attended a support group, but found it difficult to understand the English because of all t

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 >> H. Y. Leung - Interview 29 >> The language barrier meant she and the doctors did not understand each other and she was forced to take medication without knowing what it was. (Audio

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 >> Michael - Interview 31 >> Michael says staff were unable to speak English very well and that there was a "cultural gap" between staff and patients.

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 20 - 29 >> Patricia - Interview 16 >> She found it difficult to describe panic attacks in her own language and says if you can't speak English it's more difficult to explain mental health

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 felt worried and sad when she couldn't communicate with the doctor in hospital. (Audio in Cantonese, text in English).

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.