World Mental Health Day: ‘There is hope and where there’s hope you can find help’

World Mental Health Day (WMHD) is globally recognised on October 10^th every year, with the aim of raising awareness of mental health difficulties and sustaining efforts to support mental health.

The theme this year is suicide prevention, enabling people who have experienced suicidal thoughts to share their story in the hopes of spreading awareness and destigmatising mental health issues.

Service user, Debbie, has decided to share her experiences, in the hope that someone experiencing similar difficulties, would read her story and feel as though they are able to get better.

She really wants readers who may be suffering to understand that ‘it can change, and the pain does become bearable and easier to manage.’ 

Mental health nurses: “Without them, I don’t believe I would still be alive”

Joy Biddell wanted to share her story and say thank you to the nurses who made a huge difference to her recovery.

Since a young age I have struggled with my mental health. The first contact I had with services was with CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) during my teens and this was for OCD. I had struggled with OCD for many years, however I didn’t reach out for help until I was 16.

Former patient returns to hospital as an employee

A former patient of the Trust’s medium secure unit in Rotherham, Wathwood Hospital, has returned six years later as an employee.

Andy Reynolds spent five years as a patient at Wathwood and is now working in the Courtyard Café and Farm Shop in the Hospital grounds.

While at the Hospital Andy was part of the successful ‘Wathwood Hospital in the Community’ project which involved patients and staff working together with members of the public to help improve the local area, for example through providing gardening services.  Since leaving the Hospital Andy has kept busy involving himself with countryside activities and poultry rearing which will come in handy in his new role.   Here he tells his story…