I am a 61 year old woman who has lived experience of mental health. I first struggled in 2016 after my father died. Everything around me seemed to be moving fast. As a result, I wanted to escape my environment which I shared with my hubby and two sons. I thought they wanted to harm me, so I found myself walking from Tooting to the west end I seemed to have excess energy I do not know where it came from. Naturally at this time my family were very concerned for my wellbeing. I talked in very weird sentences not making any sense. At that time, I had an overactive imagination thinking all bizarre things. I thought my hubby wanted to kill me and that he ran trafficking racket. He actually works in IT.
I did manage to go to therapy, but it did not work. Fast forward 2017 my mother died and I became ill again this time I was sectioned and was in hospital for 28 days I was frightened didn’t want to see anyone and refused medication at first, but weeks in I started on meds. I was slowly seeing sense and started finger knitting to pass time. I also read my Bible and prayed in the grounds of the hospital it was calming.
I was eventually discharged and slowly began to feel a lot better. I would frequent the hospital’s gym it was a great boost for my self-esteem.
Fast forward to 2019 I was invited to Focus 41 it was and still is a life saver a support group to which is led by people with lived experience.
I was shy at first but soon became more.
Focus 41 was and still is a great support I was asked to take care of the donations counting etc
As time as gone by, I have done courses become a support worker trained in Intentional Peer Support and now I am a Wellbeing Practitioner. I thoroughly enjoy my work because it just shows with Focus 4 1s motto enabling encouraging empowering you can do anything you put your mind to with the right support.
S.R.