Category Archives: Stigma and discrimination

The pam fam: the demonisation of benzodiazepines

Posted on September 13, 2018 by purplepersuasion

“Diazepam.” A single word tweet. Regular readers or Twitter followers will know what that meant: I had hit an intolerable level of anxiety which I was managing with a prescribed benzodiazepine. One which I am not only authorised but encouraged … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, CBT, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Depression, Hypomania, Mental health, Mental health services, Mixed mood, Mood disorder, NHS services, Pillshaming, Primary care, Psychiatry, Rapid cycling, Self-management, Social media, Stigma and discrimination, Suicide, Treatment planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The pam fam: the demonisation of benzodiazepines

And what do YOU do?

Posted on June 21, 2017 by purplepersuasion

Nothing. I do nothing. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of days I’ve worked in the past 18 months. When I was well, I had a career with professional training, and was promoted every two … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Employment and benefits, Mental health, Mood disorder, Recovery, Stigma and discrimination, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on And what do YOU do?

Troubles

Posted on April 18, 2017 by purplepersuasion

So this week Prince Harry made a number of statements on mental health. I am really glad that he feels able to disclose a need for treatment around the death of his mother. It would be very sad to think of him … Continue reading →

Posted in Antipsychiatry, Anxiety, Bipolar, Depression, Hospital, Medication, Mental health, mental health debate, Mood disorder, Parenting, Psychiatry, psychology, Stigma and discrimination, Suicide, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Troubles

Who’s listening?

Posted on April 14, 2017 by purplepersuasion

It’s no fun being trapped in a pit. You were walking along in the forest and you just kind of… slid. And now you’re on your own in the darkness, looking up at the moon through a circle of dirt. You didn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Crisis care, Depression, Hospital, Mental health, Mood disorder, NHS services, Psychiatry, Stigma and discrimination, Treatment planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Who’s listening?

Why “crazy” is lazy

Posted on February 15, 2017 by purplepersuasion

Paul Nuttall is a crazy, myth making liar. Donald Trump has a troubled mental status, and we should feel free to used the terms “nut case” and “mentally ill”. Indeed, he probably has Narcissistic Personality Disorder. The climax of Piers Morgan’s mental … Continue reading →

Posted in Activism, Hospital, Politics and current affairs, Psychiatry, Social media, Stigma and discrimination, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Why “crazy” is lazy

Fitness for work – the real life questions the system never asks

Posted on October 31, 2016 by purplepersuasion

So I filled in an ESA50 last week and was reminded afresh what a terrible form it is. Yes, we all know it’s terrible, a terrible form for a terrible benefit in a terrible system. It’s not designed to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Employment and benefits, Mental health, mental health debate, Mood disorder, Politics and current affairs, Stigma and discrimination, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Fitness for work – the real life questions the system never asks

Scary people need #TimeToTalk too

Posted on February 4, 2016 by purplepersuasion

Time to Talk day is here – a laudable attempt by umbrella campaigning organisation Time to Change to get as many people as possible talking about mental health. A quick scan of the Twitter hashtag shows that charities big and small, … Continue reading →

Posted in Activism, Mental health, mental health debate, Mental health services, Recovery, Stigma and discrimination | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

999: Is your emergency deserving enough?

Posted on January 1, 2015 by purplepersuasion

[Content note: A&E for mental health crisis, poor care experiences, suicidal thoughts, self-harm] The strain felt by A&E departments as we move into winter has been much in the news. Today the Guardian pronounces the whole A&E system to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Crisis care, Mental health, Mental health services, Politics and current affairs, Stigma and discrimination | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 26 Comments

Mr Sam and his magical radar booth

Posted on October 30, 2014 by purplepersuasion

Suppose you find a cafe where lots of people with mental health problems hang out. Some of them go off into private nooks, but the majority sit round tables. They’re out in the open area with their cappuccinos and chai … Continue reading →

Posted in Activism, Mental health, Stigma and discrimination | Tagged , , | 25 Comments

A thousand little indignities: what it means to be “a service user”

Posted on September 30, 2014 by purplepersuasion

[TWs for suicidal thoughts, suicide methods and poor mental health care experiences] Last week a relative I haven’t seen in years watched my hypomania vlog and afterward felt moved to “give me some feedback”. I was interested in his thoughts, … Continue reading →

Posted in Activism, Mental health, Mental health services, Stigma and discrimination | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 66 Comments