Tag Archives: Activism

I asked for help

Posted on June 7, 2015 by purplepersuasion

I asked for help when I was 12. I looked, alone, in my middle school library at a teenage health book. It told me that depression is an illness. It is real. You can be helped. It took me days … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Child and adolescent mental health, Depression, Mental health services, Psychiatry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

No desk to call my own: who exactly has “poverty of aspiration” round here?

Posted on December 11, 2014 by purplepersuasion

Another day, another story about the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) “workfare” schemes, where people are made to work at any old job for their state benefits, rather than being paid a wage. We already knew that forcing people … Continue reading →

Posted in Activism, Bipolar, Employment and benefits | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Complaint to the Samaritans re: Radar app

Posted on October 31, 2014 by purplepersuasion

FAO Chief Executive, The Samaritans. Re: Radar app. I wish to complain about the disastrous implementation of the Samaritans Radar app this week. The nature of my complaint is threefold. Firstly, you launched a risky and invasive app upon an … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 20 Comments

An impossible ask

Posted on October 21, 2014 by purplepersuasion

I’m going to start with a massive TRIGGER WARNING. This post contains numerous references to suicidal thoughts and descriptions of methods, as well as intrusive thoughts of self-harm. Please don’t read on if this could be damaging to you. After … Continue reading →

Posted in Mental health, Politics and current affairs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Now the party’s over: what is World Mental Health Day for, anyway?

Posted on October 11, 2014 by purplepersuasion

For the mental health community, it’s The Morning After. Those involved in the community have spent the past month pushing the mental health message. It’s been taken to political party conferences. It’s appeared on talk show sofas. 7th October marked … Continue reading →

Posted in Activism, Mental health, Politics and current affairs | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

A more accepting age? Why stigma is nowhere near a thing of the past

Posted on August 26, 2014 by purplepersuasion

STIGMA fig. A mark of disgrace or infamy; a sign of severe censure or condemnation, regarded as impressed on a person or thing; a ‘brand’. Example: 1882   J. H. Blunt Reformation Church of Eng. II. 172   Branded with the stigma … Continue reading →

Posted in Activism, Mental health, Politics and current affairs, Stigma and discrimination | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

A Mind Media Award winner – thanks to you

Posted on November 19, 2013 by purplepersuasion

This is a  quick post just to say a huge thank you to anyone who nominated this blog for the Mark Hanson digital media award at the 2013 Mind Media Awards. When the email came to say I’d been shortlisted … Continue reading →

Posted in Activism, Film and TV, Mental health, Politics and current affairs, Stigma and discrimination | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Blogging less, doing more

Posted on August 6, 2013 by purplepersuasion

I know I’ve been blogging much less. I feel guilty about it; I love my blog, and I would never my fantastic readers for granted. Blogging’s been a core part of who I am for over two years now. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Activism, Mental health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments