This page is to share your real life experiences, your stories of recovery and wellbeing, your poetry, and other helpful things.
Your Stories
Here are two young people who met whilst using CAMHS services:
Person A with a diagnosis of emerging personality disorder.
Person B with a diagnosis anxiety and psychosis.
Person A and Person B – “Whilst in CAMHS, it really helped having groups we could talk to and share our experiences with. It helped to know that what you had gone through, others had also gone through.”
Person A – “What really helped me was the volunteering I did. I helped CAMHS with interviewing and then I helped to do some training at a university. This was good because it made me feel like a person and that all of my experiences weren’t for nothing, they were actually being used to help other people.
Also what helped was having one care co-ordinator for a length of time. This helped me to build a bond with that person and really feel as though they cared. When I transitioned from Children’s mental health care to Adult’s, it was done in phases where I was initially receiving sessions from both my CAMHS co-ordinator and someone from the adult services. This made the transition a lot easier for me.”
Advice
Person A and Person B – “Keep busy! Don’t stay at home if you’re struggling. If you’re struggling and you are alone, it is much easier to spiral downwards, whereas if you are with people, this is less likely to happen.”
Person B – “And plan ahead! If you know you are going to be alone on one day next week for example, then make sure you have a plan in place for what you are going to do so that you are not stuck.”
Person A – “Keep talking too. Even if you think you are “well” it’s still good to talk to people and have support networks there.”
Person A and Person B – “It’s also important to make sure you eat and drink!”
Person B – “a lot of the time I feel a glass of water really helps when I’m struggling. It calms me down.”
Person A – “Yeah and when you are struggling, I find that everything merges into where I don’t know what day it is or what time it is, so I will forget to eat. But it is so important to do that, even if you don’t feel hungry.”
Person A – “I have also made a crisis plan. This contains a list of things I should personally do and not do when I am in times of crisis, when I am struggling and when I am well. For example, when I am struggling I know that I like someone to be there but not necessarily to talk to. I also like to watch a lot of crime dramas to keep my brain busy.”
Person B – “I’m a little different in that I like to keep physically busy so I will clean or walk around. I also find that going to my psychosis group helps as it reassures me that I am not on my own with my feelings.”
Person A – “Be honest! It can be really difficult at times but there is no point in saying that you are fine when you’re not. You won’t receive help if you don’t allow people to know what is going on and therefore give them the opportunity to help you.”
Poetry
Change is Life
Change is the wind that comes and goes,
The hand that grips us tight.
When the everlasting sunlight sky,
Is replaced by dark moonlight.
Change is the leaf that falls from the tree,
As the seasons pass us by.
The sights, the sounds, the smells, all different,
Like a beautiful butterfly.
Change is the ball that keeps on rolling ,
Its destination in sight.
The paths we take may differ a little,
But no route is wrong or right.
Change is the notes we write on our stave,
The music is always unique.
It plays out our life from low to high,
Singing the happiness that we seek.
Change is the branch that connects us all,
Stretching from young to old.
It’s leaves grow green, then red, then brown,
Then die out as the winter unfolds.
Change is the Earth that keeps on spinning, gravity holding us down,
The stars, the moon and the planets shine bright
As the world spins around and around.
Change is something that’s unpredictable,
Inescapable and strong,
Within its fear grows beauty and grace,
And the love we’ve had all along.
Change is life.
Animations
Videos
Hear Sky talking about how she uses art and drawing to calm her when she’s feeling different emotions:
Listen to a group of young people describing their experiences through music:
William, Sky and Lewis talk about using gaming, art and scribbling to feel better:
A young person made this helpful guide for anyone who has an eating disorder:
Your Artwork
One young person describes what ‘recovery’ means to them:
‘When it rains look for rainbows.’
Helpful Apps and Links
The below document has some really great apps that you could download on your phone or tablet to help manage your wellbeing:
Helpful Apps for Wellbeing – Young PeopleReal Life Experiences
If you would like to share your real life experience, your story, or some poetry, we would love to hear from you. Please email us at [email protected].