Walk a Mile in My Shoes
By Chris Young
Walk a Mile in My ShoesMay 21, 2019
Walk a Mile in My Shoes at BIGSPD 2023 with Oscar Patton-Lyons
Welcome back to the podcast - in this spin-off series, I'll be speaking to a whole bunch of folk who attended the BIGSPD event in Glasgow earlier this year.
This was contentious for a whole variety of reasons, and, because of that, it was hugely challenging for me.
As promised, here's the link for the relational practice folk - they're a lovely group of people and I'd be delighted if you became part of that movement.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode - if you'd like to contribute, or if you'd like an episode of your very own, you can find me at hello@letswalkamile.org.uk or, on the platform previously known as Twitter, @walkamileuk
Thank you so much for listening
I'm Chris Young
Walk a Mile
Walk a Mile Short - Joey Marino Performs the scene out of the Elephant Man that exemplifies his life with tardive dyskinesia.
To give you a flavour of the full episode, here's actor, Joey Marino, performing the scene from the Elephant Man he feels exemplifies his life with tardive dyskinesia.
Here's the link to the full episode
Walk a Mile
Actor, Joey Marino talks about how he was disabled with tardive dyskinesia after being prescribed Seroquel for anxiety
Actor Joey Marino, from the incredibly popular American TV show ER, talks about how he developed tardive dyskinesia after being prescribed the antipsychotic medication Seroquel, otherwise known as quetiapine, for anxiety.
In this episode he stresses the importance of informed consent when taking psychiatric medication, and how it is the duty of the prescribing physician to inform their patients about the negative as well as the desired effects of those meds.
Towards the end of this episode, Joey performs the scene from the Elephant man, where John Merrick declared, 'I am not an animal,' It was profound, especially given its incredibly relatable juxtaposition of Joey's life.
Here, as promised, are his social media links
Instagram where he's known as therealjoeymarino
Joey's Actor Chats Podcast on YouTube
You can find me on Twitter @walkamileuk or at our lovely Facebook group here
Feel free to email me at hello@letswalkamile.org.uk
I'd really love to hear what you think of Joey's episode. If you're listening on apple podcasts, please give us a like, a follow and a comment - it really helps to get more folk involved in the conversation.
Until the next time, thank you so much for listening,
I've been Chris Young,
And you've been rather lovely
Walk a Mile
Disclosure - Ex social worker, Sophie talks about the impact of having her bipolar 'outed' to her manager
HI Gang! Did you miss me? What d’you mean who am I? Who are you? See…how’d you like them er…lemons…?
Welcome back to you, my second favourite listener…I’m trying to inject a bit of competition in here…just to make you, the walkamilers, a bit more edgy…
Yeah, you’re right, that’s quite enough of that – welcome to the walk a mile in my shoes podcast – I’m your host, Chris Young, and in this episode, I’ll be speaking with the delightful Sophie about a whole range of stuff…from her career as a social worker working in child protection, her diagnosis and experience of bipolar and what it felt like when someone ‘outed’ her and her condition to her manager.
She tells us about her experience of the mental health system – and how that drove her to set up a just giving page to raise money to give little bags of care – toiletries, pyjamas and other bits and bobs – to people with mental ill health as they try to navigate hospital admission, often via accident and emergency.
You can find her excellent blog here
I’ve got to say, this, for me, was the greatest start to a podcast conversation ever…but sadly, you’ll never get to hear that, because I forgot to press record! In my defence, it was the hottest day of the year…and, I am an arse…I’m sure you’ll agree we more than made up for that missing 8 minutes though…
Huge thanks to Sophie for coming on the show – it was an absolute delight talking with her. Remember, I’ve put links to her Just Giving and blog pages in the blurb.
Thanks to you too for coming along for the ride – you can follow me on Twitter @walkamileuk or, if Facebook’s more your thing – you’ll find our lovely group here
In other news, I’ve got solo episode coming up soon, especially interesting if you’d like to hear a bit about where I vanished off to. I’ll also be telling you all about a whole new project I’ll be launching over the next couple of months…stay tuned…
Until then,
I’ve been Chris Young,
And you’ve been rather lovely
Walk a mile
Neil Burton talks about his experience of Oesophageal Cancer
Welcome back to the walk a mile in my shoes podcast! In this episode, Neil talks openly, honestly and frankly about his experience of oesophageal cancer and the effects the disease has had on his life.
During the interview he talks about the massively positive support he received from Harbour Cancer Support - they really sound like a fine bunch of folk.
You can find more information about oesophageal cancer, here
Huge thanks to Neil...for being Neil, he was a delight to interview, and I'm sure his open, honest, frank, irreverent and occasionally humorous approach to his experience of cancer will shed some light on this horrible disease for many of you.
If you've enjoyed this episode, please help yourself to the others, I'm pretty sure we've got something for everyone. If liking and subscribing's your kind of thing, then I'd really appreciate your support.
You can find me on Twitter @walkamileuk, on Facebook, or you can email me at hello@letswalkamile.org.uk, I'd love my listener to have the opportunity to walk a mile in your shoes.
Until the next time,
I've been Chris Young,
and you've been rather lovely,
Walk a Mile
Personality Disorder and Institutional Prejudice. Part 5
Welcome back to this fifth and final episode in the miniseries where we talk about the institutional prejudice experienced by many people carrying around a label of personality disorder.
Like before, this episode was produced as a direct result of the recent, astonishingly discriminatory, personality disorder course description circulated by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
In this episode, I speak with Hollie, co-host of ‘The wrong kind of Mad’ podcast, about her experiences of prejudice working as a person with a lived experience in and outside the NHS.
At the end of the episode, I’ve put some ideas together about where we could go next to start to turn around this super tanker of injustice. Remember, these are just ideas, please feel free to get in touch with your own thoughts and feelings.
In the meantime, please put aside the 10th of June, at 10am when I'm hoping we can all meet outside the Royal College of Psychiatrists, make a noise and begin the process of real and lasting change.
You can find me on twitter @walkamileuk
Or email me at hello@letswalkamile.org.uk
Links for this episode
NHS Document 'No longer a Diagnosis of Exclusion'
Can we work together? Intergroup contact theory says we can
The Eurythmics 'Thorn in My Side'
The latest episode of 'The Wrong Kind of Mad', the podcast Hollie cohosts with Keir.
Weird personality disorder practices in Ipswich and East Suffolk
As ever, please like, comment, share, subscribe so we can get more people involved in the conversation
Personality Disorder and Institutional Prejudice. Part 4
Welcome back to this fourth episode in the miniseries where we talk about the institutional prejudice experienced by many people carrying around a label of personality disorder.
Just as before, this episode is a direct result of the recent, astonishingly discriminatory, personality disorder course description recently circulated by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
In this episode, Emma tells us about her experience of prejudice from mental health and other NHS services.Her story is harrowing - but it's no different from thousands of people in the UK today.
Please share this as widely as possible. It would really help if you'd like, subscribe and comment too.
Here are the links to the books we mentioned in the episode
Walk A Mile: Tales of a Wandering Loon
In the next, the final episode of the box set, I speak with Holly…no, a different Holly, who tells us about her experience of working in and alongside the NHS whilst lugging around a label of Borderline Personality Disorder.
Until the next time,
Thanks for listening
Personality Disorder and Institutional Prejudice. Part 3
Welcome back to this third episode in the 5 part miniseries where we talk about the institutional prejudice experienced by many people carrying around a label of personality disorder.
Like before, this episode is a direct result of the recent, astonishingly discriminatory, personality disorder course description circulated by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
In this episode, I speak with Holly about her experience of prejudice because of the label, including diagnostic overshadowing, lack of services and a lack of validation from professionals who really ought to know better.
Here are the links I promised
The Chvrches 'We Sink' - wait for the chorus, you won’t regret it.
'Thorn in my side' by the Eurythmics
Holly’s earlier podcast
And here's a link to the article about Children and Adolescent Mental Health services in the Guardian
Until the next time
Thanks for listening
Personality Disorder and Institutional Prejudice. Part 2
Welcome back to this second episode in the 5 part miniseries where we talk about the institutional prejudice experienced by many people carrying around a label of Personality Disorder.
Like before, this episode is a direct result of the recent, astonishingly discriminatory, personality disorder course description circulated by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
In this episode, I speak with the delightful Naomi Malhotra, a person with a lifetime of experience challenging the prejudice, discrimination and stigma of carrying around the label in both her personal and professional life.
You can find her here on twitter @doricgirl
Here's a link to the national service user network, the organisation she mentioned in our conversation
And here's the link to Personality Disorder: No longer a diagnosis of exclusion that was written over 9 years ago
In the next, third episode of this miniseries, I’ll be speaking with Hollie. I interviewed her a couple of years ago…links in the blurb…unsurprisingly, I talk to her about her experience of the very specific mental health stigma that’s attached to a label of personality disorder..
Until the next time,
Thanks for listening
Personality Disorder and institutional prejudice. Part 1
Welcome to this, the first in a 5 part miniseries of podcast episodes produced as a response to a recent personality disorder course description circulated by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. What was published was discriminatory in the extreme. Some, including me, describe it as a hate crime.
Here are a few links you may find useful
Visit the royal college of psychiatry
https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/about-us/contact-us/visiting-us
The royal college’s page on values and behaviours
https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/about-us/what-we-do-and-how/our-values-and-behaviours
Their unreserved apology
You can find more about the Stop SIM campaign on their website here
You can find some of the key contributors and folk of interest on Twitter here
@NellAitch
@DrAdrianJames
@rcpsych
@SalfordMH
@LauraTvll
@DrChloeBeal
@StopSIMMH
If you'd like to listen to earlier walk a mile in my shoes podcasts on...you'll find them here
On the use of coercion in mental health services
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/walk-a-mile-in-my-shoes/id1441565361?i=1000529512091
On the structural discrimination of the icd 11
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/walk-a-mile-in-my-shoes/id1441565361?i=1000524496151
Over the next few days, I'm going to publish 4 conversations with people who've been impacted by prejudice against people with a personality disorder label in mental health services.
Please like, subscribe, comment and share if this is your kind of thing - or if you think someone you know might like to, or benefit from hearing it.
Thanks for listening
Walk a Mile
Andy Luff talks about the Brain Damage he experienced following Electroconvulsive Therapy - ECT
In this episode, I have the absolute privilege of talking with Andy Luff and his partner Jill. Andy talks openly and candidly about the brain damage he experienced following ECT whilst describing the lack of care he received from services as a result. We also swear. As a result, I've given this an explicit rating - but please, before you scroll past, have a think. I really think it's worth your while taking some time to walk in Andy's shoes.
Here are some links you may find useful once you've listened to Andy's story.
My original (solo) podcast about ECT
John Read talking about his meta analysis of the efficacy of ECT
Royal College of Psychiatry's information page on ECT
Mind's information page about the side-effects of ECT
The campaign to demand an independent enquiry into the use of ECT
Yeah, I know that's lots of homework - but it's as shocking as it is enlightening.
If you want to follow be on Twitter, you'll find me @walkamileuk
If Facebook's more your thing, then you'll find our lovely group here
Until the next time,
I've been Chris Young, and you've been rather lovely,
Walk a Mile
What the KUF? My experience of mental health prejudice and discrimination when I applied for a job with the NHS for someone with a lived experience
Welcome to the walk a mile in my shoes podcast – in this, solo, episode I talk openly and frankly about my mental ill health, the childhood experiences that led to that mental ill health and some of my continued experiences of prejudice and discrimination from folk who really ought to know better. It also includes details of a remarkably unsuccessful job application with the NHS. If this isn’t your cup of tea, then feel free to have a listen to the other episodes where I interview some truly fabulous folk – also bear in mind, I’ve got some really interesting guests lined up for your listening pleasure in the future.
As promised, here's a link to the Equality and Human Rights Commission web page - and here's the link to an earlier episode of the podcast where I discuss the damage that will be caused to thousands of vulnerable people as the full reality of the ICD 11 takes hold.
Consultant Psychiatrist Hisham Ziauddeen
Welcome back to you, my favourite listener! I’m so glad you’ve made the time to drop in to the walk a mile in my shoes podcast while our lovely country’s in the grips of the wordle pandemic. I’m your host, Chris Young, and in this episode, I’ll be speaking with the delightful Hisham Ziauddeen, a consultant psychiatrist, Dad and occasional stand up comedian. I got in touch with him after seeing his succinct 51 tweet thread on twitter, entitled
‘The problematic diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)’. After reading it, I really liked the cut of his jib (note to self, one day I really must look up what that means) thinking, what a fabulous person he’d be to drag…coerce…er…invite onto the podcast. I loved having him on the show. We talk about and dance around many of the challenges that are around for mental health punters and practitioners in the UK – by the end of it, I think you’ll have some idea what it’s like to walk a mile in his shoes. Here are some of his links so you can get to know him a bit better.
You can find him on Twitter @HZiaudeen
Here's a link I found about him - including a bit of his stand up routine 'The Psychiatrist who does stand up'
My hugerister thanks has to go to you, the cream of all podcast listeners, whether you’re dropping in for the first time, or if you’re a hardened walk-a-miler, you’re all very welcome. If you’d like to immerse yourself in more of this, mainly mental health themed, shenanigans, please like and subscribe. Not only will you find a whole load of interviews with a variety of fascinating folk with an occasional solo rant about the state of mental health services in the UK today, you’ll also shoogle the podcast gods into sharing it more about the place.
On the very subject of sharing – you know what to do. If there are people you know who’d like this kind of thing, send them the link. If you know folk who’d benefit from hearing this kind of thing, you know who they are, send them the link.
You can find me @walkamileuk on twitter – and you'll find our lovely Facebook group here.
Anyway, that’s quite enough of that...
Until the next time,
I’ve been Chris Young, and you’ve been rather lovely.
Walk a mile
James O'Brien cured my Diabetes
Welcome back, my dear and loyal listener. I’m Chris Young under the guise of the mental diabetic, and today I’ll be telling you about how James O’Brien cured my type 2 diabetes.
In this podcast, amongst other things, I talk about some challenging themes, including diet, weight loss, suicidal ideation and self-harm. If that’s not what you need just now, then now might be a good time to turn me off…but please come back in the future where I’ll continue to interview all kinds of interesting folk, with the occasional solo flight where I’ll be having a rant about the mental health system in the UK today. See you soon…
For those of you who stayed around...
That’s it. You’re now officially up to date. Thanks so much for coming on this journey with me, it really means a lot.
Thanks too to James O’Brien for curing my diabetes.
Until the next time,
I’ve been Chris Young
And you’ve been rather fabulous.
Walk a mile
In this episode, I speak with Sonja Cowling, a junior doctor working in psychiatry with lived experience of mental ill health.
Welcome to the walk a mile in my shoes podcast – a podcast where I want you, my loyal listener, to enter into the world of my guests, try on their footwear for size, and immerse yourself into their lives for a time.
I’m your host, Chris Young, and in this episode, I have the privilege of speaking to Sonja Cowling, a psychiatrist who has a lived experience of mental ill health. We talk about a load of stuff, from the lack of mental health services, to the weird juxtaposition of coercion and care, to her thoughts on trauma and the personality disorder label.
I follow her on Twitter, and I’ve got to say, I rather like the cut of her jib. The tweet that, for me, sums her up best is when she said, ‘I want to become a person that builds things. I want to move from complaining and pointing out flaws to suggesting new ideas, working to start positive things and taking steps to make them happen’
My conversation with her started to fill me with hope that, some day, we could all work together to dig mental health services out of the hole it finds itself in. Before I get all Martin Luther King on you, you can find Sonja on twitter @sonjacowling, she’s well worth a follow.
On that very topic – if you’ve enjoyed today’s podcast, please give it a like and, if you want to hear more, subscribe – there are 22 more for you to dive into. Go on, it’ll give me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. If twitter’s your thing, you can find me @walkamileuk, if it’s not, then I’ll stick up links to our rather lovely Facebook group in the blurb.
In the next episode, I’ve got some interesting…yeah, I know, you’ll be the judge of that…updates on my status as the mental diabetic…keep your eyes…er…ears peeled.
Until the next time, I’ve been Chris Young and you’ve been rather lovely,
Walk a mile
Eating Disorders: In this episode, we walk a mile with Phoebe Webb, mental health campaigner, peer support worker, blogger and podcast host
Welcome back to you, my lovely, and, if truth be known, my favourite listener. I’m your host, Chris Young, purveyor of all things walk a mile, and in this episode of the podcast, I speak with the delightful and multi-faceted Phoebe Webb. As with many folk, I stumbled across her in the Twitterverse, @Feehlo and, I’ve got to say, right from the start, I really liked the cut of her jib. Phoebe speaks frankly and openly about her experience of being labelled with an eating disorder in our chronically underfunded NHS which she talks about extensively, mainly with others, in her fabulous podcast, ‘Not About Food’. I can’t recommend it enough – especially the episode, ‘My Child has Anorexia – How do I handle it?’ where she speaks candidly with her dad about their journey together. It’s moving – compassionate – occasionally funny and, at times, a little arse clenching. Listen to it! She also writes well and knowledgeably around the subject in her blog, which, for your convenience, is also called, ‘Not about food’
Phoebe is employed as a mental health peer support worker with the NHS. I hope you’ll get as much out of her insights around the trials and tribulations of this relatively embryonic profession as I did.
It was an absolute privilege to speak with her – the podcast could have easily been 4 times longer – I’ve a feeling I’ll have to ask her back…
Please take some time to explore her world, you won’t regret it.
On that very topic, if you’d like to become a little more immersed in the whole Walk a Mile in my Shoes gig, you can find me on Twitter @walkamileuk, on YouTube with my fledgling walk a mile in my shoes channel where, just like the podcast, I thoroughly mix up my branding into a maelstrom of ‘The Mental Diabetic’ and ‘Fucking Mental’ among other things. If Facebook’s more your thing, then please join us in the Walk a Mile in My Shoes group, or, if you fancy a more intermittently neglected space, feel free to give the Walk a Mile in My Shoes Facebook Page a like.
If you, as a mental health professional or punter, carer, interested party or just plain old nosy Parker would like to contribute to the podcast, please get in touch. If social media isn’t your thing, you can email me at hello@letswalkamile.org.uk
'til the next time, I’ve been Chris Young, and you’ve been rather fabulous. Thank you for listening.
Walk a Mile
Fucking Mental. Chris Young's top 10 tips for great Mental Health this Christmas!
Welcome to my alternative, infinitely more realistic, top 10 tips for great mental health this Christmas! This is my response to all those platitudinous and chipper top 10 tips that seem to flood social media at times. We need to think differently
1. First, and foremost - be Lucky – be very, very lucky – this will all become clearer as I go;
2. Do not be the victim of childhood sexual abuse;
3. Do not be a victim of homelessness;
4. Do not be a victim of neglect and invalidation;
5. Do not be a victim of poverty including food insecurity;
6. Do not be a victim of childhood bereavement;
7. Do not be a victim of bullying;
8. Do not be a victim of domestic violence;
9. Do not be different in any way;
10. Do not be genetically predisposed to any mental malady;
11. 11? I thought you said? Yeah, I know – I lied. Do you really think you’d be reading this if I’d called it, ‘Chris Young’s top 13 tips…?’ Get over yourself. Don’t even consider having any kind of physical disability.
12. Don’t suffer any of the myriad of negative effects – both physical and psychological – caused by the medications prescribed to make you mentally well.
13. Don’t be harmed or invalidated by the very services charged with your care.
So, in short, to summarise and conclude, mental health services are at a crisis point in the UK, while many of the causes of mental ill health - poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, prejudice and hate crimes are galloping unchecked and out of hand across this fair country of ours. No amount of mindfulness or positive thinking is going to make a difference until we break down the institutional divisions and inequalities inherent in the chronically underfunded system.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, and a happy new year when it comes.
Universal Credit - How Simeon had his benefits stopped because he was admitted to hospital for major surgery
Welcome to the walk a mile in my shoes podcast. My name’s Chris Young, and it’s my aim, hope, goal to enable you to get a real feel for what it’s like to walk a mile in the shoes of my guests.
Sorry about the lack of jaunty music, I’m not feeling particularly jaunty just now.
Sorry too about the prolonged absence, I’ve been trying to get my world in order following some pretty life changing therapy. But I’m not here to talk about me. In this episode, I speak with Simeon Wakely, a man with spina-bifida who has recently felt the cold hard slap of apathy…indifference…prejudice…at the hands of the department of work and pensions, the government department who administer Universal Credit.
This is triggering throughout – so, if you don’t want to hear Simeon’s distress, you should stop listening now.
He got in touch with me yesterday explaining how he felt suicidal following the inhumane treatment he’s received at their hands.
I’m fucking furious. For those of you who talk about the rise of poverty in the UK in terms of absolute and relative poverty – for those of you who think abject poverty is a thing of the Dickensian past – think again.
Simeon recently had his benefits stopped for the heinous crime of changing his bank account and being admitted to hospital. He missed a meeting with the Job Centre because he was in hospital having major surgery. He’d informed them at every stage of the process, but they responded by stopping his benefits and telling him the next available meeting at the job centre is a week away.
The DWP didn’t tell him benefits had stopped…you’ll hear more about that in our conversation…he found out from his landlord, and when BT cut off his landline and broadband…but even more shockingly, he found out when his gas supplier, Eon, cut off the fuel for his heating on this, the coldest week of the winter so far. His electricity company, SSE, are threatening to cut off his electricity as we speak. So much for compassionate capitalism/ conservativism. At the moment he’s relying on friends for money, and his support worker for food.
Devastated though he is, Simeon was still able to throw down the gauntlet to any MP who would be willing to survive on Universal Credit for a month – or a year. I guess many will have an understanding of how cumulative wealth can have a positive effect on their lives, but what about the cumulative effect of poverty? Would they, as Therese Coffey, the Secretary of State for work and pensions sang when she removed £20 a week from people on Universal Credit, be having the time of their lives? I don’t think so.
Would your MP do it?
Make no mistake, even though this system is rotten to the core, these are actual people causing untold damage and trauma to a man whose only crime was to believe he could live independently.
Huge thanks to Simeon for sharing his story. He’s gutted, he hates himself and he feels suicidal all because of things outside of his control.
If any of you listening have contacts in BT, Eon and SSE, please give them a prod to suggest that cutting off amenities in these circumstances don’t exactly show them in a favourable light.
Put his heating back on. Reconnect him to the internet. Give him the money he’s entitled to. But, more than anything, restore his hugely damaged faith in human kind.
We can do a whole lot better than this.
In the meantime, get in touch with your MP – throw the universal credit challenge their way.
Walk a mile
F**king Mental: Being Mad gives you Diabetes
Welcome to 'Fucking Mental' a spin off series of the Walk a Mile in My Shoes podcast where I fly solo to talk about some of the shortcomings in the mental health system in the UK today.
In this episode I talk about my recent diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, and how a lifetime of prescribed psychiatric meds have contributed to me developing it.
No, correlation isn't causation, I know, and it's important to say many folk with long term mental illness won't develop it. That said, people with long term mental health problems die anything between 10 and 20 years earlier than the wider population. Often because of unmanaged physical illnesses like cardiac and respiratory diseases, or, in my case, diabetes - which unchecked can lead to all kinds of nasties including loss of sight, amputation of limbs due to poor circulation, stroke, and heart attacks.
I've been amazed at the incredibly responsive service I've had to my life-threatening physical illness, which makes the lack of support I've received from NHS mental health services appear all the more woeful.
I have thrown myself into the advice given by Karen and Corinne, my diabetes nurses, and the book they recommended 'Life without Diabetes' by professor Roy Taylor, to lose 15kg by undertaking an 800 calorie a day diet. I've lost a stone so far, and I feel rather energised and motivated - although much of that can be attributed to me coming off quetiapine.
The main message I want to get across though, is it's essential that mental health clinicians talk openly and honestly with their patients about the side effects of the drugs they're taking - so they can make informed choices as to whether they're potentially willing to compromise their physical health in the long term.
Walk a Mile
Chris
F**king Mental #StopSIM and other coercion in Mental Health Services
It was hard to decide what to call this episode of 'Fucking Mental'. The High Intensity Network's, Serenity Integrated Mentoring scheme was a punitive, coercive, pseudo-behavioural scheme, endorsed by the NHS, primarily to save money by blocking access to essential crisis services for thousands of individuals - usually young women with a label of Borderline Personality Disorder, threatening them with court action and potential imprisonment should they fail to adhere to this 'voluntary' arrangement.
In this episode, I want to highlight that HIN and SIM aren't anything new. They were part of an existing system of institutional prejudice and coercion against this vulnerable group. Coercion that will continue unabated if the Royal College of Psychiatry's Mental Health Treatment Requirement gets the funding they're calling for.
During the podcast, I talk about suicidal ideation and behaviour - so please be warned if you feel that kind of content might be triggering for you.
As promised, here are some of the links I used when putting this episode together
Thousands of people with a mental disorder sent to prison when they need treatment
I'd be delighted if you'd share this with...well, anyone really.
Remember to get behind the new catchphrase, 'There are no Fucking Services'
Until the next time,
Walk a Mile
Coventry Youth Activists talk about their campaign to stop the abuse of disabled people on Social Media
D’you know, I’m really hacked off it’s ‘Disability Pride Month’. No, not because I’m a fascist oppressor of the proletariat – but because you’ll all be thinking I’m interviewing the Coventry Youth Activists in response to that. Those of you who know me will be aware that I hate awareness days, weeks and months, because, the question has to be asked, what are you doing for the rest of the year? I’ll tell you what you’ll be doing – you’ll be forgetting – because nobody’s telling you to be aware or proud…
I had no idea it was disability anything month – how we support the most vulnerable folk in our society reflects on all of us. Every day should be disability pride day.
Anyway, in preparation for this podcast with the fabulous folk who are Coventry Youth Activists, or, CYA for those in the know, I gathered together all kinds of information about prejudice, discrimination, and hate crime, both on and offline, against people with disabilities. I was so dedicated to my task that I almost…although, not quite, forgot to walk a mile in the shoes of the fabulous young folk I met on screen for the first time, while they welcomed me, a complete stranger, into their world with open arms.
This was the first time I’d interviewed more than one person at a time – and it was an absolute privilege to speak with Amanda, Joey, Chloe, Tom, Eli, Kirsty and Molly.
They’re currently running a campaign for Social Media Platforms to do more to reduce the online abuse of folk with disabilities - take a look here - they need 100,000 signatures - you can find them on Twitter @Covactivists or on Facebook - just look for Coventry Youth Activists
You can see what else they're up to here - I'm really looking forward to having a seat on their CYA Sofa.
As ever, please subscribe, rate and review the podcast, it leaves me with the warmest and fuzziest feelings inside. If you’d like to share your story, please get in touch on Twitter @walkamileuk, by email at hello@letswalkamile.org.uk or you can join our lovely Facebook group here
Until the next time,
I’ve been Chris Young and you’ve been rather fabulous,
Walk a Mile
F**king Mental: Electro Convulsive Therapy ECT in the UK
This is essentially the second episode of Fucking Mental, a kind of spinoff from Walk A Mile in My Shoes, where I explore some of the remarkable shortcomings in Mental Health Services in the UK today.
Here are some of the links I used in making this episode
Professor John Read's thoughts on ECT after a meta analysis of the data
The Daily Mail's article on the lack of information given to patients prior to being given ECT
The Royal College of Psychiatry's Information Page on ECT
The Mind page on the possible short and long term side effects of ECT
There's more - look up Professor John Read and ECT for further links
Here's a blatant plug for what I consider to be the first episode of 'Fucking Mental' where I talk about my belief that the implementation of the new categorisation system (The International Classification of Diseases 11 or ICD 11) for folk labelled with personality disorder will galvanise existing institutional prejudice, deny services to thousands and cost lives.
Because I'm a bit sweary throughout, I've given this episode an explicit rating.
You can find me on Twitter @walkamileuk , email me at hello@letswalkamile.org.uk or join our Facebook group here
Thanks, as ever, for listening
Walk a Mile
Chris
Talking About BPD with Rosie Cappuccino
Welcome back to the walk a mile in my shoes podcast. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m your host, Chris Young, and over the next bazillion years or so I’ll be giving you the opportunity to walk a mile with a whole host of different folk…with an occasional solo reflection on the state of the mental health system in the UK today…
In this episode though, I speak with the delightful Rosie Cappuccino, Mind Media Award winner for her ‘Talking about BPD’ (that’s Borderline Personality Disorder – not the Boston Police Department) blog, and the author of the upcoming book, ‘Talking About BPD – a stigma-free guide to a calmer, happier life with BPD’. You can find her on twitter @TalkingAboutBPD
I’d be delighted if you’d get in touch, I’m always on the lookout for guests – if you’ve got a story to tell, then I’d love to hear from you. You'll find me on Twitter @walkamileuk or email me at letswalkamile.org.uk. If Facebook's more your thing, then you can find our rather lovely group here
As ever, please subscribe, rate, leave a review, comment on twitter or Facebook…it really does leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling inside
Until the next time
I’ve been Chris Young, and you’ve been rather lovely
Walk a Mile
Farah Damji talks about the lack of mental healthcare in women's prisons and how she hopes her test case against CNWL NHS Foundation Trust will change the system for 1000's of Women
Yesterday, I was contacted by Clare Simms, the managing editor of View Magazine, a quarterly publication that tells us it’s “for women with conviction, dedicated to our children, families, supporters, legal teams and the charities and NGOs that strive to keep us together when we are falling apart.”
It’s a magazine written for and often by women with experience of imprisonment which they provide free to prisons, prisoners and ex-prisoners. They sent me 3 editions for me to have a look – and I can say, from what I’ve seen so far, it’s a quality production.
Clare has put her weight behind a woman she’s got to know through her work, Farah Damji, who’s raising awareness of the absence of mental health provision for women in prisons through her own case against Central and Northwest London NHS Foundation Trust, who, she explains, failed her while she was in prison. Farah hopes that her test case will support and change the circumstances for the thousands of women who are denied mental health care in prisons today.
Since there are only a few days left in their campaign, I’m posting my conversation with Farah today in the hope we can help them reach their £5000 target.
£5000 isn’t much in the grand scheme of things, especially when you consider that imprisoning a person for a year costs anything between £44 and £75 thousand a year – as more private prisons are being constructed – the prison population in the UK has nearly doubled since I became a social worker in the early 1990’s – crime is falling – we need to ask, ‘Who are we sending to jail?’. While billions are being pumped into these huge penal systems, community mental health provision is at crisis point. Depending on what statistics you choose to look at, anything between 25% and 80% of women in prison report having mental health problems – nearly 60% of women interviewed recently by the prison reform trust report having experienced domestic violence, while 53% said they experienced childhood emotional, physical or sexual abuse.
As suicide rates increase in women’s prisons, Is it time to defund these institutions, and put the limited money we have into timely, preventative, community mental health services?
You can find me on Twitter @walkamileuk, email me at hello@letswalkamile.org.uk or join our Facebook Group here
Walk a Mile
Personality Disorder. Why I believe the new classification system, the ICD 11, will have a devastating effect on the lives of people with this label
This is my response to Dr Mike Crawford, talking about the upcoming ICD (international classification of diseases) 11, and the changes to how people with the label of Personality Disorder will be treated within that new system, on the 'Wrong Kind of Mad' podcast. I'd encourage you to listen to it here. A podcast with homework? Whatever next?
I was so gobsmacked - still am, if truth be told - at what I feel to be his othering attitudes towards people who've been given this label, I get a bit sweary at times, so I've given this podcast an explicit rating.
I mention his study on the comparison between lamotrigine and a placebo in my podcast. You can find that here. 2 pieces of homework? Yeah, get over yourself!
Please share this with everyone you can think of. The new ICD 11 that will be implemented next January, will increase institutionalised prejudice and stigma which will mean fewer people will have access to the services they deserve. It will cost lives.
You can join me on Twitter @walkamileuk or, if Facebook's more your thing, you can find our rather lovely group here.
If you, or anyone you know, has a story to tell, or if you'd like to talk about any of the stuff in the podcasts, please get in touch - you can email me at hello@letswalkamile.org.uk
Walk a Mile
Chris
Dee describes what it's like to be diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder in Dubai, one of the world's most wealthy cities
Gandhi said
‘THE TRUE MEASURE OF ANY SOCIETY CAN BE FOUND IN HOW IT TREATS ITS MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS’
When Dee got in touch with me on Twitter, as with many of the walk a mile in my shoes episodes, I really had no idea what to expect.
The key things you need to know is they live in Dubai, they’ve recently been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and they live with their family.
I often say it’s important to ask ‘What happened to you?’ and not ‘What’s wrong with you?’ when we consider folk with this diagnosis.
With Dee though, their abuse is happening now...today. I’m not afraid to say I cried after we recorded their episode, I felt so sad and helpless and angry about their situation.
it was an absolute privilege to speak with this vibrant, courageous and intelligent young person who reached out so their story could be heard.
Since this episode is potentially triggering in places, I’ve given it an explicit rating.
The whole idea behind the Walk a Mile in My Shoes endeavour is to allow you to share a piece of life’s journey with someone you’ve never met. You can be the story teller, or you can be the listener - both roles are equally important.
I can’t thank Dee enough for reaching out and telling their story. It was an absolute privilege speaking with them.
Remember, if you have a story to tell, please get in touch. You can find me on Twitter @walkamileuk, or if Facebook's more your thing, you'll find our rather lovely group here or you can email me at hello@letswalkamile.org.uk
Until the next time,
I’ve been Chris Young
And you’ve been rather lovely, thanks for being there
Walk a Mile
George Baker founder of The Disability Union
The disability union, I was so impressed, I bought the company...er, actually, no I didn’t...but after this conversation with their founder, George Baker, I joined up. Welcome to the walk a mile in my shoes podcast, I’m your host Chris Young and in this episode, among other things, we talk about the benefits of collective action. You can find them on Twitter @DUnionUK or take a look at their website here
As usual, if you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe, rate and comment, it really does leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling inside
You can find me on Twitter @walkamileuk , email me at hello@letswalkamile.org.uk or, if Facebook's more your thing, you can find our rather lovely group here
Remember, if you, or someone you know has a story they’d like to tell, I’d love to hear from you.
Until the next time
I’ve been Chris young and you’ve been rather fabulous
Walk a mile
Chris Connel, Actor, Presenter, Director and Facilitator
Welcome, dear listener, to the walk a mile in my shoes podcast – a podcast where, unsurprisingly, my guests give you the opportunity to walk a mile in their shoes. I’m your host, Chris Young, and in this episode, I speak with the actor, presenter, director and facilitator, Chris Connel.
‘Magnificently disturbing!’ The Guardian
‘I’ve rarely seen a more intimidating performance’ The Evening Standard
No, these aren’t reports of me growing up in Corby…these are reviews of Chris, who Denise Welch of Loose Women and Corrie fame describes as, ‘The best actor you may never have heard of.’
Check out his website, or take a look at his brilliant solo performance in Sarah Tarbit's 'The Whale Washed up on Christmas Eve'
As ever, please rate, review and subscribe to the podcast, that way we can get more people involved in the conversation.
On that very subject, please get in touch if you’ve got a story you’d like to share, I’d love to hear from you. You can email me at hello@letswalkamile.org.uk
You can find me on Twitter @walkamileuk or you can join our lovely group here if Facebook's more your thing
Until the next time,
I’ve been Chris Young
And you’ve been rather fabulous,
Walk a mile
Marina Cantacuzino, talks about her motivations for founding The Forgiveness Project
Welcome to the walk a mile in my shoes podcast, I’m your host, Chris Young, and in this episode, I’ll be speaking with Marina Cantacuzino, an award-winning journalist who in 2003, in response to the imminent invasion of Iraq, embarked on a personal project collecting stories from people who had lived through violence, tragedy or injustice and sought forgiveness rather than revenge.
In 2004, she founded The Forgiveness Project, a charitable organisation that uses real personal narratives to explore how ideas around forgiveness, reconciliation and conflict resolution can be used to impact positively on people's lives. In 2012, Marina spoke at the UN General Assembly about the work of The Forgiveness Project and, in 2015, she was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the Dalai Lama Centre for Compassion. Take a look at her books, The Forgiveness Project: Stories for a Vengeful Age and Forgiveness is Really Strange, you won't regret it.
Remember, if you enjoy the podcast, subscribe, comment, rate and review, that way we can get more people involved in the conversation.
You can join up with our rather lovely Facebook Group here. If Twitter's more your thing, you'll find me @walkamileuk
Until the next time,
I’ve been Chris Young and you’ve been rather fabulous,
Walk a Mile
Where the Hell have you been?
This is just a quick word to let you know where I've been, what I've been up to and that the Walk a Mile in My Shoes Podcast is still alive and well.
As promised, you can find Holly Gorne, the artist responsible for the new podcast image on her website here, on instagram here, and on Twitter here.
I'll be posting some new episodes in the very near future.
You can find the rest of the Walk a Mile in My Shoes podcasts here, join us in the rather lovely Facebook group, here, or follow me on Twitter @walkamileuk for more Walk a Mile stuff.
Until the next time,
I've been Chris Young and you've been rather fabulous,
Walk a Mile
We are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us
The murdered labour MP, Jo Cox said, ‘We are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us.’ Looking at some of the division on social media it feels like we’ve still got some way to go.
Welcome to the Walk a Mile in My Shoes podcast, I’m your host, Chris Young, and in this episode, I speak with Mark Cameron, a guy I had a bit of a disagreement with on Twitter about HS2. Without going too far into that, it turned out we were both wrong! We chatted…we sent each other our books, and the rest was…well, have a listen…
Remember, if you enjoy the podcast, subscribe, comment, rate and review, that way we can get more people involved in the conversation
You can find Mark on Twitter @markcameron666 and you'll find his book, 'Diary of an average runner: Never, ever give up' here.
You can find me on Twitter @walkamileuk and, Facebook's more your thing, you'll find our lovely group here
Until the next time,
I’ve been Chris Young and you’ve been rather fabulous,
Walk a Mile
Dolly Sen, the mental health activist's activist. The perfect person to have on the show as I celebrate Walkamile's 10th birthday!
Walk a Mile in My Shoes in 10 years old today!! It seems only yesterday when I walked north out of Edinburgh with a severe and enduring mental health problem, no money and a belief that the good people of Scotland would look after me as I started my walk around the edge of the UK – but that’s another story…
Welcome to the walk a mile in my shoes podcast, I’m your host, Chris Young and in this episode, I have the good fortune to talk with the mental health activist’s activist, Dolly Sen who describes herself as an award winning, professional mad person, writer, speaker, artist and film maker with a brain of ill repute. Her imaginative approach to mental health activism is something to behold.
Here's a selection of her works; Birdsong from Inobservable Worlds; Disability in the post-pandemic world;What does it mean to live with a disability you cannot see? and Racism, the arts world & me
You can find her on Twitter @DollyDollySen
On that subject, you can find me @Walkamileuk or, if Facebook's more your thing, you can find our rather lovely Facebook Group here
Please remember to share, subscribe, rate and review the podcast so we can keep the conversation going.
Until the next time
I’ve been Chris Young, and you’ve been rather fabulous
Walk a Mile
Mick who I met on Twitter, talks about his experience of Bipolar 2
Welcome to the walk a mile in my shoes podcast, I’m your host, Chris Young, and over the next weeks, months, years, I’ll be inviting you to join me as I walk a mile in the shoes of all kinds of people who I’ve had the good fortune to bump into both virtually and physically.
In true walk a mile style, I met Mick on Twitter when he contacted me to tell me he had a story to tell around his experience of bipolar 2.
He reminded me what a privilege it is for me to be able to hear and share people’s intimate reflections about their lives.
As ever, please subscribe, rate and review the podcast to help us widen the conversation.
If you have a story to share, you can get in touch with me on Twitter @walkamileuk or through facebook, phone 07535035909 or email hello@letswalkamile.org.uk
Until the next time
I’ve been Chris Young
And you’ve been rather fabulous
Walk a Mile
Lucy Nichol, author and mental health activist talks about generalised anxiety disorder and widening the mental health conversation.
Welcome back to the walk a mile in my shoes podcast.
I’m your host, Chris Young, and in this episode we’ll be walking a mile in the shoes of the author and mental health activist, Lucy Nichol.
Among other things, we talk about her attempt to reach beyond the usual ‘Mental Health’ audiences, through her memoir ‘A series of unfortunate stereotypes’ which delivers the serious message of mental health stigma in a humorous way; and through her novel, ‘the Twenty Seven club’ where she once again, slips the mental health conversation under the radar in a ‘Darkly comic tale of friendship, hope and fandom’.
As ever, I’d be delighted if you’d subscribe, rate and/ or write a review for the show. As well as giving me a warm fuzzy feeling inside, it’ll mean the podcast will reach more folk.
You can follow her on twitter here @LucyENichol
You can follow me on Twitter here @walkamileuk or, if Facebook's more your thing, you can join our rather delightful group here
Until the next time, I’ve been Chris Young and you’ve been rather lovely,
Walk a mile
See Me Nick talks about the importance of mental health antistigma campaigns
There you are, my lovely listener! Thanks so much for coming back! Welcome to the walk a mile in my shoes podcast
In this episode, we walk a mile in the shoes of Nick, the Communications and Public Affairs Manager of See Me Scotland – Scotland’s anti mental health stigma campaign – about the importance of having such a campaign to combat mental health stigma in our society
Among other things, we talk about, while Scotland is funding See Me for a further 5 years, Westminster’s short-sighted decision to stop funding Time to Change – See Me’s sister organisation in England, and how their doors are closing for the last time on March the 31st
If you enjoy the show, please remember to subscribe, leave a rating and/ or write a review
If you, or anyone you know, would like my listener to walk a mile in your shoes, you can contact me here hello@letswalkamile.org.uk or follow me on twitter @walkamileuk or you can join up to our lovely Facebook group here
Until the next Time
Walk a Mile
John Smith, son of Harry Smith, author of, 'Don't let my past be your future' talks about continuing his father's legacy
Welcome to the walk a mile in my shoes podcast, I’m your host, Chris Young, and in this episode I speak with John Smith…the son of Harry Leslie Smith author of ‘Harry’s last stand’ and ‘Don’t let my past be your future’ a warning that if we allow the continued growth of poverty alongside the reduction of the welfare state in our lovely country, then the suffering he experienced during the great depression won’t be far away.
These are shoes we definitely don’t want to walk in
John is continuing his father’s work - raising awareness of corporate and political greed and corruption wherever he finds it. He’s currently writing ‘I stood with Harry’ a continued call to action for us all.
You can support him and his work here
Given some of the language we use throughout, I’ve given this an explicit rating.
Remember, you can support the Walk a Mile in My Shoes podcast by subscribing, writing reviews, and sharing it about the place.
Until the next time
Walk a Mile
Chris
Hollie Berrigan talks about the trials and tribulations of being branded with the label of Personality Disorder
Welcome to walk a mile in my shoes podcast
In this episode , you’ll be walking a mile in the shoes of Hollie Berrigan, a personality disorder activist, a lived experience lead, psychology graduate, author of ‘The Main Offender Blog’ – I can heartily recommend her top tips on supporting people without being a dick – co- host of ‘The Wrong kind of mad' podcast and sweary leftist. On that point, we…I get fairly sweary throughout, which, given some of the topics we talk about, is hardly surprising.
As such, I’ve given this episode an explicit rating…viewer discretion is advised…yes, I know you’re not a viewer…don’t get shirty with me…at least not so early on in the podcast.
If you enjoy the show, please comment, subscribe and tell your friends...if you don't, well, feel free to do the same.
Walk a Mile
Chris
Dan Warrender is a lecturer in mental health nursing. In this episode he tells us about his motivations and thoughts on mental health services today
We’re back, from outer space…d’you know, walk a mile in my shoes is 10 years old!
Greetings to you, my lovely listener. Welcome to the walk a mile in my shoes podcast – over the next few weeks, months, years we’re going to try to emulate the loveliness of the coastal walk through a whole bunch of conversations with all kinds of folk, where we’ll demonstrate that talking about mental ill health is a lot less painful than you think
For those of you who don’t me, I’m your host, Chris Young
In this episode, I speak with Dan Warrender, a mental health nursing lecturer at Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University and mentalization therapist.
Amongst other things, we talk about what motivated him to choose his career in mental health nursing, the challenging issues surrounding care and control in psychiatric hospitals, some of his thoughts on the personality disorder label and the simple elegance of mentalization therapy.
You can find some his work here 'Mental health nursing: somewhere in between good and evil' and here 'Perspectives of crisis intervention for people diagnosed with “borderline personality disorder”: An integrative review' You'll find him on Twitter here @dan_warrender
Please let me know what you think of the show...subscribe, leave a review, share it about the place. You can find me on Twitter @walkamileuk or you can email me at hello@letswalkamile.org.uk If Facebook's more your thing, you'll find our lovely Facebook group here
Until the next time
Walk a Mile
Chris
The Walk a Mile in My Shoes Podcast is back! Coming soon...
The walk a mile in my shoes podcast is back!
Can you believe it’s been 10 years since I started that walk around the UK, with no money, relying on the kindness of strangers while talking about mental health - ill and otherwise?
Over the next few weeks and months, I’ll be walking in the shoes of all kinds of folk, so you can get a real flavour of what it’s like to be them.
In the first podcast, coming out this weekend, I speak with Dan Warrender, a lecturer in mental health nursing at Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University and mentalization therapist about a whole raft of stuff, from what motivated him along his career path, his thoughts on care and control in psychiatric hospitals, the personality disorder label, mentalization and a whole lot more.
Well worth a listen if you are in, or are planning a future in any of the mental health professions or, if like me, you’re a mental health punter.
Yes, I’ve kept the theme tune! I paid 30 quid for that...but I won’t make you listen to the whole thing at the start...for goodness sake, it’s only 30 seconds long...
You're just an old alky! My old mate, Jim, gives us 7,697 reasons to rethink the way we look at people addicted to alcohol
Welcome to the Walk a Mile in My Shoes podcast - I’m your host, Chris young, and I’ll be chatting with all kinds of folk, highlighting the experiences of people with mental health problems, many of whom feel on the edge of society, as I walk around the edge of the U.K. over the next couple of years.
Following in the steps of a hero of mine, Satish Kumar, a Jain Monk who went on a peace march in the 1960’s, I’ll be taking no money with me.
His guru felt, if he did, he’d lack the motivation to speak with people at the end of the day, and that the only people he’d meet would be hoteliers.
I thought if this amazing man could walk from India into Pakistan - expect and receive wonderful hospitality when the two countries were at war - then I should expect nothing less from the people on this beautiful island of ours.
So far, I’ve walked the 4 thousand or so miles anti-clockwise from Edinburgh to north wales and the people I’ve met, without exception, have been fabulous.
Oh, I nearly forgot to mention, I have a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder - a severe and enduring mental health problem - which, although it curtails me, doesn’t define me.
But this isn’t a story about me - this is all about those fabulous people I’ll be meeting as I go…well…since my mental wheels fell off over Christmas and New Year…I’ll be talking with some of the fabulous folk I’ve met virtually on social media and otherwise until…until I manage to put the wheels back on…
That said, it doesn’t have to be quite so selective…I’m inviting you to be part of the story - we’re told we’ve become a more divided nation in recent years - I’m here to prove that wrong.
Join me...I’d love to hear and share your story…help me on my journey, as we challenge mental health stigma, one conversation at a time.
You can call me on 07535 035 909
Email me at hello@letswalkamile.org
Or follow me on Twitter @walkamileUk
In this episode, I’ll be talking with my old friend, Jim who I’ve known for 33 years…33 YEARS!!! We’ll be chatting about his journey into, through and out of the world of alcohol addiction.
I was regularly astonished, in my life as a social worker, at the often scant regard we and other caring professions gave to alcoholism – perhaps because it’s a legal vice – when compared to other addictions. It might come as a surprise to you that in 2017 alone, there were 7697 ‘alcohol specific’ deaths in the UK. That’s 7697 reasons for us to start a conversation with the people we love
Austerity's Victims - Living with a Learning Disability under Cameron and May
Welcome to the Walk a Mile in My Shoes podcast - I’m your host, Chris young, and I’ll be chatting with all kinds of folk, highlighting the experiences of people with mental health problems, many of whom feel on the edge of society, as I walk around the edge of the U.K. over the next couple of years.
Following in the steps of a hero of mine, Satish Kumar, a Jain Monk who went on a peace march in the 1960’s, I’ll be taking no money with me.
His guru felt, if he did, he’d lack the motivation to speak with people at the end of the day, and that the only people he’d meet would be hoteliers.
I thought if this amazing man could walk from India into Pakistan - expect and receive wonderful hospitality when the two countries were at war - then I should expect nothing less from the people on this beautiful island of ours.
So far, I’ve walked the 4 thousand or so miles anti-clockwise from Edinburgh to north wales and the people I’ve met, without exception, have been fabulous.
Oh, I nearly forgot to mention, I have a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder - a severe and enduring mental health problem - which, although it curtails me, doesn’t define me.
But this isn’t a story about me - this is all about those fabulous people I’ll be meeting as I go…well…since my mental wheels fell off over Christmas and New Year…I’ll be talking with some of the fabulous folk I’ve met virtually on social media and otherwise until…until I manage to put the wheels back on…
That said, it doesn’t have to be quite so selective…I’m inviting you to be part of the story - we’re told we’ve become a more divided nation in recent years - I’m here to prove that wrong.
Join me...I’d love to hear and share your story…help me on my journey, as we challenge mental health stigma, one conversation at a time.
You can call me on 07535 035 909
Email me at hello@letswalkamile.org
Or follow me on Twitter @walkamileUk
In this episode, I’ll be talking with Neil Carpenter, the author of ‘Austerity’s Victims: Living with a learning disability under Cameron and May’ available in paperback on Amazon for £6.57 or on Kindle for the princely sum of 99p
For those of you who’d prefer not to use Amazon, you can contact Neil directly at killingyousoftly@outlook.com for a copy. Either way – please buy his book – you won’t regret it. You can also find him on Twitter @NeilCarpenter14
On the first page of his book, he uses the quote, ‘The mark of a civilised society is how it treats it’s most vulnerable members’ and throughout the podcast you’ll hear time and again about how, as a society, we’re making a complete arse of things…
If you’re listening to this using the Anchor.fm app, then I’d be delighted if you’d leave an audio message I can play in the next episode. I’d really love to hear your thoughts on what Neil has to say.
What is a Clinical Psychologist? What do they do? In this episode, clinical psychologist, Alana Davis tells us a bit about her work and what the Division of Clinical Psychology in Scotland are up to
In this episode, I speak with the clinical psychologist, Alana Davis, who talks about her work as a clinical psychologist and what the Division of Clinical Psychology, The DCP, in Scotland are up to.
If you’re listening to this using the Anchor.fm app, then I’d be delighted if you’d leave an audio message I can play in the next episode. I’d really love to hear your thoughts on what Alana has to say.
And yes, I know there were bits where I sounded a bit like a psychology groupie…
Sue me!
Well, bugger me, that’s been a bit of a challenging couple of weeks. For those who don’t know me, I lose about a third of my life to dissociation where the world becomes unreal to me – where I lose most or all of my every day emotions – or I can experience the white-hot silent scream that fills all my senses. Where, after years of life with mental illness I know my only option is a darkened room with loud American cop shows with increased antipsychotics. It’s hard not to feel the guilt and frustration that comes with my desire…hope that I’m going to be producing regular interesting, informative and entertaining podcasts, with great and varied guests (I’ve got loads of fine folk lined up for your future delectation)
mental ill health, mental illness, mental malady, whatever you like to call it, is a pain in the arse…
Anyway…
Welcome to the Walk a Mile in My Shoes podcast - I’m your host, Chris young, and I’ll be chatting with all kinds of folk, highlighting the experiences of people with mental health problems, many of whom feel on the edge of society, as I walk around the edge of the U.K. over the next couple of years.
Following in the steps of a hero of mine, Satish Kumar, a Jain Monk who went on a peace march in the 1960’s, I’ll be taking no money with me.
His guru felt, if he did, he’d lack the motivation to speak with people at the end of the day, and that the only people he’d meet would be hoteliers.
I thought if this amazing man could walk from India into Pakistan - expect and receive wonderful hospitality when the two countries were at war - then I should expect nothing less from the people on this beautiful island of ours.
So far, I’ve walked the 4 thousand or so miles anti-clockwise from Edinburgh to north wales and the people I’ve met, without exception, have been fabulous.
Oh, I nearly forgot to mention, I have a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder - a severe and enduring mental health problem - which, although it curtails me, doesn’t define me.
But this isn’t a story about me - this is all about those fabulous people I’ll be meeting as I go…well…during this time of inertia, I’m currently hunting down some of my social media heroes – people I’ve virtually bumped into over the years…
That said, it doesn’t have to be quite so selective…I’m inviting you to be part of the story - we’re told we’ve become a more divided nation in recent years - I’m here to prove that wrong.
Join me...I’d love to hear and share your story…help me on my journey, as we challenge mental health stigma, one conversation at a time.
You can call me on 07535 035 909
Email me at hello@letswalkamile.org
Or follow me on Twitter @walkamileUk
What is a Therapeutic Community? Is a collaborative approach the way ahead for the treatment of folk with mental illnesses?
Welcome to the Walk a Mile in My Shoes podcast - I’m your host, Chris young, and I’ll be chatting with all kinds of folk, highlighting the experiences of people with mental health problems, many of whom feel on the edge of society, as I walk around the edge of the U.K. over the next couple of years.
Following in the steps of a hero of mine, Satish Kumar, a Jain Monk who went on a peace march in the 1960’s, I’ll be taking no money with me.
His guru felt, if he did, he’d lack the motivation to speak with people at the end of the day, and that the only people he’d meet would be hoteliers.
I thought if this amazing man could walk from India into Pakistan - expect and receive wonderful hospitality when the two countries were at war - then I should expect nothing less from the people on this beautiful island of ours.
So far, I’ve walked the 4 thousand or so miles anti-clockwise from Edinburgh to north wales and the people I’ve met, without exception, have been fabulous.
Oh, I nearly forgot to mention, I have a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder - a severe and enduring mental health problem - which, although it curtails me, doesn’t define me.
But this isn’t a story about me - this is all about those fabulous people I’ll be meeting as I go…well…during this time of inertia, I’m currently hunting down some of my social media heroes – people I’ve virtually bumped into over the years…
That said, it doesn’t have to be quite so selective…I’m inviting you to be part of the story - we’re told we’ve become a more divided nation in recent years - I’m here to prove that wrong.
Join me...I’d love to hear and share your story…help me on my journey, as we challenge mental health stigma, one conversation at a time.
You can call me on 07535 035 909
Email me at hello@letswalkamile.org
Or follow me on Twitter @walkamileUk
In this episode, I speak with the delightful Ellie who talks about the rocky waters she’s had to negotiate because she’s had a mental illness since she was young. Among other things, she extolls the virtue of collaborative working – and how a move away from ‘us’ and ‘them’ attitudes can mean better outcomes for everyone concerned.
We talk frankly about a number of challenging issues, so I’ve given this episode an explicit rating.
If you’re listening to this using the Anchor.fm app, then I’d be delighted if you’d leave an audio message I can play in the next episode. I’d really love to hear your thoughts on what Ellie has to say.
You can find her on Twitter @EllieWildBore
In this Episode, author and public speaker, Madeleine Black, talks about how forgiveness helped her to come to terms with a violent rape she endured in her teens
Huge thanks to Madeleine for sharing her story. You can find her book, 'Unbroken: One Woman’s Journey to Rebuild a Life shattered by violence – A true story of Survival and hope’ here and you'll find her website here
You'll find the link to the Forgiveness Project website here and their book, 'The Forgiveness Project: Stories for a Vengeful Age' here
Remember, if you're using the Anchor.fm app, then you can leave an audio message that I can play in future episodes.
You can phone me on 07535 035 909
Or email me at hello@letswalkamile.org
or follow me on Twitter @WalkAMileUK
or you can join us on the rather lovely Walk a Mile in My Shoes Facebook group here
And while you're in a reading stuff kind of a mood, you can buy my book, 'Walk a Mile: Tales of a Wandering Loon' here currently at the knock down price of £9.99
Walk a Mile
From Hospitals to Therapeutic Communities - in this episode I speak with the Occupational Therapist, Keir Harding, about his work with folk with the label of 'Personality Disorder'
I really enjoyed speaking with Keir - here are some of the links to his work so you can love him as much as I do!
Blogs mentioned in the podcast...there's loads more, but these are my favourites...
'It’s #TimeToTalk about #HarryPotterBookNight – The reality of 11 years in a cupboard'
'Product Placement: Out of Sight and Out of Mind'
Website...
Upcoming Events....
Keir will be speaking at the BIGSPD - that's 'The British and Irish Group for the Study of 'Personality Disorder' ' conference in Durham from 02/04/19 - 04/04/19
You can follow him on Titter too @keirwales
That's quite enough about Keir for now...
Remember, you can phone me on 07535 035 909, email me at hello@letswalkamile.org or follow me on Twitter @Walkamileuk
And...if you have the Anchor.fm app, you can leave audio messages for me to play in the next episode.
Walk A Mile
Diagnosed with Childhood Bipolar at 9, Holly walks us through her experiences of mental health services, diagnoses and labels until the present day.
Holly tells us about her life, her mental ill health, the variety of diagnoses she's received on the way and her thoughts on, amongst other things, the label of Borderline Personality Disorder/ Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder.
Because of some of the challenging topics covered in this podcast, I've given it an explicit rating.
You can find her on Instagram here @gorneography and @gorne.illustration
Remember you can contact me on 07535 035 909
Or email at hello@letswalkamile.org
Or follow me on Twitter @walkamileuk
And...
If you have the anchor.fm app, you can leave audio messages that I can play in the next episode...
Until the next time
I’ve been Chris young and you’ve been rather fabulous
Walk a Mile
What happens when someone develops a mental health problem? In this episode I speak with Katie who explains just how complex it can be.
In this episode, I speak with Katie. She got in touch on Twitter after I threw out the question
‘What happens when someone develops a mental health problem?’
I’m not entirely sure what I expected from such a vague question, but twitter didn’t let me down…here’s one of my favourites…
Dr Chris Manning says
‘I’d start off by defining what you consider to be a ‘mental health problem’? I consider it to be something at the level of consternation at my bag going missing at Heathrow. I also think the term trivialises the severe anguish, distress and darkness associated with mental illness’
Thanks for that, Chris
I think the language we use surrounding mental ill health, mental illness, mental health problems, mental maladies…and how we refer to people with these conditions is an interesting area worthy of discussion…
I’ll talk about this more in later podcasts, but it’s my feeling if we police that language too closely…too strongly…then we’ll be closing down the very conversations we desperately crave…
In the messages I got from Katie, she explained that developing a mental health problem, for her, was so much more than becoming ill…getting treatment…and returning to how you were…it’s decidedly more complex than that…
We cover some challenging topics in the podcast, so I’ve given it an Explicit rating.
A huge thank you to Katie – I think I’ll keep throwing out the question, ‘What happens when someone develops a mental health problem?’ for a while – there’s still a lot of conversation to be had there.
Next time I’ll be speaking with Hollie, who, after years of navigating the mental health system was recently given the label of ‘Borderline Personality Disorder’
We discuss what that means to her and her plans for the future
Remember you can contact me on 07535 035 909
Or email at hello@letswalkamile.org
Or follow me on Twitter @walkamileuk
And...
If you have the anchor.fm app, you can leave audio messages that I can play in the next episode...
Until the next time
I’ve been Chris young and you’ve been rather fabulous
Walk a Mile
In this episode, I speak with my good friend, Christopher, a man I met on Twitter a hundred years ago while we were both making a noise about mental health through the medium of THE LONG WALK.
In this episode, I speak with my good friend, Christopher, a man I met on Twitter a hundred years ago while we were both making a noise about mental health through the medium of THE LONG WALK.
We cover A LOT of mental health related topics in this podcast – including what motivated him to undertake his endeavour, the support he had from the people he met, the childhood events that led to him developing a mental illness, what it felt like being admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Hospital – the Royal Ed – Edinburgh’s psychiatric hospital – the language used to describe mental ill health – some of his thoughts on mental health professionals and campaigners – his life just now – including his work, family life, how he expresses himself through his art…and a lot more…
We both use strong and challenging language throughout this episode – I think this adds to the authenticity of what Christopher has to say – but you’ll be the judge of that – so I’ve given it an EXPLICIT rating.
The sound quality isn’t as good as you spoiled bunch have grown accustomed to – since Christopher and I live about 300 miles apart – I’ve used Skype and its new, handy dandy, recording function to bring this episode to you.
Remember you can contact me on 07535 035 909
Or email at hello@letswalkamile.org
Or follow me on Twitter @walkamileuk
And...
If you have the anchor.fm app, you can leave audio messages that I can play in the next episode...
Dan Udale talks about how he developed Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome following an assault in his teens, the support he's received and his plans for the future
In this episode, I speak with the delightful Dan Udale about his his life with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, the support he's received, and his plans for the future. You can hear more from him on Know Yourself podcast. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/know-yourself-podcast/id1352792846?mt=2
Remember, you can contact me on 07535035909, or email hello@letswalkamile.org or Twitter @walkamileuk
Are you disabled? Or is it society that's disabling? In this episode I speak with Simeon Wakely of Life with Ability about his life with Spina Bifida
In this episode, we talk about, amongst other things, Simeon's life running a wheelchair basketball team, a tiny bit on Brexit (sorry in advance), mentoring, and the increase in disability hate crime in the UK.