If you are deemed “not sick enough,” accessing timely support can be nearly impossible. Conversely, if you are considered “sick enough,” the treatments you receive may feel more like punishment than care…. more
Redefining “care”
Tag: care
How eating disorder care got thrown down the drain
Content note: eating disorders, iatrogenic harm Four years ago, I was discharged from an inpatient eating disorder ward in London,… more
Alternatives to Suicide: where can we go next?
Content note: discussion of suicide and suicidality “Should I press the button?” Nancy asks. My stomach flutters as I look… more
Always about me without me: being a patient who isn’t part of the equation
This summer marks 10 years since entering mental health services as a child. I am someone who is defined as… more
Sticking to the Rules: Safe for Who?
Services must work reflexively with people to be truly ‘trauma-informed’. Sticking to strict procedures prevents them tailoring their approach to create the safety and care people really need, causing extra harm instead of the help they promise…. more
Turning toward the people who are not safe
It isn’t in our power to save every human being, but it is in our power to nurture that essence, that turning towards us with the will to stay alive…. more
Gaslit & Dismissed: The Truth for Chronically Ill and Neurodivergent Patients
The NHS promotes mental health for both its staff and patients but there seems to be a huge disconnect between their promotion and their practice. … more
Surviving Restrictive and Least Restrictive Practice: ‘Hold me up, don’t hold me down’
I believe the solution cannot be found without structural change within services. We need policy makers to sit back and listen, carefully…. more