Table Of ContentSPEAKING OUR MINDS
This Reader forms part of the Open University course Mental Health and Distress: Perspectives
and Practice (K257), a second-level undergraduate course and an optional course for the
Diploma in Health and Sodal Welfare. The selection of items is therefore related to.other
material available to students. A companion book for the course is Mental Health Matters.
Both books are designed to evoke the critical understanding of students. Opinions expressed
in them are not necessarily those of the course team or of The Open University. If you are
interested in studying the course or working towards a degree or diploma, please write to
the Information Officer, School of Health and Sodal Welfare, The Open University, Walton
Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK.
SPEAKING DUR
MINDS
An Anthology of Personal Experiences of Mental Distress
and its Consequences
Edited by
Jim Read
and
Jill Reynolds
Editorial matter, selection and commissioned articles © The Open University 1996
All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of
this publication may be made without written permission.
No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or
transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with
the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988,
or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying
issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court
Road, London W1P 9HE.
Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this
publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil
claims for damages.
First published 1996 by
MACMILLAN PRESS LTD
Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS
and London
Companies and representatives
throughout the world
ISBN 978-0-333-67850-3 ISBN 978-1-349-25159-9 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-25159-9
A catalogue record for this book is available
from the British Library.
This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and
made from fullY managed and sustained forest sources.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
05 04 03 02 01 00 99 98 97 96
Contents
Acknowledgements viii
Notes on the Contributors x
Introduction xv
I Emotional Distress and its Causes 1
Introduction 1
Agoraphobia: Letting Go Parn Mason 3
Afraid to Live and Afraid to Die Richie B. 9
A Survival Story Patricia Brunner 16
The Pressure of Being a Human Chameleon Veronica Dewan 23
I've Lost My Innocence Nicki 28
Silent Scream Maggy Ross 31
Finger Pickin' Good Leah Thorn 34
I Suffered from Depression A Psychiatrie Nurse 35
Unplanned Journey Diana Friel McGowin 39
II Psychiatrie Treatment 42
Introduction 42
Two Accounts of Mental Distress Mary O'Hagan 44
Recovery at Horne Igor Spreizer 51
Schizophrenia from the Inside Richard Jarneson 54
Challenging Loss of Power Peter Carnpbell 56
ECT is Barbaric Leonard Taylor 63
Choosing ECT Rachel Perkins 66
The Right to be Informed Christine McIntosh 71
Prozac Really isn't That Great Elizabeth Wurtzel 73
III Life as an In-Patient 77
Introduction 77
Thunk Among the Jolly Bunks Lucy Irvine 79
Ward Michael O'Higgins 82
v
vi Contents
By Definition Wendy Lindsay 84
Therapy Room Bill Lewis 89
Why We Run for Cover Anon 90
Good Stories and Stereotypes Rufus McCinty 91
Leaving Carstairs Jimmy Laing 95
Stay Calm and Charm Them Linda Hart 100
Label Removed, but Scar Remains John Bell 105
IV Moving into the Community 109
Introduction 109
I Want to Become Part of My Family Again Jane 111
Paying the Penalty A.N. 116
Treading on Eggshells Wendy Lindsay 118
I Don't Feel it's Right Miranda 122
I Can Get About Terry 124
The Sanctuary in North London Martin Henderson 125
A Second Chance for Life Joan Tugwell 126
I've Got Memories Here Clive 129
Nutter to Normal Jim Read 131
Alienation Jenni Meredith 135
A Comparative Study of Application Forms for Housing
Benefit and an American Express Card Peter Cood 136
V Therapy and Self-Help 140
Introduction 140
Time, Faith and Encouragement Rosalind Caplin 142
Healing Through Creativity Colin Hambrook 146
Dreaming the Absurd Colin Hambrook 149
I Have Found Ways Out of Fear Maureen Sangster 150
Neurotics at War: Art Therapy David Wigoder 153
Reflections on Therapy Brian Taylor 158
Building Relationships Jill RetJnolds 163
It Helped that Someone Believed Me Louise Pembroke 168
VI Working for Change 173
Introduction 173
What We Want from Mental Health Services Jim Read 175
What We Want from Crisis Services Peter Campbell 180
Who do You Represent? David Crepaz-Keay 184
What We Want from Community Psychiatric Nurses
Vivien Lindow 186
Becoming Fully Ourselves Jan Walleraft 191
We Can Still Find a Way to be Heard Sue King 197
Listening in the Asylum Mary Nettle 202
Contents vü
Shaking Hands with the Devil Edna Conlan 207
What Has Disability Got to do with Psychiatrie Survivors?
Peter Beresford, Gloria Gifford and Chris Harrison 209
Beyond Rage Terry Simpson 215
Acknowledgements
The editors and publishers wish to thank the following for permission to use
copyright material: Ashgate Publishing Ltd for 'I Want to Become Part of My
Family Again' extracted from Christine McCourt Perring, The Experience 01
Hospital Closure: an Anthropological Study, Avebury (1993); Richard B. for 'Afraid
the Live and Afraid to Die'; Douglas Elliot Press for 'Stay Calm and Charm Them'
extracted from Linda Hart, Phone at Nine Just to Say You're Alive (1995); Peter Good
for abridged artic1e, 'A Comparative Study of Application Forms for Housing
Benefit and an American Express Card', Asylum, 8, (2) (1994); The Hamlet Trust
for Igor Spreizer, 'Recovery at Home', Out Loud, Summer (1995); Bill Lewis for
'Therapy Room' from Rage Without Anger, Lazerwolf/Hangman Books (1988);
Rufus McGinty for 'Good Stories and Stereotypes', his revised and updated
editorial from The Chronicle, Broadmoor Community Magazine, Feb/Mar (1994);
Macmillan Magazines Ud for abridged article by Joan Tugwell, 'A Second Chance
for Life', Health Service Journal, 18 Feb (1988); Mainsail Press for material from
Diana Friel McGowin, Living in the Labyrinth: a Personal Journey Through the Maze
01 Alzheimer's (1993), Copyright © 1993 EIder Books, San Francisco, published by
arrangement with Dell Publishing; Mainstream Publishing for 'Leaving Carstairs'
extracted from Jimmy Laing and Dermot McQuarrie, Fifty Years in the System
(1989); Mental Health Nursing for Vivien Lindow, 'What We Want from
Community Psychiatrie Nurses' (originally 'Now is Your Chance to Help Undo
Some Wrongs'), Mental Health Nursing, 14 (1) (1994), and Jan Walleraft, 'Becoming
Fully Ourselves' (originally 'Empowerment: Professionals and Self-Advocacy
Projects'), Mental Health Nursing, 14, (2) (1994); Mind for Richard Jameson,
'Schizophrenia from the Inside', OpenMind, 6 (1983), Leonard Taylor, 'ECT is
Barbaric', OpenMind, 63 (1993), John Bell, 'Label Removed but Scar Remains',
OpenMind, 49 (1991), CoHn Hambrook, 'Healing Through Creativity', OpenMind,
62 (1993), Maureen Sangster, 'I Have Found Ways Out of Fear' (originally
'Obsessed'), OpenMind, 39 (1989), Brian Taylor, 'Reflections on Therapy',
OpenMind, 59 (1993), and Terry Simpson, 'Beyond Rage' (originally 'Being Angry,
Being Heard'), OpenMind, 75 (1995); National Institute for Social Work for
abridged articles from David Keay, 'Who Do You Represent?' from AChallenge to
Change: Practical Experiences 01 Builder User-Led Services, eds Peter Beresford and
Tessa Harding (1993), and Edna Conlan, 'Shaking Hands With the Devil' in
Building Bridges Between People Who Use and People Who Provide Services (1993);
viii
Acknowledgements ix
Mary O'Hagan for 'Two Accounts of Mental Distress'; Open University Press for
'l've Lost My Innocence' extracted from Moira Walker, Surviving Secrets: the
Experience oJ Abuse as a Child, the Adult and the Helper (1992); Pavilion Publishing
(Brighton) Ud for material from Peter Campbell, 'What We Want From Crisis
Services' (originally 'What Users Want From Mental Health Crisis Serivices'),
Mental Health Review, produced in association with the Centre for Mental Health
Services Development, Kings College, March (1996); Pluto Press for Peter
Campbell 'Challenging Loss of Power' (originally 'Peter Campbell's Story') in
Mental Health Care in Crisis, ed. Anny Brackx (1986); Quartet Books Ud for 'Prozac
Really isn't That Great' extracted from Elizabeth Wurtzel, Prozac Nation: Young
and Depressed in America (1995); Marius Romme and Sandra Escher for Louise
Pembroke, 'It Helped That Someone Believed Me' (originally 'Eleventh
Contributor') from Accepting Voices, eds M. Romme and S. Escher (1993) Mind;
Routledge for 'Neurotics at War: Art Therapy' extracted from David Wigoder,
Images oJ Destruction, Routledge & Kegan Paul (1987); Sage Publications Ud for
abridged version of Rachel Perkins, 'Choosing ECT', Feminism and Psychology, 4,
(4) (1994); East Midlands Shape for Wendy Lindsay, 'By Definition' from Looking
Back: An Anthology oJ Writing from the Pastures Hospital, ed. Rosie Cullen (1991),
and material from AN, 'Paying the Penalty', Wendy Lindsay, 'Treading on
Eggshells' (originally 'Don't Go Back'), Miranda, '1 Don't Feel it's Right'
(originally 'There's Nothing You Can Do'), and Terry, '1 Can Get About' from
Looking Forward: An Anthology oJ Writing from after the Pas tu res, ed. Rosie Cullen
(1991); Survivors Speak Out for 'Silent Scream' (originally 'Maggy Ross') in Self
Harm: Perspectives from Personal Experience, ed. Louise Roxanne Pembroke (1994);
A. P. Watt on behalf of the author for 'Thunk Among the Jolly Bunks' extracted
from Lucy lrvine, Runaway, Viking (1986); John Wiley & Sons Ud for '1 Suffered
From Depression' (abridged from 'Thro' A Glass Darkly') in Wounded Healers, eds
V. Rippere and R. Williams (1985); The Women's Press for Pam Mason,
'Agoraphobia: Letting Go' from Mustn't Grumble ... Writing by Disabled Women,
ed. Lois Keith (1995); Every effort has been made to trace all the copyright
holders, but if any have been inadvertently overlooked the publishers will be
pleased to make the necessary arrangement at the first opportunity.
A Survival Story, by Patricia Brunner, is an abridged version of one in McNeil, P.,
McShea, M. and Parmer, S. (eds), Through the Break, Sheba, London, 1986; The Right
to be InJormed, by Christine McIntosh, was first published as 'Who Needs a Label
Anyway?', in On the Level, Newsletter of the Manic Depressive Fellowship
Scotland (19 Elmbank Street, Glasgow G2 4PB), 1993, no. 1. Christine McIntosh is
a pseudonym; Ward, by Michael O'Higgins, appeared previously in Every Other
Weekend, Bristol Mind, 1986; Why we Run Jor Cover, by Anon, is reprinted in full
from WISH Newsletter, London, Summer 1994; I've Got Memories Here, by Clive,
has been extracted from Boots On! Out!, Hereford Mind and Logaston Press,
Almeley, Herefordshire, 1995; What we Want From Mental Health Services, by Jim
Read, is based on an artic1e, 'The Contribution of Service Users in the Design and
Implementation of Services', in Dean, C. (ed.), A Slow Train Coming: Bringing the
Mental Health Resolutions to Scotland, Greater Glasgow Community and Health
Services NHS Trust, 1994.
