This very brief video (3.25) includes the experiences of 5 young people. It’s short and concise and thus does not provide much detailed information. However, each of the young people in this video are featured in their own longer videos, where they discuss their experiences in more detail. This video thus provides a great opener for for any discussion about mental illness, especially with young people. The related videos then provide additional material for further, more specific discussion.
These are just some of over 80 videos provided by ‘Time to Change’ on YouTube. I’ve also provided a brief review of the channel here.
Youtube Channel Review: Rawsammi Highly Recommended Resource.
Main topic: Bipolar.
This is a great and brave resource. Rawsammi (her user name) is a mid-twenties US American lady, who has a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. She’s posted dozens of videos, that cover everything from her experience of hospital, through to hyper-sexuality, the DSM-V and ‘taking responsibility’. Rawsammi’s videos are delivered somewhat as a stream of consciousness, rather than being focussed and concise, but each video that I’ve watched contains useful information, emotion and humour. The videos talking about her experience of hospital and the run up to hospitalisation are extremely open and honest, and I think could be extremely valuable to others who have had similar experiences.
It would take hours to go through all the videos and I don’t have time to review them all, anyone who wants to add their thoughts on any of the specific videos is more than welcome to comment below.
Media Brief Review. Brief Video (5.26) Topic: psychosis Produced: by Surrey and Borders NHS trust
This is a short video about early intervention in psychosis from the Surrey and Borders NHS trust. The video attempts to show one person’s experience of psychosis. The lady involved provides personal information and is honest and open about her experiences of psychosis and of UK mental health services. Unfortunately, the structure of the video and the production are not very good.. Nevertheless, it could still be a useful resource. The participant is non-white (black, no further information), and thus her testimony may be helpful to those of similar background.
Having spent many years avoiding doing anything like writing a blog, I’ve finally found a vaguely compelling reason to put my daily thoughts in print, or at least pixels.
What is that reason?
I’m doing some research for a pet project, and it has occurred to me, that as I very rarely finish pet projects, if this one is to be of any use to anyone other than me (or indeed, me), perhaps I should just write it up as I go along.
A project you say?
I do. I’m researching internet resources that may prove therapeutically useful for people suffering from mental health difficulties, as well as for mental health workers and students In particular I am interested in those difficulties that are sometimes referred to as ‘severe and enduring’. In practice this most often means diagnoses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and personality disorder.
My interest stems primarily from wanting to have access to honest, accurate and diverse representations of different peoples’ experiences for use in a therapeutic environment. When I first did a YouTube search several years ago to find a compelling video clip that would help communicate the experience of mania in a teaching session, I found very little. Fast forward to the current day, and there is a growing wealth of experience represented on the internet, from brave, first-hand descriptions to the latest in academic thinking.
I was initially planning to trawl through the internet and make private notes on the resources I found, which I could then share with my colleagues and clients. However, realising that most of my pet projects never see the light of day, I thought that a blog was perhaps the way forward.
So how’s it all going to work?
No idea, right now, I’m just trying to work out what is possible within a blog. Regardless, I’m very grateful to my good friend Ben Meghreblian for helping me set up this blog in superfast time.
I guess it will evolve with time, or simply be abandoned a few weeks down the line….
What I have decided is that:
It should not be about perfectly written prose.
It should, if possible, be readable, useful and interesting.
It should be a collaborative venture, open to contributions.
It’s an excuse for me to do something with all those random photos I take (so there may be lots of images with little or no clear relevance to their posts).
