Breaking the silence to beat one of the last health taboos
PAUL Raisbeck suffers from manic depression – now known as bipolar disorder.
Since his diagnosis more than 30 years ago, he has suffered discrimination because he has a mental health problem. Paul now works as a community recovery worker for the mental health charity Mind, in Leeds.
"When I was first diagnosed with manic depression, more than anything I realised I was worried about what that meant to me. I was worried about how people would see me and what it would mean to carry that label around with me," says Paul.
"The stigma that surrounds mental health can have a hugely detrimental impact on people's lives, I know this because I have lived and learned this first-hand.
"After being diagnosed with manic depression I was sacked for mania in 1993. I was again sacked for having depression in 1994."
Paul firmly believes that companies should be prosecuted for discriminating against vulnerable employees who have a mental health problem.
"When you are most in need of support and help from your employers, friends and family and they turn their back on you, it makes your situation a hundred times harder," he says.
"Being sacked was demoralising and took away my independence. The independence that is key in a journey to recovery."
Paul is backing the national Time to Change campaign, aimed at reducing stigma and discrimination against people who experience mental health problems.
The campaign is backed by some big celebrity figures, including Stephen Fry, Ruby Wax and Alastair Campbell.
"I think having these figures coming forward with their personal stories of their mental health problems will really help bring to light just how common mental health problems are," says Paul.
"One in four of us at some point in our lives will suffer from a mental illness. Help us to end one of the nation's last taboos today. We would like to encourage as many people in Leeds to become involved in the local campaign as possible. The more support we have to tackle one of the nations last lingering taboos, the better."
Time to Change is England's most ambitious programme to end discrimination faced by people who experience mental health problems.
The vision is to make life better for everyone, by inspiring people to work together to end the discrimination surrounding mental health.
The programme is led by Mental Health Media, Mind, and Rethink. It is funded with 16m from the Big Lottery Fund and 2m from Comic Relief, and evaluated by the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College, London.
The programme is backed by international evidence on what works, and has at its heart people with direct experience of mental health problems.
The Leeds-driven campaign is focused on engaging local businesses and ending discrimination within the workplace.
It has funded 24 places on the Mental Health First Aid Course which will be offered to local business champions who can take up the challenge to deliver the Time to Change vision.
A wide range of workshop events are planned over the coming year as well as publicity stunts, debates and creative activities.
For more information on Time to Change in Leeds, contact the communications team at Leeds Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust on (0113) 305 5976 or email communications@leedspft.nhs.uk. Visit www.time-to-change.org.uk or, for what's happening in Leeds, visit www.leedspft.nhs.uk
Email to a friend
Print this page- Three-inch blanket of snow heading our way today
- Alan Shearer in list of favourites for Leeds and England jobs: Latest odds
- Barnsley’s Keith Hill invokes Fawlty Towers over link with Leeds job
- McCormack feels United search can be narrowed down
- Redfearn throws down gauntlet as queue builds at Elland Road
- Rival chips in with £500,000 to restore the original Harry Ramsden’s
- Visit from Princess as Serbian culture celebrated
- Was this woman on your train to Manchester Airport?
- SportsTalk: Leeds United’s manager search, Super League and Calcutta Cup
- Libraries aren’t like supermarkets, they are magical places where dreams begin
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Yorkshire
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: West
