“She didn’t look at me and think about my mental health problem. Instead she saw all the talents and skills that I had to offer”.
In her fourth year of high school Diane was diagnosed with mild depression and anxiety. During this time her friends knew nothing about the difficulties she was experiencing. So when Diane started spending a lot of time trying to express her feelings to her guidance teacher, her friends, and even other teachers, reacted by making fun of her, assuming she was constantly in trouble. No-one asked her directly if anything was wrong or if she needed help.
A new guidance teacher referred Diane to an educational psychologist but again, this didn’t result in any practical support. In 6th year Diane was suspended from school on health and safety grounds. Her school told her she should see a child paediatrician before returning and that someone from the school would be sent to see her, but this never materialised so she returned to school anyway.
Diane lost a lot of her friends as they were never told the reason for her suspensions. Some no longer talked to her whilst others said things about her behind her back. When she was bullied she tried talking to teachers but most acted as if they were fed-up listening to her. There were only a few teachers who were sympathetic and didn’t mind her asking for help but most were unapproachable and in particular the assistant head teacher who viewed Diane as a trouble-maker.
At 17 Diane went to study at University where at first she made a lot of friends. Unfortunately as soon as they found out about her mental health problems they stopped speaking to her. As a result Diane started self-harming which continued for the four years of her course.
In her second year Diane shared a flat with other students who were both very helpful and caring - looking after her when she took an overdose. In contrast she found it very difficult to talk to her parents about her mental health problems.
In her third year at university a tutor tried to encourage her to drop out of university entirely. Instead Diane persevered and left university with a 2:1 degree.
In 2002 Diane saw a new psychiatrist who diagnosed her with Borderline Personality Disorder, a diagnosis which would see her being stigmatised by A&E doctors and being seen as a time waster.
Diane then began a post graduate course at University. After cutting herself one evening she asked a student where she could get dressing and paper stitches. The student phoned the warden who insisted on examining Diane in front of her peers much to Diane’s embarrassment.
The following day she received comments from other students including ‘I don’t think you should be working with young people when you do that to yourself’ and ‘I wouldn’t want you working with my kids’. She later found she had failed her medical for the course and had to leave which wasn’t carried out til after she started her course despite disclosing her mental health problems well before starting the course.
Diane then secured work with her ex-advocate, she explains “She didn’t look at me and think about my mental health problem. Instead she saw all the talents and skills that I had to offer”. When she began with her current employer, she was open and honest about her mental health problems and to her surprise her new employer did not discriminate. Her employer was pro-active and ensured Diane had the support she needed. She has also received lots of practical support in the form of coping strategies and decision making from Penumbra.
Six years after being diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder Diane, much to her relief, no longer met the diagnostic criteria and now is being treated for her continuing problems with depression and hypo-mania. Diane is currently studying for a community education qualification and is also involved in youth work.