This is my story as a Mother. The reason for writing it is to help people, especially professionals working in the mental health field to understand the effects mental illness has on the whole family. Please listen to us, work with us, help and support us. On the 9th July 1969 John was born, I looked at him and thought I had never seen anything so wonderful and beautiful; my heart was bursting with love. John grew up very physically strong and emotionally very caring and gentle and very creative.
I tried to give a brief insight of the eight years John was ill, there were hundred of incidents, I picked only a few. full story on www.theatrenemo.org
John became very emotionally and mentally ill and yet people educated in the mental health field sat round a table making judgements on him, they never saw John, they only saw the results of his illness and more importantly they never saw the system’s failure to intervene with understanding and to offer the right treatment at the right time. Having been in and out of psychiatric hospitals over an 8 years span John spent 6 months in HMP Barlinnie on remand but his mental health was so bad he was sectioned to Hospital. On the 12th May 2000 John left the hospital and took his own life. What could have been done?
Theatre Nemo is a grass roots charity and was grown out of the frustration of the lack of social and caring support for each individual person. What apart from medication could help people suffering this great darkness what could help them feel better about themselves?
Theatre Nemo is now in its 15th Year creatively supporting hundreds of people in the community In hospitals and in prisons, to think differently about themselves and the world around them. Helping them to gain good mental health and wellbeing.
One member wrote "When I broke and couldn't return to the land of colour from a hell so so black it curdled Blood'
Theatre Nemo want to return people to the land of colour
Picture of John