Everyone experiences different realities - even when they are in the same room people will interpret things differently, so the idea of one reality is itself questionable. That's why the mental heath field is an area of constant debate and shifting interpretations.
founded by Jan Holloway
"In 1991 I had been working as an occupational
therapist for 11 years and had recently
become a team leader in a mental
health day centre"
"This was a challenging role and my
experience of it was very intense at times"
Jan's expressions using photography
Jan's expressions using
arts & textiles
I found this [1991] to be both a wonderful and frightening new experience. I was also in psychotherapy at the time.
The frightening aspect of the closeness of my friendships and the intensity of the psychotherapeutic relationship began to overwhelm me. I began to feel engulfed and invaded to the extent where I felt that other people could control my thoughts and even my existence. Also the Gulf war was raging at the time and my disturbance at this merged with the war, which was going on in my mind. This led to a breakdown in the relationship with my therapist culminating in the abrupt termination of the therapy.
Shortly after this I had my first experience of hearing voices. This, combined with my disturbing beliefs about other people became too much to bear and led to a voluntary admission to psychiatric hospital. Here I met Sybil Ah-mane and discovered the value of friendships and mutual support networks formed by mental health service users. I also felt that it was essential to try to understand what had happened to me and to integrate it into my life so I started again in psychotherapy.
Aside from private psychotherapy, I have received very little formal support following admission. However, in spite of this, I have been very fortunate in being able to continue to practice and develop as an Occupational Therapist.
I have had 3 admissions since then, when my psychotic experiences have become too overwhelming, and I have learned through personal experience of psychosis and hospital admission that with the right support, it is possible to live with and grow from psychosis.
I have a lot more hope for the ambitions and aspirations of the people I work with in my role as a mental health worker.
My work with Learning from Psychosis has confirmed this optimism and affirmed the value of experience.
"It is never as simple as there is just one 'truth'.
Everyone experiences different realities - even when they are in the same
room people will interpret things differently, so the idea of
one reality is itself questionable.
That's why the mental heath field is an area of constant
debate and shifting interpretations"
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