As a teenager, António Ferreira felt huge pressure at school to succeed, and started suffering pseudo seizures, auditory hallucinations and paranoia. He describes it as a boulder on his back that he couldn’t lift or get rid of, and he had planned to take his life before an intervention. Through a long recovery process, he […]
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Hope gives you everything, António Ferreira
Make sure your own cup is full, Liana Cornell
Actress and filmmaker Liana Cornell was drawn to environmental issues from an early age, helped by her unconventional upbringing as the child of filmmakers. She wanted to use her platform as an actress to shine a spotlight on environmental organisations whose work might not have been known. But the work left her drained and burned […]
Fellowship, therapy and our non-stop culture, Henrietta Bowden-Jones
Henrietta Bowden-Jones is a consultant psychiatrist who specialises in the treatment of addictions. She has a particular interest in the treatment of problem gambling. She believes that a combination of therapy and a drug-based approach can be helpful to many of her patients. Dr Bowden-Jones warns of the risks of a culture where we are […]
Sleep, Bliss and Meditation, Will Williams
Will Williams is a teacher of meditation, but he doesn’t look like the stereotype of a guru. Will came to meditation after suffering from insomnia for years. Vedic meditation is an ancient tradition but Will says it has many lessons for how we live now, in a world where so many of us are constantly […]
Peers Without Pressure, Anna and Millie
Wimbledon High Students Anna and Millie are students at Wimbledon High who take part in the school’s peer counselling project. They help advise younger girls on how to cope with the pressures around them. That pressure can come from outside: Anna and Millie say that looking good and body image are big concerns among some […]
Belonging To Something Bigger Than Yourself, Jane Lunnon
Headmistress The Head of Wimbledon High School, Jane Lunnon, says that the world has changed for her pupils. The old certainties of society aren’t there any more — what fills the gaps is often social media. Jane says young people need breaks from comparing themselves to their peers. Nothing, she says, beats a really good […]
Exam After Exam After Exam, Jenny Pewsey
Borderline Personality Disorder Looking back, Jenny says she probably had mental health issues from an early age. But her food obsessions, panic and anxiety didn’t explode until her first year of medical school when it got so bad that she couldn’t leave her flat. ‘There is so much pressure on young people. Exam after exam […]
Gigglelicious, Jo Bluett
She had everything going for her. But when Jo Bluett was diagnosed with the chronic fatigue condition ME, she went from high flying businesswoman to being stuck at home claiming benefits. Nothing helped, until, 13 years ago, a desperate Jo decided to laugh about it. Literally. She went on to establish Laughter for Health, teaching […]
Climb Every Mountain – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Peter Goodall
PTSD Sufferer When Peter Goodall took his new wife to meet his parents, back in Johannesburg (South Africa), robbers shot at Peter and tied up the family. It was only much later that Peter started suffering debilitating panic attacks and was diagnosed with PTSD. ‘I didn’t think I had it.’ Peter, an actor by trade, […]