After a teenage episode with drugs triggered physical and mental side effects, including frequent panic attacks, George Hodgson started experiencing suicidal thoughts. He found therapy hugely beneficial in tackling his OCD and other issues, but telling people his story has been one of the best ways of alleviating his anxiety. George has founded a fashion […]
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Expressing feelings through fashion, George Hodgson
Former Olympic Hockey Gold Medallist, Helen Richardson-Walsh
Olympic gold medal-winning hockey player Helen Richardson-Walsh first felt that something was wrong in 2008, and the team doctor suggested she might have depression. “In that moment, where I was mentally and emotionally, it was a relief to learn I could take control.” A long spell away from the game through injury led to a […]
Journalist and Author of The Shift, Sam Baker
Journalist and author Sam Baker noticed an escalation in her anxiety, crashes in self-confidence, and depression in her 40s. “I felt like I had lost sight of myself.” When she was researching her book, The Shift, she realised those feelings weren’t uncommon in women – and they weren’t being discussed. Midway through HRT, she was […]
Tomorrow might be great, Josh Zitser
Josh Zitser was always a deeply sensitive child, but when a teenage friend took her own life, he suffered depression, panic attacks and an eating disorder. But it took a while for him to realise his feelings weren’t the same as everyone else. Josh has had suicidal thoughts, but recent therapy has changed his life. […]
Don’t run away from panic, Joshua Fletcher
After suffering from anxiety, culminating in a full-blown panic attack at work, Joshua Fletcher studied how he could effectively treat himself. His best advice was “stop trying to fix yourself” which was genuinely liberating. He qualified as a psychotherapist and founded The Panic Room. Josh encourages people just to experience their panic. He says the […]
Reclaiming myself after addiction, Talitha Fosh
Psychotherapist Talitha Fosh is an addict. “The way that my mind works is what makes me an addict,” she says. It started with an eating disorder when she was 14, comparing herself to others, and it spiralled out of control quickly. Then Tally found alcohol and drugs. “I didn’t like who I was when I […]
Art brought my life back, Lorna Collins
Lorna Collins suffered a life-threatening brain injury and total amnesia, and she had no concept of who she was. She tried to exercise control in the only way she knew how – by controlling her eating and by self-harm. Art became her lifeline: it was Lorna’s way of expressing her hallucinations and her pain. One […]
Music lifts me up, Emma Conybeare
DJ and presenter Emma Conybeare didn’t expect her mental health to deteriorate over the years, but two years ago she had a breakdown. She turned to the NHS for therapy, finding support through CBT. This year has been the best she has felt for years, staying positive and motivated. Music has the power to change […]
Taking time to deal with trauma, Shanie Ryan
Presenter and podcast host Shanie Ryan is a survivor of the 7/7 London bombings. Her experiences led to PTSD, anxiety and depression, but it took her a while to realise the changes in her behaviour were a result of that day. “I couldn’t relax, my behaviour was frantic, I always needed to be in control. […]
Former ‘Bake Off’ Celebrity & Influencer, Michael Chakraverty
The Great British Bake Off star came to national prominence when he experienced a panic attack on television after his choux pastry went wrong. Michael had been learning in therapy that he should try new things; during the show, he found his brain telling him ‘you aren’t as good as you thought you were.’ Michael […]
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 […]
Life after, life with, Alice Liveing
Alice Liveing is a personal trainer, author and wellbeing influencer. She experienced depression and anxiety after several years of suppressing memories of an abusive relationship, and went through panic attacks and night terrors. Now, Alice says, she knows that she can get back up and come through those feelings. Alice tells us that it took […]