Understanding your condition

The first step for many people is to come to terms with their condition. This is often achieved through talking to other people with mental illness. It also helps to get information about the condition, from organisations such as Rethink or MIND.

You can find groups for people with mental illness by contacting the Hearing Voices Network, Rethink, the Voices Forum or MDF – the bi-polar organisation.

The Hearing Voices Network runs a phoneline 0161 834 5768 and a website:www.hearing-voices.org or you can write to them at 91 Oldham Street, Manchester, M4 1LW.

Rethink has a series of user groups across the country. To find your nearest one, phone Rethink Front Door on 0845 456 0455, email info@rethink.org, or write to: Rethink Front Door, Maidstone Community Support Centre, Marsham Street, Maidstone, ME14 1HH.

You can contact Voices Forum by phoning 020 8547 9226 or writing to Voices Forum, 28 Castle Street, Kingston upon Thames, SURREY KT1 1SS or emailing actual-voices@voicesforum.org.uk or through their website at: www.voicesforum.org.uk.

MDF – the bi-polar organisation have a series of user groups across the country. You can contact them by phone on 08456 340 540, by writing to: MDF – the bi-polar organisation, Castle Works, 21 St. George's Road, London SE1 6ES, by emailing: mdf@mdf.org.uk or through their website at www.mdf.org.uk.

Talking therapies can also help people to understand their experiences. If you are not receiving any talking therapy and you think that this would help you, contact Rethink Advice Service for ideas of how to get a talking therapy. Contact the Advice Service by ‘phoning 020 8974 6814 (open Mon-Fri, 10am-3pm), writing to Rethink Advice, 28 Castle Street, Kingston upon Thames, SURREY KT1 1SS or emailing advice@rethink.org.

Many people have learnt to recognise the situations which make them feel stressed and hence aggravate their symptoms. In the long-term, they have managed to address these factors and either avoid these situations or find ways to make them less stressful. People have also managed to recognised the signs of a crisis at an early stage and got help so that they have prevented breakdowns.