The following books and comments may be useful as a starting place. General Links are HERE, and Directories & helping organisations HERE.  On the previous PAGE are some useful Organisations.  Scroll down there for MIND, CAB etc.  For information on books and some social issues scroll below on this Page.

Most people have times when they worry what they have said or done, or about what happened or was done to them.  Perhaps we want to share those - and perhaps not.  We each have our own ways of handling things and everyone is different.  There is an internal narrative running where we describe things to ourselves, and this could change in the telling as we explain or re-classify things to suit how we feel.  Some people 'manage' their illness or pain, not pushing themselves too far all the while.  We can become aware of what is making things worse.  To some degree we can contain or accommodate periods of depression, loneliness, anxiety or confusion in ourselves or those we know.  People can and do help each other along the lines of 'a friend in court' - someone who is basically there and aware how things are.

It can be difficult to know where to begin with seeking help for oneself on private matters.  There is currently some media attention concerning the effectiveness of drugs for certain types of psychological problems.  There can be controversy too about what is called 'talking cures' and whether those are always helpful, or even unhelpful if they are not suitable or experienced as intrusive.  Some books and links appear below, and the general idea is to show that there is not necessarily something terribly wrong with us as individuals, but that we live in a wider society or environment - It helps to see some of that too. 

You may or may not like the approach of the books or links but might use them as a starting point while searching for yourself.  Some writers imply there is 'no such thing' as mental illness and we do not entirely agree.  But there can be other valid ways of looking at problems, how they may arise and what can be done.  Support from outside can be helpful, but people can be very effective themselves, and information-gathering worth the effort.  We may give ourselves labels in an attempt to understand better and find some 'solution', but labels in themselves can be hard to overcome, so we may saddle ourselves with them unnecessarily.

There is plenty of information available on the Internet.  Take your time and look at alternatives, and try not to feel under pressure to conform to what others may say.  There are a range of email support groups too, but it is as well to bear in mind that what you say there is pretty public.  As with any type of disclosure, something one says cannot get 'un-said' again!

HELPING YOURSELF or OTHERS

Disability & Human Rights

For information for yourself or someone you know, or to keep informed on disability issues and what you can do to help, visit:

SCOPE at www.scope.org.uk for information on cerebral palsy and on disabled people achieving equality.  You can get involved in their campaign at www.timetogetequal.org.uk

Disability Now at www.disabilitynow.org.uk for information about living with disability.  They have compiled a list of crimes against disabled people at www.disabilitynow.org.uk/the-hate-crime-dossier

Homelessness or risk of homelessness

Visit Shelter at www.shelter.org.uk for information and advice.  Click on the site for relevant information for England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.  Or type Homelessness into a search engine like Google and click any of the links to get started.

Mental Health issues

Visit MIND www.mind.org.uk for information and factsheets on a wide range of issues or to get involved with their campaigns.  Useful factsheet on counselling issues at http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Making+sense/Making+sense+of+counselling.htm

Re-think http://www.rethink.org Information for those coping with mental illness, and for those who are caring for someone.

Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health www.scmh.org.uk/

Time to Change - Challenging discrimination in Mental Health http://www.time-to-change.org.uk Check their website for local events, campaigns and information.

Young People & Students

PAPYRUS - for young people, or if you are concerned for someone - http://www.papyrus-uk.org
LINKS at http://www.papyrus-uk.org/useful-links.html