Authors

Here’s the lowdown on all the authors at Eliminate the Stigma of Mental Illness:

| ADDY | AUCHEL | ELEVENTHETTER | 
| PAKMUM | SAMCEEBELL | SOCIOPATHICREGRET |

- ——— -

Addy
Hi, my name’s Addy and I’m the loonie who started this blog. I’m 29 years old, male (obviously) and I suffer from bipolar (manic depression), clinical depression and self harm. I’m a bit of a movie buff, love reading and writing (three unpublished novels and one possibly-maybe soon to be published), music is always playing, Buffy kicks ass and all in all I’m a bit of a kinky chap – no harm there I’m sure you’ll get to know me a bit more as we go on.

He has contributed the following articles:

• My War against Mental Illness
• What do I mean by stigma?
• (Some) True Confessions of a Self Harmer
• Men and Mental Health

Web: All that I am, all that I ever was: My Journey with Depression
Email: allthosestraythoughts@gmail.com

- ——— -

Auchel
“I’m Paul, a 40+ year old guy with a long history of mental illness issues (variously labelled major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and cyclothymic disorder) as well as problematic alcohol and drug use. But glad to say I’m currently doing well.

I’ve pretty extensive experience of mental illness treatments from pharmacotherapies to various forms of counselling/therapy and different spiritual practices. I’ve no training in sociology or medical anthropology but I’ve read a lot around the construction and rhetoric of mental illness, particularly depression. So I’m here to listen to others’ voices and add my two cents’ worth. Hopefully together we can make a difference.”

• Are Explanations for Depression Contributing to Stigma?
• Why have biologic explanations of mental illness triumphed?

- ——— -

Eleventhetter
“Since the age of ten I’ve been diagnosed with eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder and depression.  There is a theory that this array of problems is symptomatic of asperger’s syndrome but as yet that is undiagnosed. Medication does not work for me.  Talking is not so much a cure as a gloaming wallow. Writing is the opposite; writing is a ramble through dawn dew.As far as stigma goes the worst I have experienced was a group of student neighbours living above me who made cuckoo noises outside my door at eleven o’clock at night after a football match didn’t go their way.  During the match fans had been making monkey noises whenever black players kicked the ball.  Perhaps that’s where they got the idea from; although it is difficult to talk as seriously about mental health stigma as it is about racism, not least because, being insane, people don’t always listen properly to what you say.  It isn’t usually as blatant as cuckoo noises of course.  Discomfort is usually the worst of it.  The sort of ‘oh please go away’ looks that lower your already depressed self-esteem.”She has written the following articles:

• The Dark Underbelly of the Trendy Eating Disorder Scene

Web: Overcast Hope

- ——— -

Pakmum
Is an artist, and as like most artists has chosen to remain a bit of an enigma.

She has contributed the following articles:

• Art: Mental Health in Plants 

- ——— - 

SamCeebell
“Or Samantha Campbell (aka Sammi) for those not in the know, which yas probably won’t be. I’m a 25 year old globe-trotting heart breaking tattoo freak with a love of all things alcoholic. Most think I’m a scary wee thang but I’ve a heart’o’gold if you probe deep enough. Got a couple of friends who suffer depression, couple of friends who self harm, couple of friends who are just crazy haggisies who like to think they have a problem but they don’t really. Me? Well, I dabble in self harm and am visited by the black scottish terrier fairly regular like, but then most of us are, aye?”

She has contributed the following articles:

• Sammi’s Scottish Stigma Quiz

Email: samceebell@gmail.com

- ——— -

Sociopathicregret
“My name is Brian, and I am eighteen years old. For four years, I suffered from severe depression but managed to escape this horrible state of mind. The way I came about this was through intense self-analysis, understanding of the world, understanding of others, and consequently building of confidence. It was a very difficult affair, but I managed. I am here to spread my understanding of how the world and the mental health system work, as well as help others understand themselves.”

He has contributed the following articles:

• The Main cause of the Stigma of Mental Illness
• An Alternative viewpoint on School Shootings
• Why ‘Improvement Rates’ in Psychiatric Treatment are Meaningless

Web: Raincheck for the Apocalypse 

- ——— -