Notes on the Mind Beth Green & Tom Pollard

We talk to Steve Gilbert about how his mental health problems emerged as a teenager and developed in his early 20s, culminating in his detention in hospital under the Mental Health Act.

We explore how experiences of racism, both in and out of healthcare, contribute to and perpetuate mental health difficulties and the work that Steve has been doing to challenge discrimination in the mental health system.

You can find out more about Steve's work here: https://www.stevegilbertconsulting.co.uk/

We talk to Jonny Benjamin about how mental health problems he experienced from a young age culminated in a suicide attempt in his early 20s that shot him to public prominence, and how he has coped with this attention since. We explore how and why his mental health problems developed, and how he has come to terms with how close he came to ending his life.


This episode contains frequent and detailed references to suicide. If you are struggling with thoughts about wanting to harm yourself or take your own life please visit https://www.mind.org.uk/need-urgent-help/using-this-tool for advice and support.

In our second episode, we talk to Rai about her experience of unusual beliefs and hearing voices. We hear how these experiences began in Rai's childhood and culminated with a period of frequent admissions to hospital in her 20s; how she found alternative approaches to managing these experiences through the Hearing Voices Network; and the work she now does to improve mental health services.

At the beginning of the episode we mention the change of name we have undergone since our first episode - you can read about the reasons behind this decision here: https://notesonthemindpodcast.wordpress.com/2021/05/27/a-note-on-a-new-name/

We also mention a collection of articles about Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and the validity of personality disorders as diagnoses more generally - you can find these here if you would like to read more: https://wakelet.com/wake/4PDWydpz9zyyw4F5az-Jf

You can find out more about Rai's work on her website - https://www.behindthelabel.co.uk/ - and by following her on Twitter @RaiWaddingham.

*** After recording this first episode, we changed the name of the podcast from 'Notes on Madness' to 'Notes on the Mind' - you can read about why we made this decision here ***

In our first episode we talk to Social Worker and "psychosis survivor" Ian about his experience of being detained under section after an episode of mania. We discuss how his past led him to this experience, what it was like being held in a psychiatric hospital, and visits from Dynamo the magician and a group of samurai warriors.