In 2003, I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. Over ten years later I published a book called Schizophrenics Can Be Good Mothers Too, written under the pseudonym Q.S.Lam, which deals specifically with postpartum psychosis.

I find the term mental illness very stigmatising. What does it actually mean? I see myself as high functioning, creative and productive, even though I am often battling with complex symptoms. Faking being normal is very exhausting for my brain. It would be much easier if I could simply tell people openly about my condition.

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Today is Katie Mottram’s  birthday, and it’s also the launch of her #emergingproud, coming out of the spiritual closet campaign. “Coming Out” is normally understood as a rite of passage for people from the LGBT+ community, to transform stigma and shame into pride and celebration. Katie hopes her campaign will do the same for people who have experienced mental health crises, encouraging them to speak out about spiritual experiences as a way to combat stigma. Katie’s campaign aims to help build a bridge between psychiatry and spirituality, to normalise rather than pathologise unusual experiences.

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I don’t just hear voices

I hear life everywhere

I hear the bricks in the wall

calling each other’s names Read more

I want to tell you about a magical tool I use particularly for navigating challenging situations. It’s called Non violent communication (NVC). It’s a way of understanding and communicating that I’ve found particularly useful in situations of conflict. I’ve hyped it up in the first sentence as a magical tool, but (like all useful things) it’s got its limitations. I guess the key is how and when to use it. Read more