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In a series of profiles, we at MQ Mental Health Research would like to introduce to you some of our wonderful MQ Ambassadors. These are the individuals who support our charity organisation and lend their voices of lived experience expertise of mental illness.
MQ Ambassador Alex Anderson, who also works in HR, chatted to us to share experiences of mental health conditions and what is so interesting about MQ Mental Health Research.
Alex, thank you so much for chatting with us. Firstly, what are your interests and favourite things about being alive?
When I’m not working, I’m spending time with my friends and my partner exploring all that London has to offer. I’ve lived here for about five years now, but there’s still so much I’ve yet to discover! Exercise is great for my mental health so I can often be seen breaking a sweat at a spin class. I also speak German and try to keep that going in my free time!
My favourite things are the incredible relationships I have with my nearest and dearest.
Which mental health conditions have you been diagnosed with?
I previously had a diagnosis of depression, anxiety and an eating disorder. I have experienced depression, anxiety and disordered eating since my late teens.
When did you first experience symptoms of mental health distress? What were those symptoms?
Although I had experienced symptoms of anxiety and disordered eating since my A-Levels, it wasn’t till I had a panic attack in the second semester of my first year at university that I became aware that I was experiencing ill mental health.
Some of the anxiety symptoms I experienced were an ongoing sense of fear/dread, constant rumination, rapid heartbeat, feeling tired and lacking in energy and being unable to relax.
I had felt these things for a few years which is why I didn’t think anything was ‘wrong’ until the panic attack happened and my mental health really started to decline where it was no longer something I could ignore.
What do you understand about the causes of your condition?
I believe my mental illnesses were partly caused by my biological makeup, my personality type, the beliefs I held about myself, and unhelpful thinking styles (which can be changed!)
What treatment have you received?
My primary source of treatment has been antidepressant medication, which I have taken since I was eighteen and still take to this day. I have also had various forms of therapy over the years, including CBT and psychotherapy.
What misconception are you most annoyed by about your illness/mental illness in general? Why do you think it persists?
That people experiencing clinical depression can simply ‘pull themselves out of it.’ It is simply not as easy as that which is why depression is one of leading causes of disability globally. I believe this persists due to a lack of education around the causes and symptoms of depression, and how it is treated.
What do you think are the biggest misconceptions when it comes to mental health in general?
Unfortunately, there are lots of misconceptions where it comes to mental health, but some of the most pertinent ones are that only certain types of people become mentally unwell (and typically, those people are ‘weak’ or ‘crazy’, to name a couple), that it isn’t possible to recover from mental illnesses, and that people who experience ill mental health cannot also live happy, successful and fulfilling lives.
How did you access help available? What treatments have you received? What have you found helpful and why?
As soon as I visited my GP when I became unwell, I was immediately referred to the Community Mental Health team who saw me the next day. I was then put on antidepressants and received crisis care for six weeks. Over the course of my recovery, I received crisis care again, tried different antidepressant medications and received various forms of therapy.
Antidepressants have been vital in the management of my mental health, and cognitive-behavioural therapy has helped me understand my thought patterns and challenge unhelpful thoughts (which aren’t facts!). I am extremely grateful for the support I received via the NHS, but I am fully aware not everyone is able to access the level of care I received.
What do you do day to day or week to week to better manage your symptoms and mental well-being?
Managing my mental health has been an ongoing journey and I’m still not sure I’ve completely cracked it! As someone with quite an all-or-nothing personality, the key for me has been in moderation.
Exercise is extremely important in managing my anxiety, and I very quickly notice the impact on my mood if I stop exercising, as well as if I overdo it.
I love socialising, but I’ve learned to limit myself to a couple of things during the working week, otherwise other important self care tools start to slip like exercise and sleep.
Sleep is vital in managing my mental health and when I’m not socialising, I aim to get my full eight hours! I dip in and out of mindfulness and journaling, but I’m trying to be more consistent!
When your condition was or is difficult, what are the best things someone who cares about you can do to help you?
The best things someone can do for me is to be there to simply listen, not necessarily to give advice, but also to remind me of two important things.
The first, that I have got through this before and I will get through it again (as sometimes that is hard to imagine).
Secondly, to remind me of the things I normally do to look after myself and that make me feel god (things that I’ve probably stopped doing) like exercising, maintaining a healthy work / life balance and seeing my loved ones.
What lessons have you learned from your mental illness experience?
Although I struggle to do so sometimes, my experiences have taught me to believe in myself. When I was really unwell, I didn’t think I’d ever recover or return to my studies or work again.
However, I went on to graduate with a first class degree and have a successful career that I love. I still put a lot of pressure on myself, and so it’s good to look back and reflect on how far I’ve come and what I’ve achieved.
Do you think your conditions have shaped who you are as a person?
Absolutely. I never thought I would be someone who experienced mental ill health, and having done so, it taught me the importance of empathy and being non-judgmental. You never really know everything that’s going on in someone’s life, so it’s important to always be kind and not assume you know how someone is feeling based on what they choose to present to the world.
What do you want research to look into next in the world of mental health?
There is a severe lack of research into the effects of antidepressant withdrawal and there is currently a huge gap in the knowledge of medical professionals as to how to wean off antidepressants in a way that is safe and minimises negative withdrawal effects.
The general advice is to wean off antidepressants over the course of a few months (or sooner), but for many people, this is just far too fast. As a result, many people experience horrific withdrawal symptoms, and are forced to endure long-term negative side effects that have a huge impact on their day to day lives. For example, becoming physically or mentally disabled and being forced to leave employment.
There is currently a lot of anecdotal evidence in this area, but no long-term studies on the effects of antidepressant withdrawal or evidence-based guidance on how to safely come off of antidepressant medication.
Our thanks to Alex for sharing their story, highlighting just why research matters for mental health and why the work MQ Mental Health Research does must continue.
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