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"I was about 14 when it happened. I had a good family, did well
at school and had group of good friends. Life had been good to me
although my mum said I could not handle stress. I would be a bag of
nerves before exams, was scared of failing and could not face is
someone was unwell.
Uncle Rob’s death a year back in the accident
was just too much. I knew I would feel upset for a long time. But
then I didn’t feel upset. It was strange. I thought people were
doing strange things to me like controlling me through radio
signals. I felt I had lost control of myself and even felt my body
was changing in a strange sort of way… not just the puberty. And
then I could not face school, I was swearing, felt muddled in my
head. My learning mentor got worried and spoke to my mum, who had
noticed my strange behaviour. I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t be
bothered about going out. I didn’t like the idea of seeing a
psychiatrist from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
and I thought they would judge me. But it was very different. She
seemed to know and understand how I felt, what I thought. I felt
relieved. She even said I was not going to be locked away in a
hospital. It was just an illness for which I needed to take
medication for few months or year.
She then introduced me to Kay, a worker from
Early Intervention Psychosis team. Kay explained to me and my
family all about psychosis, what we could to keep me well. She was
there when I felt I was losing it before my exams. It’s nearly a
year now. I am like any other 16 year old, going to school, with
friends etc... I take my meds and stay away from drugs and
alcohol."
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