Things that help

Gradually, I learned to put a scaffold around myself, and started getting back to normal – whatever that means.

Write things down

When I felt utterly overwhelmed, I would write obsessively, to calm myself down

After a lot of group therapy in hospital, I started working one-to-one with Dr A

I never would have believed that I might be someone who would call Samaritans. But I was. And I did

I wrote a list of things to do to bring me back to the present moment. I carried the list in my pocket

My friend Martin regularly bought me lunch. I had no money, and he could afford it, but I felt awkward

My psychiatrist told me that exercise would do me more good than all the therapy and pills

Exercise helped me sleep, because it left me exhausted

Eventually, after a long time in the dark, I started to notice how good my life is