Your stories

“It’s literally like a role reversal for you then, isn’t it?” The words of one of my best friends, as I sat in the high school common room and finally explained to her why I come across as so independent, why I am so organised and, more importantly, why I am so stressed. Growing up as a young carer for a parent is tough. There’s a point in a child’s life...

At school, I was your typical quiet girl with low self-esteem and zero confidence. Combine this with a smattering of bullying and rejection from ‘boys’ and it’s almost inevitable that my mental health began to suffer. For me, it was a particular moment when yet another boy I liked told me he liked me, but “not like that” that was the tipping point and I started to...

I've suffered from eating disorders for nearly nine years - seven of anorexia and two of bulimia. For most of that time I saw therapists with whom I failed to 'click', and often the treatment I received felt unsuitable. For the past two months I have been seeing a psychologist with whom I feel completely safe and comfortable, and am coming to see the true value of therapy. She is just the right...

Just over four years ago in February 2008 things started changing for me, and in a very short space of time it became unbearable. I was only 13 when it all started; my Mum and Dad became angry all the time, and would constantly shout at me for no reason at all. My younger brother and sister shouted at me too. I would always get blamed for everything that went on, whether I had been there or not....