Thank you very much for sharing Matt, my Mental Health started in 1972 when we moved from Melbourne Australia to the UK when I was 11yrs old. I came from a very loving family so it shows that it can and does affect all people of any age. Not long after I started school I was bullied so I turned to self harming and punching walls, as it was a great way to deal with my feelings of dispair,hate and anger at my self, some folk would say Pull your socks up, I just felt that I did not belong at all. My parents were great trying to help me but I would just shout and say it`s the world NOT me, I saw different doctors as I had turned to cutting my self and punching walls till my hands were a mess. I hated how I would feel and wanted answers to why I felt like it. It was like a big red self destruct button I had hit, after the doctors told my mother and father your son is a problem child and he will grow out of it. I did not so I drank a lot to handle, then after so many years in my hell and trouble I ran from it, only to wake up in hospital to be told I had jumped off a bridge, I was asked if I hear voices and when I said never I was released. Then after I nearly lost my hand while punching a window I ended up in hospital had an operation to save it, I then went to Turning Point for people with Mental Health issues, I was like Wow it happens to others, I was in Turning Point for 3 and a half years and I started to do photography which was my release instead of self harming. Then jumping so many years of moving around I came back to the South Coast of the UK in 2003, as my father was ill and sadly died but I had great times with him till then, mum helped me through that along with my wife, they are my rock as I say as are our two children. For me I just take each day as it comes now, like you and others Matt, I have my good days and bad, but my photography is like my medicine to me. I do think it is sad that some folk think Mental Health is TABOO, it is the love and help is out there if people can try to get the help.
