{"id":147465,"date":"2017-01-19T18:56:06","date_gmt":"2017-01-19T18:56:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/nhs-mental-health-director-left-suicidal-from-depression\/"},"modified":"2017-01-19T18:56:06","modified_gmt":"2017-01-19T18:56:06","slug":"nhs-mental-health-director-left-suicidal-from-depression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/nhs-mental-health-director-left-suicidal-from-depression\/","title":{"rendered":"NHS mental health director left suicidal from depression"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul class=\"mol-bullets-with-font\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Mandy Stevens began to show initial symptoms of depression in November<\/strong><\/li>\n<li class=\"\"><strong>But within 10 days, she was suicidal and  was admitted to a mental health unit<\/strong><\/li>\n<li class=\"\"><strong>She has spent the past 12 weeks &#8216;completely disabled&#8217; in an inpatient ward\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li class=\"\"><strong>But after being discharged last week, she has shared her story to provide hope\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"author-section byline-plain\">By<\/p>\n<p>Stephen Matthews For Mailonline<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"byline-section\"><span class=\"article-timestamp article-timestamp-published\"><br \/>\n  <span class=\"article-timestamp-label\">Published:<\/span><br \/>\n  09:59 EST, 19 January 2017<br \/>\n<\/span><br \/>\n | <span class=\"article-timestamp article-timestamp-updated\"><br \/>\n  <span class=\"article-timestamp-label\">Updated:<\/span><br \/>\n  10:33 EST, 19 January 2017<br \/>\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"share-facebook\"><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-twitter\"><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-pinterest\"><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-gplus\">\n      <span class=\"g-interactivepost\"><br \/>\n        <a><\/a><br \/>\n      <\/span>\n        <\/li>\n<li class=\"share-email\">\n<p>                <span class=\"wai\">e-mail<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/li>\n<li class=\"share-icons\" id=\"shareLinkTop\">\n            <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>     <span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"count-number\">           1<\/p>\n<p class=\"count-text\">View <br \/> comments<\/p>\n<p>    <\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">A former NHS<\/a> director of mental health has revealed how depression crippled her life within just 10 days.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Mandy Stevens, who is also a registered nurse, began to show initial symptoms of the devastating mental illness in November.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">But within little more than a week, she was left suicidal and was admitted to a mental health unit.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">The condition has caused her to spend the past 12 weeks &#8216;completely disabled&#8217; in an inpatient ward in the City  Hackney Centre for Mental Health, London<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">But after being discharged last Friday, she has now shared her story to offer hope to millions of sufferers across the planet.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-67649ef7474ec1df\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" height=\"681\" width=\"634\" alt=\"Mandy Stevens, a former NHS director of mental health, began to show initial symptoms of depression in November. But within little more than a week, she was left suicidal and was admitted to a mental health unit\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><br \/>\n      <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-67649ef7474ec1df\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/01\/19\/14\/3C48E1AF00000578-0-Mandy_Stevens_a_former_NHS_director_of_mental_health_began_to_sh-a-4_1484837375638.jpg\" height=\"681\" width=\"634\" alt=\"Mandy Stevens, a former NHS director of mental health, began to show initial symptoms of depression in November. But within little more than a week, she was left suicidal and was admitted to a mental health unit\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imageCaption\">Mandy Stevens, a former NHS director of mental health, began to show initial symptoms of depression in November. But within little more than a week, she was left suicidal and was admitted to a mental health unit<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">In her LinkedIn post<\/a>, entitled From NHS Director to mental health inpatient in 10 days, she said: &#8216;This selfie, taken late November, shows a Mandy that no one will recognize: tearful, distraught, matted hair, frightened, withdrawn, desolate and desperate.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;So so so far from who I normally am; a confident, competent, extrovert, professional, independent woman. This is what mental illness has the power to do.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;I&#8217;m sharing this awful picture and my story to help increase understanding of the impact of mental illness and to celebrate my recovery.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"rotator-panels link-bogr1 linkro-ccox\">\n<li>\n<p>          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/01\/19\/13\/3C485CE000000578-0-image-m-68_1484831047351.jpg\" width=\"62\" height=\"60\" \/><span>Surprise surprise&#8230; women feel guilty about having a one&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n        <\/a><\/p>\n<p>          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/01\/19\/11\/3C4782F200000578-0-image-m-55_1484825881200.jpg\" width=\"62\" height=\"60\" \/><span>Could mad cow disease be about to return? 18-year-old animal&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n        <\/a><\/p>\n<p>          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/01\/19\/09\/3C44BD7C00000578-0-image-m-34_1484817568797.jpg\" width=\"62\" height=\"60\" \/><span>Breast cancer sufferer, 53, who had a life-saving mastectomy&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n        <\/a><\/p>\n<p>          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/01\/19\/08\/3C3BB7EC00000578-0-image-a-7_1484813776767.jpg\" width=\"62\" height=\"60\" \/><span>&#8216;If only he had his first operation&#8217;: Viewers heartbroken as&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n        <\/a>\n      <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;I am recovering from the most terrible depression that ripped the heart and soul out of me.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;There is no immunity; mental illness can come out of nowhere and affect anyone at any time.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Initially, the nurse of 29 years, who spent Christmas Day under constant supervision, shared her post on Facebook.<\/p>\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-5e2507ec96ff8a2d\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" height=\"639\" width=\"634\" alt=\"But after being discharged last Friday, she has now shared her story to offer hope to millions of sufferers across the planet\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><br \/>\n      <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-5e2507ec96ff8a2d\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/01\/19\/14\/3C49023600000578-0-image-a-5_1484837388221.jpg\" height=\"639\" width=\"634\" alt=\"But after being discharged last Friday, she has now shared her story to offer hope to millions of sufferers across the planet\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imageCaption\">But after being discharged last Friday, she has now shared her story to offer hope to millions of sufferers across the planet<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">But the huge backlog of positive support she received from her friends encouraged her to use other forms of social media to address the stigma of mental health.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Comments such as &#8216;I never thought someone like you could go through this&#8217; spurred her on, she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Having worked in the mental health sector for 29 years, many assumed she wouldn&#8217;t be vulnerable to the effects of depression.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">But the condition caused her to hide herself away from others, as she said she was &#8216;scared of her own shadow&#8217;.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Ms Stevens thanked her mother for making a six-hour return journey each week to be beside her during her difficult time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">While she praised her &#8216;wonderful&#8217; friends for giving her the motivation to keep going &#8211; even through her darkest days, and the staff who provided 24-hour care.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;Please don&#8217;t pity me for having a mental illness. Instead, wish me well for my discharge and full recovery,&#8217; she added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;I lost my mind, lost my self esteem, lost my pride, lost my sense of who I am, lost my confidence, lost my job and my income, lost my driving license and my independence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;But I am slowly picking up the pieces&#8230; like a smashed vase, glueing itself together in to a beautiful mosaic. I will be strong again. I will be OK.&#8217;\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">\n<p>            <!-- ad: http:\/\/mads.dailymail.co.uk\/v2\/us\/health\/none\/article\/other\/inread_player.html --><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"social-links-title\">Share or comment on this article<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"bigLinks sc-icns cleared\">\n<li class=\"facebook\">\n<p>                                    <span class=\"wai\">e-mail<\/span><br \/>\n                                <\/a>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"share\" id=\"shareLinkBottom\">\n<p>                                <\/a>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"social-stats social-stats-pipe\" id=\"shareCountBottom\">\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"addCommentButton\" class=\"add-comment\">\n<p>                                <\/a>\n                            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>            <!-- NOTE: WARNING: render-partial is a function --><\/p>\n<ul class=\"rotator-panels\">\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/01\/18\/15\/3C3E3B8200000578-0-image-a-52_1484755189685.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">EXCLUSIVE: Wynn Las Vegas removes all\u00a0Tom Ford beauty&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/01\/18\/19\/3C3F631300000578-0-image-a-11_1484768472246.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">&#8216;Justice has been served&#8217;: Obama defies storm of criticism&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/01\/18\/20\/3C3F6EF900000578-0-image-m-16_1484771114580.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">Obama uses his final press conference to issue extraordinary&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/01\/17\/16\/3C35E89F00000578-0-image-a-19_1484669547107.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">&#8216;Why would you abandon America?&#8217; Newt Gingrich says&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/01\/19\/10\/3C44FCF700000578-0-image-a-36_1484820450861.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">Life among the monkey hunters: The Amazon tribe that has&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/01\/19\/04\/3C432EAB00000578-0-image-a-7_1484799428004.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">EXCLUSIVE: A hero&#8217;s welcome! 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in an inpatient ward\u00a0 But after being discharged last week, she has shared her story to provide hope\u00a0 By Stephen <a class=\"read-more-link\" href=\"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/nhs-mental-health-director-left-suicidal-from-depression\/\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-147465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=147465"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147465\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=147465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=147465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=147465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}