Personal Stories
Hear from people on their experiences of mental health, stigma and discrimination. See what helped, how people were supportive, and how people made it more difficult, along with real examples on how to beat discrimination.
Antje's story
Antje, who has selective mutism, shares how she has faced mental health stigma since she was a child.
Antje's story
Richard's story
Richard reflects on his experiences of depression and anxiety, and how speaking out has helped him to manage his mental health.
Richard's story
Nikki's story
Nikki shares how stigma has affected her in her experience with generalised anxiety disorder.
Nikki's story
Jim’s story
Jim has faced mental health stigma and discrimination in a range of places throughout his life – including those where you would expect to find support.
Jim’s story
Tommy's Story
Tommy talks about the stigma he's faced, and what needs to change for people with complex mental illnesses.
Tommy's Story
Sian's Story
Sian shares her experiences of stigma in the workplace – and how employers can get it right.
Sian's Story
Gabby's Story
Gabby looks back on stigma she's faced in relationships, work and healthcare.
Gabby's Story
Iain's Story
Iain discusses his experiences with anxiety and depression, and how the arts have helped him work through his issues.
Iain's Story
Jess's story
Jess reflects on her experiences of mental health stigma and discrimination at school.
Jess's story
Martin’s Story
Nine in 10 people with experience of complex mental illness have faced stigma and discrimination in relationships with family and friends. Martin’s experiences of mental health stigma with his family stopped him from reaching out and getting help when he needed it.
Martin’s Story
Nicky's story
Personality disorders continue to be highly stigmatised in society. Here, Nicky shares her experience of emotionally unstable personality disorder and how it affects her, to help combat the stigma.
Nicky's story
Natasha's Story
Natasha writes about her experiences with anxiety, depression and PTSD, and the self-stigma she has felt.
Natasha's Story
Jamie's Story
Jamie reflects on his experiences with agoraphobia and anxiety, and the power of talking.
Jamie's Story
Elaine's Story
Elaine shares her experiences of mental health and self-stigma, which have led her to volunteering with See Me.
Elaine's Story
Estelle's story
Estelle has struggled with her mental health since she was 18 years old. Here, she talks about some the stigma and discrimination she has faced when trying to get help – and why she’s chosen to share her story to help others.
Estelle's story
Karen's Story
Karen reflects on her own mental health experiences – and why the See Us movement has the power to make a huge difference for people who are struggling.
Karen's Story
Jenn's Story
Jenn shares why she's supporting the movement to end mental health stigma.
Jenn's Story
Liam's Story
Liam didn't speak about his schizophrenia diagnosis for years. Now, he's using it to help others.
Liam's Story
Dean's Story
Volunteering and speaking out about his own experiences has helped Dean to better understand his own mental health.
Dean's Story
Osama's Story
Racism and bullying at school had a huge impact on Osama's mental health - but he's now speaking out to help others.
Osama's Story
Bridget's Story
The stigma Bridget experienced from a young age turned into self-stigma. She shares how it affects her, and how she manages her feelings.
Bridget's Story
Denise M's Story
A negative experience with a doctor prevented Denise from asking for help for over a year. She shares her experience with self-stigma.
Denise M's Story
Hannah's Story
Hannah shares her experience with an eating disorder and personality disorder.
Hannah's Story
Kristi's Story
On World Mental Health Day volunteer Kristi talks about her experiences of anxiety and depression, and how music has helped.
Kristi's Story
Tommy K's Story
Tommy reflects on his experience with self-stigma, and how it's driven him to share his story with a wider audience.
Tommy K's Story
Kirsty's Story
For World Mental Health Day Kirsty talks about her experiences of depression and how music has helped her when she's struggling.
Kirsty's Story
Shah's Story
Ahead of World Mental Health Day young volunteer Shah talks about his experiences of having an eating disorder.
Shah's Story
Sam's Story
Sam shares his story about how racism and bully negatively impacted his mental health, and how volunteering has helped.
Sam's Story
David C's Story
As part of National PTSD Awareness Day, David shares his experiences of PTSD and how it led to him contracting Tinnitus.
David C's Story
Chik D's Story
Chik talks about his experiences of OCD, and the support he's received from friends and family.
Chik D's Story
David A's Story
As part of Mental Health Awareness Week David talks about living with anxiety and depression, and the impact it's had on his life.
David A's Story
Terri's Story
Former Chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament Terri Smith opens up about living with Bipolar Disorder and says that just because she's funny, doesn't mean she doesn't suffer.
Terri's Story
James' Story
MSP James Dornan has written an amazing piece for us on his experiences of depression, and the difficulty men in Scotland have in speaking about how they are feeling.
James' Story
Leanne's Story
Leanne experienced years of discrimination when she experienced an eating disorder. Read her story here, and listen to Leanne on the importance of speaking out.
Leanne's Story
David's Story
Read David's incredible story of recovery from schizophrenia and starting a family
David's Story
Gemma P's Story
Gemma experienced post traumatic stress when she was at school. Read how it impacted her life and the stigma she faced.
Gemma P's Story
Holly's Story
Watch writer Holly McCormack speaks about tackling self stigma and mental health in education. Hear Holly's advice for people worried about how their mental health will affect their learning and why she will continue to fight stigma and discrimination.
Holly's Story
Des' Story
Our Champion Des spoke about his mental health for the first time with his colleagues at the quarry he works at. Find out how he immediately changed people's opinions.
Des' Story
Paula's story
Stigma around mental illness hasn't gone away. People still believe that mental illness isn't an illness, that it's the sufferer to blame for feeling that way because how can your mind control the way you feel, it's surely the person who controls it? Wrong.
Paula's story
Tina's Story
Tina is using her experiences of being scared to tell anyone about her eating disorder, to help to educate the next generation. Read her story.
Tina's Story
Pru's Story
Read Pru's story on how stigma around her bi-polar cost her friends and jobs.
Pru's Story
Angela's story
With Post Natal Depression felt as if I wasn’t good enough for my son. I felt like he would be better off without me. I felt like I was incapable of giving him the life he deserved, which in turn made me feel guilty and took me to a very dark place.
Angela's story
Chik's story
When I started to become unwell with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder I spent a lot of energy trying to hide it and I didn’t speak to anyone about it for at least a couple of years. I didn’t know what was wrong so didn’t know to get help.
Chik's story
Suzanne's story
Suzanne started her career as a social worker a few years ago after getting a first class honours degree at university. Unfortunately after her employers found out about her mental health she lost her job.
Suzanne's story
Heather's story
I have suffered from anxiety for many years. I think that I managed to keep it to myself for a while. I started having panic attacks about three or four years ago. At the time I felt really lonely, and wasn’t sure how other people would react to how I was feeling.
Heather's story
Danny's story
I have Borderline Personality Disorder and I feel the stigma of this disorder comes from the misleading name. People hear the name and make the wrong assumption.
Danny's story
Michelle's story
I am 41 years old and was first diagnosed with depression about 4 years ago when I walked into my doctors surgery and just broke down in tears. I work for Police Scotland in a seconded post representing staff across the organisation.
Michelle's story
Susan's story
Depression leaves me weak, feel like a burden and that I am letting all around me down and I want to hide away from everyone. I get scared how they react to me.
Susan's story
Phoebe's story
Nurse Phoebe McBarron speaks about her experiences of self-harm and mental health.
Phoebe's story
Christine's story
I find the stigma I experience in relation to living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) comes in the form of a damaging misconception of what the illness actually is.
Christine's story
Gemma's story
Hear local councillor Gemma speak about her experiences of being dismissed by a GP when she was experiencing depression, because she had 'clean hair and clothes'.
Gemma's story
Denise's Story
Hear Denise speak about the discrimination she experienced after her work colleagues found out about her experience of mental health problems.
Denise's Story
Join See Us
Anyone can help tackle stigma and discrimination. You can do as little or as much as you're able to and every action makes a difference.
Find Out More