50 Voices
JOHN 50 Voices captures the authentic voice of the people that use our services and our staff as Turning Point celebrates its 50th anniversary
50 Voices
John Christopher Mason
50 Voices
John Christopher Mason
A group of service users at one of our mental health services.
After recovering from his own mental illness, John shares his story on how he has managed to turn his life around and become a peer mentor to help others in a similar position. Off with my head.... Guess what??? John Christopher Mason has finally left the building, he is free...After many weeks that turned into months, the days that turned into years... the hours watching that clock tick tick away but me still in that gloomy room, waiting to hear what decisions were being made about ME...I mean me an adult who did not have the ability to make my own decisions...well quite rightly...John Christopher Mason...looking back through the chapters of my life...chapter 1 – I was born on the 2/08/1984 at the royal Oldham hospital, my earliest memory I have is of walking past a crèche with my mum, there lay a park near grandma’s house and I asked my mum what it was, and that was my earliest memory.
In the early stages of my life I was a free infant, not a care in the world, just your average mischievous kid.
50 Voices
John Christopher Mason
Looking back I didn’t know I would end up as a paranoid schizophrenic. In the early stages of my life I was a free infant, not a care in the world, just your average mischievous kid. Coming up to my teenage years, my best memory was meeting one of my closest friends; Dean, a positive influence on my life. I remember when he used to teach me things about fashion statements, for example bending my baseball cap, which was brand new I might add, because he said it looked ‘uncool’.
Other positive points in my life were I joined St John Ambulance service.
Other positive points in my life were I joined St John Ambulance service. I gained several qualifications, such as nursing the sick, First Aid, radio communications, and computer skills. Also, I became a noncommissioned officer (NCO) and then a sergeant and also enrolled at Manchester cathedral in a holy ceremony. Whilst a cadet, I received the highest award three times in a row which was a great accomplishment. At the time I always wished to become a medic, I completed several hours of service in duty; I started to perform well at school because of this. Heaven forbid I wasn’t aware of what I was about to embark on. My first indicators of my mental illness were rebelling against mum and dad. I ran away from home, me and my friends became involved with the wrong kind of people, people you would never want to meet. I started working the streets at the tender age of fifteen, DRUG RUNNING...I spent my adolescent years as a drug dealer and runner. Let me tell you this, it was no walk in the park. I even started to use the drugs which were given in exchange for my services. I became physically and mentally unwell and I didn’t realise in the early stages that I was suffering from an illness that took control of me completely. So, at the age of 19 I was first admitted to the Royal Oldham hospital Parklands House on the acute ward, at that time I was young and naive to accept my illness.
50 Voices
John Christopher Mason
I was consistently running away from the unit, I would not engage with the doctors. I would not take part in my recovery; I clearly had very little insight into mental health. I was very unwell, but I would not accept this. If only I knew what I know now, at that time. I was then sent to secure services but I was still unwilling to accept the reality of my illness. The feeling was I would never get out of hospital so I gave up in the end and I started to engage with the recovery, it was very hard and a very difficult time in my life that words will never be able to explain.
Peer support worker Now it’s my third Christmas out in the community. Fully discharged from my Community Treatment Order (CTO), I was finally able to try and get back into normality without having a section restricting me. This was all due to me fully accepting and cooperating with my recovery plan and wanting to get better and move on with my life. I am now living in supported accommodation here at Birchwood. I am aiming to get my own flat and live independently.
Since being at Birchwood I have been mentoring as a peer support worker for the NHS, which I get paid for.
Since being at Birchwood I have been mentoring as a peer support worker for the NHS, which I get paid for. This has a positive impact on my own mental health and attitude towards my life, living and coping with schizophrenia.
50 Voices
John Christopher Mason
What is your insight into mental health and the services offered
• Always engage with staff and stick to your recovery plan
• Never use drugs, it’s better to be without it and feel CLEAN
• BE OPEN AND HONEST ABOUT YOUR SYMPTOMS • Don’t take life for granted by becoming involved with CRIME“A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life” – Charles Darwin
• Don’t see staff as a threat, they are your guardian angels.
BE OPEN AND HONEST ABOUT YOUR SYMPTOMS
Don’t see staff as a threat, they are your guardian angels.
I would like to thank each and every person who was involved in my recovery, especially Gemma, Kirk and Stella Mulgrew.
50 Voices
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