Change Mental Health is a place which helps me with my feelings of isolation, lack of confidence and gets me involved in lots of activities – all of which have helped me and given me a sense of purpose. The people going there are very accepting, friendly and non-judgemental. It often feels like they have become my extended family. They see me, not my illness!

It’s been a huge lifeline to me. After being diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), I lost all my confidence and was not in a good place. I shut myself away from the world. Having Change Mental Health support has helped me to leave the house and regain that confidence and self-esteem. I almost don’t have the time to tell you about the huge differences they have made in my life and how much they have helped me.

I started receiving support and attending their service at Kaleidoscope. At first, just being there was a huge challenge. It didn’t take long for me to realise that I had found a safe, relaxed and friendly place, where I could just be myself. The best thing of all, was I realised that I was not on my own. The support everyone receives from each other who attend plays a key factor in making this service work. The staff are supportive, friendly and approachable, making me feel at ease straight away. They gave me the chance to move at a pace I felt comfortable with and let me begin to grow when I was ready. I’ve never felt pressured, pushed or hurried in any way.

They informed me of all the activity, social support on offer. When I felt up to it, I started getting involved in different things – activities I had never done before. Instead of being shut away, doing or seeing no one, I was getting out and doing things I enjoyed. Even getting involved in things I used to enjoy again has enabled me to grow. All this has made a huge positive difference to my life. It helps me maintain both my physical and mental health while managing and coping with my illness better.