When Rachel first arrived at Depaul she was struggling with her mental health. In her words at 15 she “went a bit off the rails”. Within the space of a month Rachel lost her nan, who died suddenly, and then her grandad, it was a big shock for her, this culminated in a falling out with her mum who asked her to leave home.
A culmination of events, often triggered by losing a loved one, can lead to mental health struggles for the young people we meet. When they arrive into our care, we start the vital work they need to rebuild their confidence and wellbeing, through your committed support you will be helping young people, like Rachel, build back their lives.
Rachel takes up her story “I’ve struggled with mental health problems since I was about 17. It was just tiring, draining, day-to-day and eventually I had a breakdown. I ended up going back to my mum’s for a bit when I was 22, but that didn’t last long as I had to sleep on the settee. So, I went to live with my dad, but where he lived was meant for over-55s and one of his neighbours reported me and so I had to move out. Then I was back to sleeping on sofas during lockdown last year.
“I had gone to stay at my friends, on the couch and living out of a carrier bag, and had an appointment with my doctor to talk about my mental health. It was the doctors that referred me to a support service and they referred me to Depaul UK.”
We found Rachel a room of her own in a shared property, somewhere she could go back to each night and feel secure. And we helped Rachel get back into education. “That’s probably not something I would have done on my own. One of the staff was amazing and now I’m doing an access to university course in health science. I’m loving the course, and I feel so much better feeling like I’m doing something with my life.”
For those young people we help who are struggling with their mental health right now, we know that with the help of supporters like you, we can provide the tools they need to cope with the traumas of their past and move into more stable and fulfilling futures.
Rachel has been able to come off her medication, is planning to apply for radiography at university and she is back in contact with her mum. “Before I came to Depaul UK, I wouldn’t ever have thought I’d be where I am now.” Rachel is getting on with her life thanks to you and your kind and generous support.
Find out more about the services we offer at Depaul UK.
