Description

Mental Survival

By Oliver Swingler

ISBN: 978-1-78382-294-2
Published: 2016
Pages: 96
Key Themes: poetry, mental health services, depression, isolation, recovery

Description

Mental Survival is a collection of articles, personal experiences, poems and songs, mostly centred around the theme of mental health. The writer draws on a wealth of experience to focus on psychiatry and counselling, the side effect of drugs and ECT, stigma and abuse, shedding light on much that is wrong with attitudes and care for the increasing numbers of people suffering debilitating mental distress. He also shows that despite an often daily battle against suicidal thoughts and chronic mood swings, it is possible to have a rewarding life, with moments of caring companionship, mostly winning the struggle to maintain a positive attitude and self-respect.

About the Author

Oliver Swingler was born 10th March 1948, and is currently actively retired despite physical disability and being a mental health survivor for 55 years. His working career has included 37 different jobs, from factory labourer to Customer Services Supervisor, Sales Manager to Hospital Porter, Shop Assistant to Volunteer Co-ordinator, barman to Adult Education Lecturer and over the years hes done a variety of voluntary work, including VSO on island of St Helena, working with people recovering from head injuries, housing advisor with a Shelter Housing Aid Centre.
Apart from 19 years semi retreat from the world in the Emin esoteric cult, Oliver has been an active campaigner on a variety of issues, a student Socialist Society Chair, NUPE Shop Steward, Chair of Lifeboat mental health co-operative, and two Tenants and Residents Associations. As well as writing songs for a left green choir, hes most recently been active against fracking and global warming, as part of White Ribbon Campaign antiviolence against women, seeking justice for families of victims of the DWP, Atos, Maximus, Capita, and most recently rejoined the Labour Party after 50 years absence to support Jeremy Corbyn.
A believer in social housing, Oliver has lived in a council flat in Newcastle-upon-Tyne for 26 years.