Wow. Thank you for sharing those memories, Steve. Powerful words. Mental health is so precious. We’re so unaware of what others are facing under their “public” face.
Wow, what an experience, and journey bud. Can you remember what ward you were in? This is crazy, but ironically I was in Queen Mary's about the same time? Anyway thanks again for sharing your story Steve.
Phew! Thanks for sharing what must have been tough to revisit and write about. I recall you mentioning your OCD tendencies but I had no idea of the history behind it and what you went through as a kid. More power to you making it out the other side and giving us a glimpse of something so personal. As Mia said, it's a graphic memoir in the making if you wanted to go down that path, though it's a pretty crowded field.
Thanks, Cefn. To be honest, I didn’t find it hard to write at all, because I learned so many positives from the whole experience. I do feel for my family for what I put them through, and maybe my parent’s friends, who having invited us over for dinner were puzzled to see the Cook child removing his clothes before he sat at the table. I mean... I can see the funny side of it now! The hardest part was pushing the ‘publish’ button.
What an incredible life you've had, Steve. You told me much of this years ago of course, and I look back with some shame at the young eejit who saw it as inspiration for stories, without much thought for the real lives involved. I wonder now what became of the other residents of Queen Mary's. I think you're absolutely right to share this so openly though. Your story will have resonance for others but also inspiration, because you came through the other side and are still having a great (and successful) life. Thanks again for sharing.
PS: That night nurse though... Nurse Ratched vibes!
There's absolutely no shame in you using some of this stuff in Misrule, John, I wholeheartedly said you could at the time. I hadn't seen the strip panels for years until you said you could scan 'em for me, and seeing them now makes me really happy that some of the story ended up in a graphic novel by you, Gary Erskine, and a cover by Biz, no less! I used one of your own Misrule stories... the one set in Highgate, to teach my students about storytelling, so there is that. All we need now is a Tommy the Tomato exposé!
Thanks Steve. Nice to have made it into your storytelling class – that must have been The Street Where You Live, with art by the hugely talented Peter Snejbjerg. The true tale of Tommy the Tomato is too saucy for public consumption (I'll show myself out).
Steve, this is an extraordinary account. I know a little bit about your mental health issues when you were a kid, but this really does put it into perspective. So many people experience terrible traumas throughout their lives and bottle them up. It's courageous and inspiring to share them like this. More power to you, and I'm glad you overcame it all to become the relatively sane but never normal person you are today.
Well, that was quite harrowing - but thank you for sharing it. I think a lot of people go through some fairly troubling bouts of mental illness at some point in their lives, but the perceived stigma means they end up keeping it to themselves. I think it helps others if we're all a bit more open about our experiences - if only so that sufferers don't feel so alone in what they're going through.
I remember you telling me about some of those behaviours, which was very brave at the time due to the stigma attached to mental health.
Your spell in hospital must have terrifying for a 9 year old boy. Certainly glad you made a full recovery.
Thanks, Maurice!
Wow. Thank you for sharing those memories, Steve. Powerful words. Mental health is so precious. We’re so unaware of what others are facing under their “public” face.
Thanks, John!
You write well. I appreciated that very much.
Thanks, Simon!
That’s a graphic novel—I could see it as I was reading it.
I like the sound of that, Thanks, Mia!
Wow, what an experience, and journey bud. Can you remember what ward you were in? This is crazy, but ironically I was in Queen Mary's about the same time? Anyway thanks again for sharing your story Steve.
Thanks, Kevin. It would be kinda freaky if your surname was Dudley!
Nah ....but yeah you're right there, it would be really freaky lol 😆
Extraordinary Steve. I knew some of it but thank you for being so open and honest to share it.
Thanks, Tim! As I mentioned, yours was the first comment and it gave me some assurance after I'd hesitated to press that 'publish' button.
Phew! Thanks for sharing what must have been tough to revisit and write about. I recall you mentioning your OCD tendencies but I had no idea of the history behind it and what you went through as a kid. More power to you making it out the other side and giving us a glimpse of something so personal. As Mia said, it's a graphic memoir in the making if you wanted to go down that path, though it's a pretty crowded field.
Thanks, Cefn. To be honest, I didn’t find it hard to write at all, because I learned so many positives from the whole experience. I do feel for my family for what I put them through, and maybe my parent’s friends, who having invited us over for dinner were puzzled to see the Cook child removing his clothes before he sat at the table. I mean... I can see the funny side of it now! The hardest part was pushing the ‘publish’ button.
What an incredible life you've had, Steve. You told me much of this years ago of course, and I look back with some shame at the young eejit who saw it as inspiration for stories, without much thought for the real lives involved. I wonder now what became of the other residents of Queen Mary's. I think you're absolutely right to share this so openly though. Your story will have resonance for others but also inspiration, because you came through the other side and are still having a great (and successful) life. Thanks again for sharing.
PS: That night nurse though... Nurse Ratched vibes!
There's absolutely no shame in you using some of this stuff in Misrule, John, I wholeheartedly said you could at the time. I hadn't seen the strip panels for years until you said you could scan 'em for me, and seeing them now makes me really happy that some of the story ended up in a graphic novel by you, Gary Erskine, and a cover by Biz, no less! I used one of your own Misrule stories... the one set in Highgate, to teach my students about storytelling, so there is that. All we need now is a Tommy the Tomato exposé!
Thanks Steve. Nice to have made it into your storytelling class – that must have been The Street Where You Live, with art by the hugely talented Peter Snejbjerg. The true tale of Tommy the Tomato is too saucy for public consumption (I'll show myself out).
Steve, this is an extraordinary account. I know a little bit about your mental health issues when you were a kid, but this really does put it into perspective. So many people experience terrible traumas throughout their lives and bottle them up. It's courageous and inspiring to share them like this. More power to you, and I'm glad you overcame it all to become the relatively sane but never normal person you are today.
Thanks, Dave - Yeah, I'd hate to become a norm! :)
Days out at Haying Island took me back. Thanks for sharing this S, incredibly powerful and moving. ✊
Thanks, Johnny!
Thanks for sharing, Steve.
Thanks, Manqueman!
I never knew! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Rich!
Well, that was quite harrowing - but thank you for sharing it. I think a lot of people go through some fairly troubling bouts of mental illness at some point in their lives, but the perceived stigma means they end up keeping it to themselves. I think it helps others if we're all a bit more open about our experiences - if only so that sufferers don't feel so alone in what they're going through.
Thanks, Matt!