About Real Stories

When you’re struggling with your feelings it can sometimes seem like you’re the only one who feels the way you do. But you’re not alone. Lots of other people deal with similar problems all the time – you just might not know it.

Real Stories are created by MindMate, to share stories from young people in Leeds who have had problems with their mental health. We’ll be adding more stories over the next few months so please check back again soon.

For more information about the issues raised, look out for the pop-ups throughout the films or see our ‘Common issues’ section on the MindMate website.

Send your story

Would you like to feature on MindMate’s ‘Real Stories’?

Have you experienced panic attacks in the past and would be comfortable talking about it on film?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Please contact us if you’re interested.*

Contact us

*Unfortunately, we can't promise to include everyone who comes forward, but we will reply to every email we receive as soon as we can.

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Sophie's story
When I started reading I was in Year 2
Tracey Beaker was this little troubled girl who everybody thought was just being naughty
When actually she just needed friends, she just needed people to help her out
About feeling different
How are you feeling today?
I wouldn't have even spoken to you probably
I'm feeling good about myself
You actually are alright you're actually OK.
A good day is to be able to get up in the morning and come to school
About depression
My friends thought that makes you crazy
Find the right service for you
I'm not crazy. I just need someone to reach out to
Talking about your feelings
I've had a lot of support from a lot of different services
Find the right service for you
Don't have to explain what it means

A final note from Sophie

Just remember you’re not the only one who feels like this and things will get better.
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Learn more about...

If you need help with your feelings, there are lots of options available to you. This might be through your school or college or with the brilliant local services available in Leeds. Most of them are free, although some of them have a waiting list. You just need to find the right service for you.

Find out more

Feelings change from day to day and that’s absolutely normal. Sometimes though, you might decide that you need some help with what’s going on in your head. From worrying too much, hurting yourself or feelings about food, there is help and advice available. Find out more about some common issues.

Find out more

Sometimes life can feel hard, you might feel down or like no one understands you – and that can be normal. If sad thoughts and worries won’t go away, or you feel like life isn’t worth living, then you might be experiencing something that’s sometimes called depression. There are lots of things that can help, including lifestyle changes, but talking to someone or looking for advice can be a really good first step.

Find out more

Sometimes it can be really hard to deal with issues or express how you’re feeling. These feelings can make some people want to hurt themselves on purpose, or ‘self-harm’. People self-harm for many different or personal reasons and you may not fully understand why you want to – but please remember that you’re not alone and there are different ways to cope and get help.

Find out more
Photo of young person taking photos Watch Naomi's Story

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