INTRODUCING ME  

My name is Colin. I’m thirty years old and am currently living in Oxford. I suffer from chronic depression.  

    At school, I failed most of my GCSE’s and, upon leaving, worked as a trainee mechanic. I was terrible at the job and called it a day after six months of getting nowhere. I saw out the rest of the academic year on a “General Work Preparation” course.  

    I then retook my GCSE’s at a local college and gained four passes in Sociology, Psychology, Maths, and Biology. Following that, I took A-levels in English, Law, and Sociology. After a hectic two years, I got one A and two B’s.  

    After a year out working, I took on a law degree in Birmingham. Due to the stress of the course, not helped by living with the flatmates from hell, I quit. 

    I got a job as a care assistant on a cardiac surgery ward. It was stressful, but exhilarating work: I felt that I had finally found a useful role in life. I spent three years in the job, working on various wards. My scariest moment was when I had to do cardiac massage on a patient who had suffered a massive heart attack: he didn’t make it, but I managed to bring him back to life a couple of times. In my opinion, life support should be taught in all schools.  

    In March 1999, I started a nurse training course, moving to Nottingham and living in one of the nurses’ flats. I did fairly well on the essays, never scoring below a C grade. Again the work was fascinating, and I learned a lot about the human body and medical procedures. Although Nottingham is one of the roughest and most deprived cities in Britain, the shopping is excellent, the people are friendly and proud of where they come from, and there are enough pubs and clubs to suit all tastes. My favourite places were the Old Angel and Rock City.  

    After two years, I had to quit the course, due to illness (see MY SOB STORY page) and move back in with my parents for a while.

    Currently, I’m living in supported housing (run by MIND), and spend my days going to a mental health day centre, where I have made some good friends.  

    In my spare time, I enjoy reading the Guardian and the Mirror, watching the news, surfing the internet, browsing in charity shops, swimming, and listening to music. I also like uncensored horror films, vegetarian food, debates on topical issues, and tattoos.