Hosted by Rai Waddingham, someone who has personal experience of madness and distress, Looking Behind The Label explores what it means to be a human in a world that can make you feel crazy. In this episode, Rai shares her own journey through madness to connection, including some of the songs she has used to express herself.

Episode contents:

Introduction

Part One: The early days - how I felt 'different' as a child, surviving childhood abuse, becoming overwhelmed, hearing voices, seeing visions and keeping secrets.

Song: Spiders

Part Two: Finding a way through madness - the impact of diagnosis and hospitalisation on my sense of self, attending a hearing voices group and finding people to talk with. The power of peer support and self help. Becoming a person again, finding tentative connections. 

Song: Don't Break the Spell

Part Three: Becoming Rai - beginning to realise I had something to offer the world, training others, coming off medication and rethinking the concept of psychosis, schizophrenia and mental illness. Finding love.

Song: Feels Like Home

Final words: My take home message. It's OK to not be OK. We're all human, after all.

For more information on Rai, see: www.behindthelabel.co.uk