Menu Expand
Walk A Mile

Walk A Mile

Chris Young

(2017)

Abstract

As a kind, chatty, and good-humoured man with a zest for life and a passion for helping people, Chris Young adored his job as a social worker. But things fell apart when, in 2008, he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. His illness brought about the end of his calling and he found himself in need of a new project and purpose.

And so it came to be that in 2011 Chris began a campaign called Walk a Mile In my Shoes. He walks around the edge of the UK - the edge of society being where many people with mental health problems feel they are - without spending any money and relying on the kindness of strangers.

In 2015 he joined forces with See Me Scotland to distil the success of the coastal walk into a series of events, inviting other people to join him and discuss mental health. He encouraged them to literally walk a mile in each other's shoes.

Walk a Mile: Tales of a Wandering Loon is the story of how a normal, nurturing childhood turned into one of neglect and abuse and how this, combined with a little faulty brain wiring, lead to a severe and enduring mental illness. It is also the story of one man's journey towards tackling mental health stigma, one step at a time.

Trigger are proud to announce Theinspirationalseries partner to their innovative Pullingthetrigger range. Theinspirationalseries promotes the idea that mental illness should be talked about freely and without fear. Find out more at www.triggerpublishing.com



Table of Contents

Section Title Page Action Price
FRONT COVER 1
COPYRIGHT 3
THE AUTHOR 4
DEDICATION 6
CHAPTER 1 LIVING ON THE BORDERLINE 8
CHAPTER 2 GAMEKEEPER TURNED POACHER 16
CHAPTER 3 CHRISTOPHER 28
CHAPTER 4 MUM 36
CHAPTER 5 DAD 46
CHAPTER 6 JIM 61
CHAPTER 7 DEREK 79
CHAPTER 8 STUART 94
CHAPTER 9 LOUISE 119
CHAPTER 10 SQUARE PEGS 133
CHAPTER 11 FINDING HOPE 179
CHAPTER 12 THE WAIT FOR THERAPY 197
CHAPTER 13 HOW THERAPY HELPED ME 220
CHAPTER 14 WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES 231
CHAPTER 15 TALES OF A WANDERING LOON 240
CHAPTER 16 SEE ME SCOTLAND 303
CHAPTER 17 THE TIP OF A RATHER LOVELY ICEBERG 306
CHAPTER 18 I'M NOT GOING TO GET ANY BETTER 309
CHAPTER 19 THE BEGINNING OF THE END, OR THE END OF THE BEGINNING? 311
CHAPTER 20 YES, I'M STILL NUTS 321
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 324