ABOUT US

I have set up The Mood Foundation as I myself have been badly affected by depressive conditions. I have suffered from addiction, self-harm, and major depression. Depressive conditions do not discriminate, however, in my years fighting it, I have realized that the recovery process does. Treatment is often inaccessible and often only affordable to a few. It took years for me to first realize there was something wrong and then to find the right treatment, however I was lucky enough to be able to try everything until I found what worked for me. There was still a big fight on my hands but I was able to be in a safe place whenever I needed to be and this was largely down to financial stability. There is definitely no magic wand with depressive conditions; you have to be prepared to face it head on and attack it the same way it attacks you. Just turning up to see a therapist is not going to help. The right combinations of therapy and activity are needed, all of which does cost, however, you have to put in the work and it's hard. It is my aim to help as many of those people suffering from depressive conditions who are being prevented from recovery because they cannot afford the correct treatment or they do not meet the correct �threshold' to access the appropriate services. Above all I want to get them into the correct room so that they, at least can have the same opportunity to fight as I had.

The Mood Foundation will build a database of private therapists and alternative therapies used to treat various titles of depressive conditions. Working alongside GPs, we will aim to assess what treatment is best for a person and match them up with the correct therapist or type of therapy.

People must be at least 18 years old. Those with a significant risk history must be excluded for patient and therapist safety. Treatment is made affordable by our financial support; if people are unable to pay for treatment, we do.

WHY WOULD YOU SUPPORT THE MOOD FOUNDATION?

Depression, anxiety and other forms of mental conditions have taken over from unemployment as the greatest social problem in the UK. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence has advised that �drugs are not the best answer, they may work in adults in the short term, but patients more easily relapse when they stop taking them, and may suffer side-effects.'

• One in four of us will experience a mental health problem at some point in our lives.
• Over 250,000 people are admitted to psychiatric hospitals each year. (Mind 2008)
• Over 4,000 people take their own lives each year. (Mind 2008)
• We can start treating people immediately as our expense costs are very low.
• My reasons for starting the foundation come from a personal experience.
• Regular therapy is out of reach for most people due to cost (private therapy is typically 100-200 pounds an hour), inaccessible services or unacceptably long waiting lists
• We will support people right the way through recovery.
• By treating one person we improve quality of life for many. One sufferer affects the life of family and friends and it is astounding to see how relationships improve as a result of recovery.