Fraser's Story
I’m a chef, and the intense pressures of my job were a big cause of my depression. Working long hours meant that I became quite isolated in my house, and I stopped seeing friends. At the start of 2024, I had an incident, and the NHS recommended I get in touch with Self-Harm Network Scotland. It was then that I was introduced to my Peer Practitioner, Kayleigh.
The support I got from Kayleigh really helped me because it encouraged me to become sociable again. I started doing more activities and going out again with friends. It also made me set some life goals. I have always wanted my own pet, so I took the opportunity to get one and I now have a beagle puppy called Luna. She’s a big part of my world now, which has further helped my mental health.
I liked how the support I got from Kayleigh was focused on me, rather than just following a script. I found the one-to-one phone calls and ‘conversation-based’ support really helpful. I had got into the habit of being quite negative and Kayleigh reinforced positivity. I’m the type of person who feeds off other people’s energy and Kayleigh managed to switch my mindset round from negative to being more positive.
"I found the one-to-one phone calls and ‘conversation-based’ support really helpful.
I had got into the habit of being quite negative and [my Peer Practitioner] Kayleigh reinforced positivity."
The support I received has helped me feel a bit more confident. I decided to take a year off from hospitality, but I now feel more confident about going back to work.
I didn’t think it was possible to change my mindset, but it really is – I hope people reading my story realise that it is possible to change how you see things.
The fact that Kayleigh has lived experience of self-harm really helped. I found it easier to connect with her as she could obviously see where I was coming from. Kayleigh showed me that she understood what I was going through and having that trust there made it all seem more humane.
Thank you for sharing your story, Fraser.