An open, honest, and revealing account of one man's personal battle to de- stigmatize mental illness. Sometimes poignant, sometimes humorous, but always painfully honest, it is a journey covering nearly 30 years of working within the mental health care system. With frankness Lol recalls his childhood and coming to terms with his fathers mental illness, and the stigma he felt himself. Lol describes his "escape" from rural village life in the north east to move south to start afresh. He trained to be a psychiatric nurse in order to understand more the condition his father suffered from, and then dedicated his life to caring for others and de-stigmatizing mental illness. This book looks at the creative ways he has addressed stigma within his own profession, schools, employment, and the media.


Lol Butterfield is 47 and lives in the North East of England. He is married with 2 children. Following a serious car accident at the age of 7 he felt his whole world had come to an end. The accident resulted in emotional and physical scars that profoundly impacted on his childhood confidence and self esteem. As an adult, Lol experienced depression himself. He then used his own personal experiences and extensive knowledge as a qualified mental health nurse to educate others and demystify mental ill health. He became a member of the SHIFT Speakers Bureau to raise awareness and tackle stigma in the media. His passion for his work, and endeavour to positively promote mental health issues, has received recognition at a local and national level. This is his story.