‘IF WE HIT THE TARGET I’LL SHAVE MY HAIR OFF!’

Caring Carly’s helping others after surviving psychosis

PSYCHOSIS survivor Carly Leese is hoping to help others with mental health issues.

The 30-year-old, of Hanley, spent seven months in a specialist hospital and tried to kill herself 20 times after hearing a voice in her head.

She set up Gigi’s Mind two years and is now fundraising for £5,000 to achieve official charity status.

And she’s pledged to shave all her hair off if she hits the target by June.

Carly, pictured, said: “In 2014 I suffered from psychosis, I was hearing an old man’s voice. From May that year until January 2015 I tried to take my life 20 times.

“I spent seven months in the Harplands but once I was discharged I found there wasn’t any more help. I was sitting at home not knowing what do.

“I was told I’d see someone at the Sutherland Centre in Longton every three months, but when you rang up for appointments it was always hard to get them. It’s hard but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

“I want people to know that – I’m living proof.”

After her struggles, Carly is now in a much better place, and wants to help people who might struggle with opening up.

She said: “I just want to be an extra support for people because I know how tough it can be to get that sometimes, and more people are struggling now than ever before due to the pandemic.

“When I was struggling, I didn’t even tell my family at first because I felt ashamed and I didn’t want to open up, so having someone else to talk to can be really helpful.”

Carly is working towards a qualification in counselling that she hopes will expand what Gigi’s Mind can offer, adding that Covid has seen an increase of about 50 per cent in people turning to it for help.

“We’ll have people just messaging the page saying

‘hi’, so we’ll ask them if they’re okay, and they’ll reply with ‘I don’t know what to say’,” she says.

“It can be really hard to open up and speak about how you’re feeling - especially with men - but when you contact us, we just do whatever you want to do. There’s no pressure, it’s a safe space.”

Carly says lockdown forced her to turn Gigi’s Mind into an online and telephone operation.

“That works for some people, but for a lot of people who are struggling, they don’t want to open up over the phone,” she said.

“When you sit with someone faceto-face, they’re more likely to talk.”

Charity status would enable Gigi’s Mind ‘to do so much more’, such as bucket collections, says Carly.

“There’s a few of us now on the committee, including my mum and dad, and a few other people including a former teacher.

“We’re from all over the area, so we are able to cover the whole of Stokeon-trent. The best way for people to get in touch with us is through our Facebook page. We hope to reach our £5,000 target by June, and I’ve said if we do that, I’ll shave my head.

“We’re getting closer, especially thanks to a local business – who wish to remain anonymous – who donated £1,000 a couple of weeks ago.

“If you do need help, there’s no need to be afraid – I wish I’d opened up sooner back in 2014. Just get in touch with us and have a chat.”