Once, I believed that I could time travel by rolling down a specific part of a specific hill. I had a notebook full of ‘calculations’ that were really just gibberish. At that moment, I believed I was a genius and nothing could stop me.

Trying to explain your illness to those closest to you can be an intimidating challenge, so here’s some expert advice to help you get the conversation started…

Self-isolation is exhausting when you’re mentally ill – and that’s not to mention my anxiety about accessing mental health care and medication I rely on.

For some, simply getting on a bus or train can be the ultimate challenge, with anxiety and stress leaving them feeling trapped and isolated. But there are strategies out there to help ease the trauma of a journey.

When you truly believe you're immune to harm, life gets complicated.

Taking time off for our mental health is often essential, but many of us dread explaining why we’re taking time away

We all know that our mental health can be impacted by physical illness, but have you ever thought about how that connection goes both ways?

Being assertive is not about confrontations and arguments, it’s about being open and honest, and it can also help to lower our stress levels

This time last year was rough. I was going through a really bad patch. Not just feeling "a bit down", or "sorry for myself". It wasn't something a pint of ice cream and a night on the sofa watching trashy telly would fix. I was depressed in a way I'd never felt before.

"I'm sitting in bed. The voices have started. I can hear shouting, but I can't make out what they're saying. It sounds like it's coming from all around me. It won't stop. I've turned on my laptop and found the easiest, light hearted programme I can find, Friends.

Depression is sneaky, often creeping up on you when you least expect it. But it's also illogical, and can strike us when we're at our happiest. Being aware of the warning signs to watch out for could be crucial in making sure you get help and support sooner than later

It's true that with bipolar disorder, especially during a manic episode (when you're flying high and feel that nothing and no one can stop you), many sufferers have an increased sex drive. Your libido can feel off the charts compared to what you're used to.

I suffer from psychosis. I have auditory hallucinations, so I hear voices, either when I'm manic or depressed. It took me a long time, over a decade in fact, to face up to this reality. I was in denial that I heard voices, and convinced myself it was something everyone experienced.

As part of BBC Three's Debt Week, Katie Conibear talks about the impact the condition has had on her life. Before my diagnosis of bipolar, I thought my rapid and extreme mood swings were just me, just a part of my personality.

At 26, it seemed I had my life sorted. I had a successful career, an active social life, and a steady, loving relationship. However in my head, in my own reality, my life was crumbling. I had been trapped in a cycle of extreme mood swings since I was a teenager, and all I wanted was for it to stop.

Hearing voices comes in many guises. The voices can be comforting and neutral - but sometimes they can be terrifying. Hearing voices is common in some mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder. But you can hear voices without being mentally ill, such as when grieving.

With 13% of people experiencing a panic attack at some point in their lives, it seems a lot of us know how terrifying they can be. But for some, having them during the night can be another, overwhelming experience, and often very different to a panic attack during the day...

I've lived with psychosis for 14 years. I have auditory hallucinations, so I hear voices and sounds that aren't really there. Sometimes I experience delusions where I end up believing wild and outlandish things about myself. Every so often I hear shrill voices desperately screaming, interspersed with aggressive, guttural shouts, both of which pierce my ears with their intensity.

People often assume that those living with mental illness are, or should be, miserable all the time, and hidden away at home. But this stigma needs to end