Eleanor de Jong

Nov 27, 2023 | eleanordejong.substack.com | Eleanor de Jong

When I wasn’t kicking or yelling, I would run at the door, throwing my entire body against  the fresh, unyielding steel. “Stop it!” the police officers yelled. “Just quieten down”. When you are detained against your will (I had committed no crime except being extremely unwell in a rural area) fighting can be one of the last vestiges of your humanity. Your puny kicks against a cell door aren’t rational, or considered, or even particularly violent; they are your only voice when you have no other.

Nov 20, 2023 | eleanordejong.substack.com | Eleanor de Jong

I’ve spent most of my career writing for newspapers, and sometimes magazines. I’m so old now (35!) that I remember the days of dedicated sub-editors and once-a-day deadlines. I remember being given a wad of thick, American cash by my editor and told to come back in a week with some really great stories from the provinces. It was fun, it it still fun, but it’s also really different.

Aug 27, 2023 | theguardian.com | Eleanor de Jong

Before my husband and I tried to get pregnant, before toying with names or choosing a room for the nursery, we sat down for confronting consultations with three psychiatrists. I had long been warned of the risks pregnancy posed to bipolar mothers, and had the devastating suggestion made that not having a baby on health grounds should be a serious option for me. My grief, when that was suggested, was immense. Pregnancy is the single greatest biological event of a woman’s life.

Aug 13, 2023 | msn.com | Eleanor de Jong

Many people with lived experience got in touch to thank me for the piece, some from psych wards, but also to remind me that a lot, if not most people with severe mental health issues, are not only without a periphery but also without close family and friends. I think this point, that readers were brave enough to share, is deeply sad and largely true. My own experience of having so much support made me a rarity in the mental health system. But it’s not a common experience.

Jul 30, 2023 | theguardian.com | Eleanor de Jong

Leading up to a severe mental health crisis, and at its apex, a patient hopefully becomes cocooned in intensive support: from a spouse, immediate family, perhaps close friends and a core team of medical professionals. Those closest bear the brunt of the trauma. They’re usually the ones hiding the knives in the family home, ensuring a medication regime is adhered to, trying to minimise substance abuse and calling the police if things get out of hand.