An Ashton woman is speaking out on her experiences of mental health to educate and connect to others.

Growing up in Ashton all her life, attending the local Stamford High School and being a star athlete, Anita Spensley appeared to be living a ‘normal’ life.  

However, the truth is she had been coping with the challenges of mental health from 12 years old. Now she’s opening up about her experiences online in hopes of educating and connecting to others in similar situations.  

Anita appears on two episodes of the Real Porridge Podcast, a YouTube channel hosted by Neil Samworth, an ex-Strangeways prison officer.  

In the videos, Anita speaks candidly about topics such as suicide, hospitalisation and everyday life functioning with mental health.  

She added: “I’m really open about what I’ve been through, and I want people to know it’s okay not to be okay. I would encourage people to tell somebody how they feel, even if they’re not the person who can help.  

“Education is also really important in understanding mental health and making a connection to others who are going through the same thing.” 

Though she was made redundant in October 2020, Anita has been working all her life, spending 25 years in HR and Learning and Development positions. She stresses that people functioning with mental health can lead ‘normal’ lives.  

She said: “I’ve been married 3 years to my husband, Darren. It’s so important to have the right sort of people in your life to support you and not treat symptoms of mental health like they’re shocking.  

“I also get help from a support worker once a week, then I see a psychiatrist and a psychologist. Therapy is really important in learning to cope, just like you’d see a doctor for a physical illness. The only difference between mental illness and physical illness is that you can see one and not the other.” 

Anita is currently searching for a job and linking her debut interviews on the Real Porridge Podcast to her LinkedIn page. She believes some employers have a stigma around hiring people with mental health issues but knows it’s critical to speak on her experiences and help others.  

Lastly, she added: “I think people who have mental health problems tend to try and solve other people’s problems, without assessing whether they’re in the right place to take on someone else’s issues or provide support. It’s important for people to put themselves first and ensure they’re in a stable place.” 

Watch her debut interviews here