ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the importance and need of engaging with the internal world of those living with various mental health problems. It reflects upon aspects such as personal narratives, life story work and autobiographical accounts as means of expressing and sharing personal experience. First, the sense of what lived experience signifies is reviewed along with the associated term of narrative. This is followed by an exploration of the scope of accessible first-person narratives within a variety of media source types. As will be covered, these are conveyed utilising a wide variety of communicative modes such as textual, visual or auditory means. They are very individual expressions and in a number of instances can initially appear confusing or hard to understand. These, however, can be rich in expressive symbolism or visual significance conveying important messages about a person’s internal experience, thoughts and feelings. As will be seen throughout this book, the importance of engaging with and connecting with lived experience narratives concerns the opportunity to get closer to and understand more about a person’s internal experience. This is vital for carers as effective care can only be delivered if one has understanding as to what a person is feeling or experiencing in relation to various mental health problems. It is also important to have greater awareness as to a person’s subjective experience of care interventions. This helps us understand why perhaps a person may not want to continue with their prescribed medication or what their concerns about attending for psychotherapy might be. We can also note what people are telling us that is helpful for them such as the vital feelings of acceptance and connectedness felt through engaging with others who are experiencing mental health problems. A further issue discussed within this chapter considers the validity of personal narratives as ‘evidence’ which is linked to the notion of service users being experts through experience.
