Piece of Mind: Mental Health & Psychiatry · Piece of Mind: Mental Health & Psychiatry

Episode 16: Supporting young people with psychosis in Wales

·48 min·3 clips

Malia describes being sectioned in Norwich, taken by ambulance, while her father followed the van from Cardiff.

Catherine Hopkins introduces the podcast from Cardiff. She places it inside the National Centre for Mental Health, which brings together Cardiff, Bangor and Swansea Universities, and says the podcast shares the latest research from the centre, along with other mental-health work at Cardiff University. The episode focuses on a refreshed version of Psychosis Wales. That site is there to give young people information and resources if they are experiencing psychosis or recovering from it. Psychosis is described plainly as something that can appear across mental health, neurological and medical conditions, including schizophrenia, mood disorders, Alzheimer's and stroke. Malia Akbar joins from Cardiff and Vale Drug and Alcohol Services. She has lived experience with psychosis and helps facilitate the Psychosis Peer Support Group for young people in Cardiff. Elle Williams joins the conversation from the service side. The discussion explains that young people often do not think of psychosis right away when something feels off. Hallucinations and hearing voices can be hard to picture if you have never lived through them, and that gap can delay help-seeking. The episode also notes that paranoia can make trust much harder. When people do not trust what is happening around them, they may pull away from family, friends or professionals and end up presenting later, when things have become acute. Malia talks about isolating herself because she did not know how to explain what was happening. She says she could not fully name the experience because she did not understand it herself. The discussion treats recovery as gradual, not as a single turning point, and makes clear that trust issues can linger even after the worst of it passes. Catherine and her guests also talk about outreach. They have been using information stands and links with Cardiff universities to help students learn what first episode psychosis is and where to get support. The final section turns toward sharing the work more widely through clips on social media and the website. The result is a careful public-health conversation that keeps lived experience and practical support in the same frame.

As heard by us

A steady look at early psychosis support for young people in Wales.

This episode of Peace of Mind, hosted by the National Centre for Mental Health, follows the Psychosis Wales revamp with NHS Wales and keeps its focus on young people who are experiencing, or recovering from, psychosis.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want a calm, practical look at psychosis support for young people in Wales.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Piece of Mind: Mental Health & Psychiatry