Steven’s Story

I have felt very down since I was about 12 years old, when I was going to high school and wanted more independence. It was hard being a teenager with a Physical Disability.

I had spoken to people about my mood many times over the years but nothing really helped. My disability is Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), or Brittle Bones, and in 2012 I attended a weekend away for young people, ran by the Brittle Bone Society charity. This was probably the first time I felt good about being with people who shared my disability. Then because of the confidence I’d gained, I signed up to an extras agency and I was in the Scottish soap ‘River City’. I also began to meet more people with OI and keep in contact through Facebook.

In 2016 I stopped going to my voluntary job as I didn’t feel like doing much. I started staying at home a lot, I struggled to feel content even in my house. Sometimes I wanted to go out but felt unable to face it, other times I wanted to
be out all the time. I think it had been building up for months possibly even years. I was depressed and at times confused. I contacted Stepping Stones in late 2016 and the first time I went to the office, I didn’t think anything would help me but things seemed to get a bit better when I started attending a Stepping Stones social group. Getting out and talking to people again was great. It was good to be with people who also had experience of mental health problems.

Stepping Stones gave me a purpose when I really needed it. For many years I made quizzes for my family at Christmas and New year, now I was able to make and host some in the Stepping Stones group. I like how Stepping Stones support workers don’t label you as having a specific mental health problem, they are just there to help. I was so pleased Stepping Stones was there during lockdown in 2020 as I think I would have struggled without them. The social group continued on zoom and I also had some counselling on zoom. Stepping Stones were there when I really needed them and it’s been great to have their continued support. I always know I can speak to a support worker at a group or I can phone the office.