The man behind Ian Beale's breakdown
Kevin Shepherd, supporter of , England鈥檚 biggest mental health anti-stigma programme run by the charities and , writes:
听When I was contacted by about advising a TV series with an upcoming mental health story line I never imagined it would turn out to be EastEnders!
Contact was quickly made with the research team and many emails and phone calls were exchanged, the outcome of which was the Ian Beale breakdown story. My input was welcomed and I quickly realised that this was going to be something I could really help with; I could draw on my own experiences and do my bit to make sure that Ian鈥檚 illness was portrayed accurately and as far as possible, realistic and believable.
Mental illness is a massive umbrella covering a vast array of different diagnoses. One of the biggest challenges in creating awareness of mental health issues is breaking down the stereotypical way people think when confronted with the term 鈥渕ental illness鈥 and Ian鈥檚 breakdown is just one of so many different ways that the illness can manifest itself.听 My personal experience is of a mental breakdown and anxiety/depressive disorder and I could really empathise with the story.
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