"Our HIIC group wrote a short play about self-harm and suicide called “She Died Waiting”.

Our HIIC group wrote a short play about self-harm and suicide called “She Died Waiting”. Sophie is a 17- year-old girl who struggled to cope with the death of her grand-father. She lived at home with her mother who was working two jobs to pay the bills and keep them both, plus she was in the middle of school exams. Sadly, Sophie took her own life because help was not available at a time, she most needed it.

This was a powerful message to let people know that services need urgently updated. There is a comprehensive list of places to go in Dundee (our local council) but they need to be distributed to every community centre/hub, doctors’ surgeries, libraries and other social outlets. People in need should know exactly where to go for information and assistance appertaining to them. We also feel that there is a need for doctors (receptionists) health professionals to be re-trained. Since writing our play we have been asked to perform it (firstly at Douglas Community Centre) with family and friends.

Then we had MSP Shona Robinson at another meeting, Abertay University, Dundee University, A.D.H.D. group, Glasgow WEvolution group. CHEX (Community Health Exchange) Glasgow, Aberdeen and the SPG (strategic planning group).

On reflection of the impact our short drama had on our family, friends and the wider community we each felt we had gained a lot of confidence. We began to realise that people were listening as we were being invited to perform at more venues. The audiences were always different, we were reaching more and more people who were willing to listen. We felt empowered and confident we could help to make change that we decided to look to our local areas. Every performance prompted a spontaneous discussion as everyone could relate to the story. It was an enlightening as well as a heart-breaking discovery, for although when we wrote the script it was not based on any person, it was based on parts of our life experiences it suddenly became everyone’s story, a story everyone could relate to.

The research, and the determination of us as individuals and also as a group has been having quite a big input into the mental health provisions in our local
area. We have managed to break down barriers and stigma around this once never talked about condition by delivering our play that we wrote and performed. Opening up discussions, telling our stories and hearing other stories. As we near the end to HIIC part 2 I am leaving a stronger more confident person with lifelong friends. We will still continue our work out with this group but one thing for sure is we’re stronger as a team and will keep fighting until drastic change happens. Coming into this one of our goals was to try and get a 24hr support system unit opened, used for when someone is in a crisis and a safe space for them. Dundee is now in the middle of setting up such a service and it will open in the near future, I personally can’t wait for more changes like this to happen.