Post by Professor Ahmed Hankir MBChB MRCPsych

My journey from psychiatric patient to consultant psychiatrist… When I was a medical student in Manchester UK, I developed a devastating mental health condition triggered by the trauma of the 2006 conflict in Lebanon, poverty, accommodation & food insecurity & being far removed from my loved ones. The symptoms were so severe I was forced to interrupt medical school. I was stigmatised & shunned & I lost all hope I’d ever recover & qualify. However, with specialist support from a consultant psychiatrist I slowly got my life back on track, resumed medical school & graduated. I wanted to help patients with mental health conditions the same way the consultant psychiatrist helped me so I decided to specialise in psychiatry. A year ago today was my first day as a consultant psychiatrist. What an opportunity to serve society & to support the most vulnerable amongst us. I promised I would do everything I can to improve the lives of patients with mental health conditions, a promise that I continue to make. I discuss my journey from psychiatric patient to consultant psychiatrist in my book ‘Breakthrough. A Story of Hope Resilience and Mental Health Recovery’ available to order now: https://lnkd.in/gdyShpqu