As the saying goes, there are two sides to every story, and that is often the case when you hear stories concerning mental health, addiction, depression and debilitating illness, writes Mike Wade.

News stories, reports and statistics which broach on these issues often miss out the human element and, more often than not, the real story of the person behind the depression, or what led some one down the dark lane of addiction to drugs or alcoholism or to end up homeless.

However, a creative project entitled ’The Other Island’ aims to give those who slip through the cracks of society and live around the margins, or suffer away from the public eye, a voice and a platform for self-expression, and also the chance to learn new skills along the way.

’The Other Island’ sees a group of volunteers, who have experienced either homelessness or coping with physical and mental health challenges, working with professional writers, photographers and film makers to help them tell their stories in their own words, and in their own way.

The project is led by Cat Jenkins, herself a recovering alcoholic, and includes journalist Veronique Mistiaen pictured right), writer and poet Janet Lees, photographer Marianne McCourt, videographer Jack Bridson and web designer Julie Parys who have worked with eight people, selected with help from the charities Graih and Motiv8, over a 10- week period and will shortly publish the finished stories, poems, and testimonies online.

’Over the period, we have taken the group through some creative skills and warm ups, and held sessions on how to use a camera, free writing, how to shape stories into little vignettes, and how to present them so that they are quite telling about their whole lives and experiences,’ said Cat.

’The Other Island’ website offers each writer a page for their own work, and also the opportunity to write anonymously, which allows them to talk about more personal issues, or relates stories that may cause offence elsewhere.

The group also worked to stimuli, such as ’Things that I would have told myself 10 years ago’, ’What I would tell somebody else in my situation’, what they would change from their childhood or ’I Remember’, where they could write about certain days where things would go wrong and why.

’In our group we have someone who has been homeless, two ladies who suffer with bipolar issues and three people who struggle with addiction, including myself,’ said Cat.

’Some are named, some not, and some write under an alias.

’One lady writes under her own name about her EUPD- an emotionally unstable personality disorder, and how that affects her, but she also writes anonymously about other issues.

’And most, if not all, have found it very therapeutic.’

Award-winning freelance journalist Veronique, who has covered social, global and humanitarian issues for many international publications, such as the The Guardian, The Times, the Chicago Tribune and le Monde, amongst many others, feels that the project is hugely worthwhile, and the ability to cast a light on hidden social problems is one that can be beneficial right across society.

’I think it is a great project, and it works on three different levels,’ said Veronique.

’It is very personal for those taking part, to encourage self confidence and expression and for them to tell their stories.

’Also, it is good for the people of the island to discover how some people on the island live who may have now idea, and of the issues they are facing.

’Thirdly, we hope that it will reach those within government, and the people who have the power so that they may be encouraged to help change things.

’It is nice because the group is totally different,’ she said.

’We have men and women with different issues, and many different personalities.

’They felt like they could say something, and that is was actually worth saying. It boosted a lot of people’s confidence, and it also helps to de-stigmatise situations which are more common than perhaps people realise.

’I am amazed by some of the work created by the group. Some of them really have found their writing voice.

’It was quite hard for them, at first, to think "Wow! What am I going to write about?"

’One man, who is in recovery from addiction, wanted a picture of him who he was before, and a picture of him now.

’He is trying to use symbols of change, and he has also written about his progression, starting from waking up and drinking through to not drinking feeling better, and how he is identifying signs of changes in his life.’

One member of the group, John, said that he has found the project very helpful.

Having suffered from crippling anxiety, depression and alcoholism, John hopes that by reading his own accounts of his life, more people will be able to identify with him and seek help.

’It is an opportunity to highlight issues that people are facing over here, that don’t necessarily get talked about a lot,’ said John.

’I have talked about my own experiences and what it is like living and coping with anxiety and depression, and also I have written a piece about my first detox and withdrawal, and how bad I had it.

’I wanted to say that, if I can get through that, then others might see that it is not as bad as it may seem.

’I have also written about a day in my life, about what it is like to wake up in that hole, where the first thing you experience in your day is horrible withdrawal symptoms, and go straight to an open bottle of vodka.

’It has been really important for me to do this, and it has been extremely difficult to do that.

’Before I started this, I had talked about it a little bit, but this has let me get it all out there and to be really honest and open. That is very helpful.

’I have always been a very private person, and this has helped me learn how to express things and how to get it out in the open .

’To say "I’ve done that in my past", and to actually own up to something, that has been really important.

’There is a lot of stigma about lots of issues of mental health or addiction, things like, and generally people don’t talk about it.’

The stories, photographs, videos and testimonies can be viewed on theotherisland.im

The Other Island project has been supported by the Isle of Man Arts Council and Culture Vannin.