After his idyllic childhood on the Bournemouth coast was shattered by sexual abuse and drug dependence, Paul saw no other way to escape the pressures of life and threw himself out of a third storey window when he was 17 years old. Having survived the ordeal and endured more years of anguish, a doctor in the hospital inspired him to play an active role in his own recovery. Now working in the field of mental health, he spends his days determined to help others in order to give back to the community. About the Author: Paul Scates is a mental health expert, presenter, campaigner, motivational coach, wellbeing ambassador and inspirational speaker from Bournemouth, England. He is also survivor of child sexual abuse. Following a mental breakdown after jumping out of an attic window, Paul found himself in and out of medical care as he struggled to come to terms with his childhood trauma. At first his recovery was slow and painful, and he turned to partying to drown out the torment in his mind. But inspired by a medical professional’s honesty about their own issues, he slowly gained the strength to fight back. Paul has worked in the music and entertainment industries and now works tirelessly to help others with their own mental health. In addition to his many other professional roles, he now works for Dorset Mind. He feels that it is his duty to speak out when so many others suffer in silence. |