Rejecting the silent approach to mental health recovery
- Alan Hulme
- Aug 22
- 2 min read
After suffering a prescription drug-induced psychotic episode and being arrested by her own colleagues, a serving police officer was forcibly detained in a mental health unit under the Mental Health Act.
The arrest of Rebecca House, 18 years ago, was followed by 28 days of juggling resistance and compliance as she attempted recovery, all the time being threatened by fellow patients and violently force-fed medication she knew would inhibit her ability to protect herself.
The terrifying experience led to her book Police to Paranoia, and now a new one-act play, Silent Approach, which launches at the New Adelphi Theatre (Salford University) on
September 25, before a northern tour.
Rebecca faced paranoia and mistreatment during her detention, so has strong opinions about mental health. She wrote and self-published Police to Paranoia to help others to hear her story and the ways she has been helped over the years. That book was followed by the creation of Strength in Struggles, Rebecca’s mental health organisation, which provides coaching, counselling, support groups and free alternative therapies to people having mental health problems.
Silent Approach's writer, Caroline Lamb, said: “As a society, it is crucial that we begin to rethink our treatment of those in mental health crisis. I was keen for the play to show a balanced view of the services involved; how certain responses can exacerbate a person's condition, while others can set them on the road to recovery.”
Performances will be followed by post-show Q&A sessions with Rebecca and the company, though after the first performance in Salford, Rebecca will be joined on stage by former Premier League footballer and now mental health advocate, Clarke Carlisle.
After Salford, the play tours to the Dukes Theatre, Lancaster (September 26-27); Blackburn Central Library (October 1-2); the Oak Theatre, Scarisbrick (October 4) and the Lowther Pavilion, Lytham St Annes (October 5).
More info and tickets here
