At 29 Janey was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Janey had a lonely adolescence, thinking she 'got it worst than most'. In her twenties things 'blew up in her face', and she was admitted to hospital a lot. She now manages her condition and works for Rethink

As a child, Ron was abused by a priest. He first heard voices at work and over the following ten years he spent six in in-patient care. He went to the Hearing Voices network in 1991 and began his recovery journey. Ron now works in the field of mental health.

Devon was always into music from a young age, but when in a successful reggae band he had a breakdown, was admitted to hospital and diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Music gave him hope, and eventually he founded the highly successful music project 'Sound Minds in South London

Andrew had a 'normal' childhood but lost his leg in an accident aged 17. Later, he was admitted to psychiatric hospital aged 23. He became a 'revolving door' patient over the next 18 years and was homeless for some of that time. Now he has an MA, is involved in the user movement and enjoys playing guitar.

Lorenz is a 50-year-old Black Afro-Caribbean man who has been in the UK since 1966. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia aged 20 and this is now controlled by the anti-psychotic Aripiprazole (10mg daily) enabling Lorenz to work as a social care assistant.