Activist and public speaker, António Ferreira, fights prejudice on 3 fronts – prejudice against being black, being young and having a mental health condition.
“Who is going to be the first black person to speak up about being black and having mental health issues? I asked myself this after leaving the psychiatric hospital. There was no one, so I figured I had to do it,” he says.
From struggle to recovery
António is the youngest of 5 brothers. He did well at school and was considered the promising one among his siblings, which put considerable pressure on him.
“My family, teachers and friends all pushed me to do well. I had pressure from all sides, and with time, I began hearing voices in my head. I never talked about it to anyone, though; no one knew how I felt,” he explains.
This pressure built to the point where, at age 16, he attempted suicide. He was then sectioned in a psychiatric hospital where he was diagnosed with undifferentiated schizophrenia and emotionally unstable personality disorder.
“It was terrifying. I was expecting it to be a regular hospital where I would stay in a bed in a ward, but it was very different. I was not allowed to leave the building and my friends were not allowed to visit because they were under 18,” he says.
“I never accepted the hospital itself, but the medication and therapy helped me. With time, I accepted my diagnosis.”
António considers himself lucky because his family supported him and visited regularly.
“Many of my fellow patients were less fortunate, but we had many other experiences in common. I learned a lot from them; they pushed me towards recovery.”
From recovery to activism
António calls his recovery miraculous.
“Using all my mental powers, the resources I had gained in the hospital, and a low dose of medication, I made a good recovery.”
Life outside the hospital was not easy, however.
“In the beginning, I had great difficulties being around other people. No one had talked about how I was supposed to live when I was released. All I knew was that I would receive therapy and see a team of mental health professionals regularly.”
António decided to return to school to finish his exams and subsequently start studying psychology with neuroscience at the University of Essex.
“I wanted to do what I felt like, not what others expected of me. Studying at university is challenging. I have failed 3 times, but I know I must keep trying.”
Alongside his studies, António is a media volunteer and speaks about mental health on podcasts, panels and conferences. He is also active on social media.
“Speaking up about mental health has been a fantastic experience. I was afraid people would reject me because of the stigma, but on the contrary, it has made my family and friends open up about their own issues,” he says.
He feels he has learned to understand himself better and to know his boundaries.
“Today, I know where I shouldn't go and what I should avoid watching or hearing, such as the topic of suicide and visiting a psychiatric hospital. But I know my limits now and try to stay in my safe zone.”