How you can help

There are many ways in which you can help people suffering from anxiety, phobias and related disorders.

The work of the Phobic Trust touches people of all ages irrespective of age, culture, and socio-economic background. We rely on the time of our volunteers and charitable donations to allow our valuable work to continue - these donations come from our supporters, charitable trusts and individuals just like you. Here are some of our achievements that would not have been possible without the generosity of supporters like you…

• In the Auckland region, the Phobic Trust Anxiety Disorders Clinic at St.Lukes provides specialist treatment to anxiety disorder sufferers via a multi-disciplinary clinical team. Nationally, the 24-hour 0800 Helpline helps thousands of people in crisis suffering from panic attacks and phobias who literally have nowhere else to turn.
• 24 hours every day, 365 days a year, the Phobic Trust National Helpline helps people in distress, including many whose anxiety disorders have become so severe that they are contemplating suicide.
• The Phobic Trust also works to gain awareness and recognition of a disability which affects 25% of the population. We are currently investigating the links between anxiety disorders and alcohol and substance abuse and hope that the results of this research will help future sufferers and their families.
  

Our vision is of a world where anxiety disorders carry no stigma and sufferers are not afraid to speak out and seek help for fear of being labelled stupid, weak or crazy. On the contrary, for some time there has been a popular notion that creativity, especially a high degree of creativity, and mental disorder have much in common. In fact, the idea that “mental disorder” and creative “genius” are related can be traced back to Aristotle and the early Greek philosophers. In recent years, research findings have lent support to the notion that various types of mental conditions are linked in interesting ways to creativity and that extraordinary creativity itself might predispose some individuals to certain types of mental disorder.

History reveals many famous people such as John Bunyan, Samuel Johnson, Martin Luther, Winston Churchill and Howard Hughes have suffered from anxiety, which shows that having an anxiety disorder has nothing to do with lack of intelligence.

	Winston Churchill (1874-1965) suffered from depression all his life which he named "the Black Dog". Bouts of bipolar depression made Churchill, who is the most respected man in British history, vulnerable and afraid. These matters where rationalized and hushed up. This is a man who battled behind the scenes with depression but went on to achieve greatness. In fact, some believe that it was more complex than that - that Sir Winston's achievements were because of his bipolar - not in spite of it. Had he been a stable and equable man, he could never have inspired the nation. In 1940, when all the odds were against Britain, a leader of sober judgment might well have concluded that Britian was finished.
	Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) who compiled the first dictionary of the English language, suffered from depression, fear of death and a compulsion of "odd movements". He would never step on cracks between paving stones and when he went for a walk, he touched every post he passed.
	Howard Hughes (1905-1976) the reclusive billionaire. His "eccentricities" were well-known, including a germ obsession that started in childhood and worsened throughout his adult years. That didn't stop him, however, from being brilliantly successful in both Hollywood as a film director and producer and in aviation, where he owned a number of airlines, and at one point held a number of air speed records as an aviator.
	Charles Dickens (1812-1870) the English author, suffered from high levels of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Dickens reported being troubled by many 'gloomy thoughts' and had a fear of masks, having been frightened by one as a child. On stage he was a born showman loving the applause of the audience. Off stage he was depressed and lonely. He was the most famous novelist of his time, yet happiness eluded him.

 

More famous people known to have coped with symptoms of anxiety and mental disorders:

Sting, musician Sylvia Plath, author Art Buchwald, humorist & columnist Anthony Hopkins, actor Emily Dickenson, poet Leo Tolstoy, author John Keats, poet Bette Midler, entertainer Charles Schultz, cartoonist Dick Clark, entertainer Pat Conroy, author Irving Berlin, composer Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky, composer Ernest Hemingway, author Tennessee Williams, playwright Brooke Shields, actress Halle Berry, actress Carrie Fisher, actress Lord Byron, poet Edgar Allan Poe, author Alfred Lord Tennyson, Poet Laureate Charlie Pride, singer Mike Wallace, journalist Sir Isaac Newton, physicist Vincent Van Gogh, painter Suzanne Summers, actress & author Kirk Douglas, actor

Princess Diana Marilyn Monroe, actress Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composer Virginia Woolf, author Benjamin Franklin, statesman Michelangelo, artist Rosemary Clooney, singer Burgess Merideth, actor Rod Steiger, actor Victor Hugo, author Ludwig van Beethoven, composer Abraham Lincoln, US President Buzz Aldrin, astronaut Margot Kidder, actress Charlie Pride, singer Sylvia Plath, poet and novelist Janet Jackson, singer Patty Duke, actress Ben Stiller, actor Jonathon Winters, comedian Roseanne Barr, comedian Marlon Brando, actor Spike Milligan, actor Audrey Hepburn, actress Connie Francis, singer John Bunyan, preacher & writer Martin Luther, priest & reformer

Article:  Creative minds: the links between mental illness and creativity

Spike Milligan: I Told You I Was Ill

If you feel you can help with sponsorship, donations, volunteering & bequests then please go to our Fundraising section. Any help is gratefully received and appreciated.