Summary of Gordon's chapter in this compendium, in which he discusses communism in the UK, Brixton, developing psychosis, and other writers.

1. Mental Health Recovery Heroes Past and Present (2011)
Edited by Sophie Davies et al
Chapter 15, Gordon McManus
Gordon aimed to be a communist revolutionary, however he
developed psychosis and had four hospital admissions, his ‘lost
years’. He recovered through writing and playing chess, assisted by
CBT. His definition of recovery is to cope with your illness and to
have a meaningful life (and elsewhere he mentions having a new
identity). This summarises the difficulties of people with major
mental health needs. He went to Essex in 1974 to study Linguistics
and Sociology, and was an active communist. In 1991 he became
psychotic and thought the Soviets were communicating with him
using a new mental science. (cf Stuart Baker Brown). In 2001 he
decided to rebuild his life through writing and chess. He was under
the medical model from 1994 to 2006. His recovery begins in 2007.
He still experiences voices which wake him early in the morning
after a shortened sleep, even though he is on meds. Recovery is not
a cure. Gordon aims to cope with his illness and have a meaningful
life, and to achieve the goal of a full recovery with no symptoms.
Social recovery is very important. Recovery is a slow process, is a
struggle, and involves developing character. (cf Galatians; suffering
leads to perseverance, perseverance to character, and character to
hope.) He lived for a long time believing the Soviets were
controlling him and then he was categorised as mentally ill. It was
hard writing about his experiences of mental illness (cf MM and me).
One delusion was a form of Mugabe telling him not to use books and
telephones. His friends at The Studio in Brixton now know he
suffers from schizophrenia, hence giving some meaning to his life.
Before 2001, Gordon feels he had ***‘lost his intellectual function’
(cf my mental meltdown). His sister gave him a computer which

2. became a catalyst for change (cf me). For all of 2005 he researched
globalisation on the internet, and in 2006 his psychiatrist decided
drugs alone weren’t enough and referred Gordon for CBT. For many
years he did not share his experiences with his family, until 2001
when he did, and found support was there. He recognises he is still a
paranoid schizophrenic. He makes the distinction between recovery
and recovered. Now he can help his nephew with schoolwork. Jerome
says of Gordon that he was very impressed by the way Gordon took
and digested articles by Patricia Deegan and Rachel Perkins, and
that every individual’s recovery is different. Jerome says that
Gordon’s definition of recovery is the most succinct and apt he has
found (I agree). To work in a recovery focussed way may require a
paradigm shift in mental health care.