Remarkable Lives: John McManus in conversation with Jerome Carson
| Pages | 156-161 |
| Date | 01 November 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-04-2019-0012 |
| Published date | 01 November 2019 |
| Author | John McManus,Jerome Carson |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion |
Remarkable Lives: John McManus in
conversation with Jerome Carson
John McManus and Jerome Carson
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to provide a profile of John McManus.
Design/methodology/approach –John provides a short life history and is then interviewed by Jerome.
Findings –John tells us about the insidious development of his illness and how for many years it was
masked by substance abuse.
Research limitations/implications –As Patricia Deegan has stated, “Each person’s journey of recovery is
unique”(Deegan, 1996). That is why we can learn so much from case studies like John’s.
Practical implications –John’s account shows the value of Early Intervention Teams. The service he
received from his local team was “second to none”.
Social implications –John talks about the value of volunteering and how it helped him believe that he could
once more play a constructive role in life.
Originality/value –There is no doubt that John benefitted from support from professionals, experts by
experience and his family. Equally he was also open to all these sources of support.
Keywords Volunteering, Hearing voices, Early intervention teams, Experts by experience
Paper type Case study
Introduction
Looking back it is hard to say what first captured my attention about John. He asked to see me
on his own to discuss assignments and it was during these sessions that I came to learn about
his mental health problems. He told me he was a voice hearer. One of the first people in this
series of Remarkable Lives was Peter Bullimore, also a voice hearer. Naturally, I shared with John
the story of Peter and his achievements. John was already aware of Peter and also that other
great pioneer, Ron Coleman (readers can see talks by each on YouTube). John is of course on
his own unique journey. Let us hear about it in his own words […].
Brief biography of John McManus
Where to begin?Well! My name is John (McManus) McEwan bornand bred in Glasgow, Scotland.
Having sixyounger sisters growing upwas not the greatest, but bothmy parents tried to make the
best outof a very bad situation. Asa result, I am not going to beselfish and reflect on itnegatively as
it made us strongeras a family and stronger as individuals. I have managed to produce threesons
and three daughters, who have at this time made me a grandad to two grandsons. I live with
auditory, tactile, olfactory and visual hallucinations and have done for almost 30 years, if my
memory servesme correctly; however, I never noticed them as beinganything other than normal.
Unfortunately though, through what I would deema series of unfortunate life events and turbulent
relationships 14 years ago, theybecame somewhat of a hindranceand I started having not only a
negative experience but an extremely debilitating disabling experience.
I was living with a family member and I remember waking up one day and looking out the window
at my uncle, who was chatting with neighbours and a group of voices came and called him a
“beast”. Now in Glasgow that can mean anything from a paedophile to a rapist and if your name
John McManus and Jerome
Carson are both based at the
Department of Psychology,
University of Bolton,
Bolton, UK.
PAGE156
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MENTALHEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
VOL. 23 NO. 4 2019, pp. 156-161, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308 DOI 10.1108/MHSI-04-2019-0012
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