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conferenceseries.com
Volume 20 International Journal of Emergency Mental
Health and Human Resilience
ISSN: 1522-4821
Mental Health 2018
April 26-27, 2018
April 26-27, 2018 | Rome, Italy
4th International Conference on
Mental Health and Human Resilience
Mental health problems
Hope Virgo
Shaw Mind Foundation, UK
For four years, author managed to keep it hidden, keeping dark secrets from friends and family. But then, on 17th November
2007, her world changed forever. She was admitted to a mental health hospital. Her skin was yellowing; her heart was
failing. She was barely recognizable. Forced to leave her family and friends, the hospital became her home. Over the next year,
at her lowest ebb, she faced the biggest challenge of her life. She had to find the courage to beat her anorexia. She will share her
harrowing but inspiring story giving you an understanding of how she went from being in the grips of anorexia to gaining back
control. She will tell us how she fought from rock bottom to beat the friend that had controlled and nearly destroyed her life.
The story of her recovery will not only inspire countless others and give everyone hope that recovery is possible but it will help
break mental health stigma further. She will offer insight into how we can improve the lives for people with eating disorders
and other mental health problems. She will share her thoughts on the journey to diagnosis and what we can do practically as
individuals and organizationally to support those suffering with eating disorders.
Biography
Hope Virgo suffered with anorexia for over 4 years, before being admitted to a Mental Health Hospital in 2007. She lived in the hospital for a year, fighting one of the hardest
battles of her life. Since being discharged, she has fought to stay well. Hope Virgo now spends her time working with the NHS, in schools and across organisations to build
up understanding of resilience. Hope does a huge amount of work to make sure that people feel empowered to recover from anorexia and other mental health problems
giving them the coping mechanisms they need to survive.
Hope Virgo, Int J Emerg Ment Health 2018, Volume 20
DOI: 10.4172/1522-4821-C1-011