Sussex: ‘Learning to live with psychosis in my 20s’

Mr Mackie said the service was not something that he knew existed and added: “If I had known it existed earlier, things might have been different.

“If I hadn’t found it then, I can’t say for certain if I would be here now or not.”

A recent study by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust found that early intervention in the first three years of psychosis improves outcomes for young patients.

The research was published in the British Journal of Psychiatry and funded by National Institute for Health and Care Research.

It looked into issues that can put young people off addressing their mental health issues, such as a lack of inclusion of family and friends in discussions about treatments.

Service users and carers said the Early Youth Engagement (EYE) approach helped with isolation, trust, personal goals, better communication with the service, shared decision making with staff, and family involvement.

The approach includes a website, booklet series co-written with young people, and other resources to support young people and families, and a training programme for staff.