‘I was given four times the recommended doses of sedatives’ – David Harewood on stereotypes in mental health

The actor David Harewood has spoken and written before of his experience of being sectioned in his early 20s after an episode of psychosis.

He says his medical records later showed he was heavily over- medicated. Now he’s using those traumatic memories to try to change the way Black people with mental illness are treated.

This evening, he’ll address 1,000 members of the Royal College of Nursing, hoping that recounting his experience to people on the frontline will help to tackle bias and stereotypes.

This comes as the college itself calls on the government to increase funding in order to close disparities in mental health.

We speak to David, along with Simon Arday, a Black mental health nurse, to discuss what changes are needed.