Room 5

‘It's like being trapped in a room with a terrifying creature.' A few months after her son was born, Helena realises something is wrong. Her search for answers leads to a difficult decision. In Room 5, Helena Merriman interviews people who - like her - were changed by a diagnosis. Written, presented and produced by Helena Merriman Composer: Jeremy Warmsley Sound Design: Eloise Whitmore Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Emma Rippon Commissioning Editor: Richard Knight #Room5 End song: Miffed by Tom Rosenthal If you have a story you'd like to share you can email: room5@bbc.co.uk

‘My inbox on instagram was full of women saying thank you so much.' The pain began when Andrea was a teenager. When she was given a diagnosis, she wanted to find a way of explaining it to the world. In Room 5, Helena Merriman interviews people who - like her - were changed by a diagnosis. Written, presented and produced by Helena Merriman Composer: Jeremy Warmsley Sound Design: Steve Bond Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Emma Rippon Commissioning Editor: Richard Knight #Room5 End song: Miffed by Tom Rosenthal

‘A light breeze can quickly turn into a desert storm.' On his last day of the school year, 17-year-old Jordan starts seeing and hearing the world differently. Hours later, he's in a police station, struggling to hold onto himself before his mind unravels. In Room 5, Helena Merriman interviews people who - like her - were changed by a diagnosis. Written, presented and produced by Helena Merriman Composer: Jeremy Warmsley Sound Design: Eloise Whitmore Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Emma Rippon Commissioning Editor: Richard Knight #Room5 End song: Miffed by Tom Rosenthal If you have a story you'd like to share you can email: room5@bbc.co.uk

‘When I wasn't high, I felt very sad and very scared.' Twenty years on, Gavanndra is struggling to make sense of a childhood trauma. Then she meets a psychologist who has an idea. In Room 5, Helena Merriman interviews people who - like her - were changed by a diagnosis. Written, presented and produced by Helena Merriman Composer: Jeremy Warmsley Sound Design: Eloise Whitmore Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Emma Rippon Commissioning Editor: Richard Knight #Room5 End song: Miffed by Tom Rosenthal If you have a story you'd like to share you can email: room5@bbc.co.uk

‘I stare at my own reflection, trying to remind myself that I'm not dead.' Joel never understood why he felt different to other people. Then a revelation in India sets him on a journey to find answers. In Room 5, Helena Merriman interviews people who - like her - were changed by a diagnosis. Written, presented and produced by Helena Merriman Composer: Jeremy Warmsley Sound Design: Steve Bond Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Emma Rippon Commissioning Editor: Richard Knight #Room5 End song: Miffed by Tom Rosenthal If you have a story you'd like to share you can email: room5@bbc.co.uk

‘I wiped my tears away and had to carry on with the party.' When Serena is given an unexpected diagnosis, she has to make a life-changing decision. In Room 5, Helena Merriman interviews people who - like her - were changed by a diagnosis. Written, presented and produced by Helena Merriman Composer: Jeremy Warmsley Sound Design: Eloise Whitmore Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Emma Rippon Commissioning Editor: Richard Knight #Room5 End song: Miffed by Tom Rosenthal If you have a story you'd like to share you can email: room5@bbc.co.uk

‘It was unbelievably painful - I probably used a few Anglo-Saxon words.' Jon is at Peppa Pig World with his family when he notices something very unusual about his body. In Room 5, Helena Merriman interviews people who - like her - were changed by a diagnosis. Written, presented and produced by Helena Merriman Composer: Jeremy Warmsley Sound Design: Steve Bond Additional research: Ruby Gregory Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Emma Rippon Commissioning Editor: Richard Knight #Room5 End song: Miffed by Tom Rosenthal If you have a story you'd like to share you can email: room5@bbc.co.uk

‘He was interested in why I was so attached to this penguin' Bex is at university when she starts feeling anxious and overwhelmed. As Bex deteriorates, doctors are in a race against time to diagnose her. And that's where the penguin comes in. In Room 5, Helena Merriman interviews people who - like her - were changed by a diagnosis. Written, presented and produced by Helena Merriman Composer: Jeremy Warmsley Sound Design: Eloise Whitmore Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Emma Rippon Commissioning Editor: Richard Knight #Room5 With special thanks to Rachel Roberts, principal viola with the LSO End song: Miffed by Tom Rosenthal If you have a story you'd like to share you can email: room5@bbc.co.uk

One afternoon, Helena Merriman walked into a doctor's surgery and was given a shock diagnosis. In this series, she interviews people who - like her - were changed by a diagnosis. Told through an immersive sound design, this intimate series shines a light on misunderstood conditions, asking how we cope when our bodies and minds behave in ways that don't make sense to us. Written, presented and produced by Helena Merriman Composer: Jeremy Warmsley Sound Design: Eloise Whitmore Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Emma Rippon