Breaking stigma, sharing stories and creating Community
Our Journey: From Silence to Solidarity
Welcome to Lives Not Labels. We designed this space for anyone with a mental health condition, especially if it’s not a very sexy one. In fact, our Personal Stories blog is even called Sorry My Mental Illness Isn’t Sexy Enough For You.
In all seriousness, there are conditions out there that we all know that people would like to pretend don’t exist. And we know, because we have them.
We know what it feels like to be stigmatised, discriminated against and misunderstood, whether people intend to do it or not. Either way, it feels pretty rubbish.
Content Warning:
Please note that some stories featured on this website may be triggering or upsetting. We encourage you to check the tags on each story before reading.
Sorry My Mental Illness Isn’t Sexy Enough for You: The Book
The Lives Not Labels team is excited to share that we pulished our first book in October 2025, named after our mental health lived experience project- Sorry My Mental Illness Isn’t Sexy Enough For You.
The book, written by Lives Not Labels co-founders Katja Pavlovna and Kay Garbett, tells the story of how the project came to be and the unique journeys of the authors.
Where No-One Feels Alone In Their Struggles
When we received our diagnoses, we felt alone, overwhelmed and apprehensive about the future. We quickly realised that if your mental health condition couldn’t be wrapped up in a bow and made to look pretty, it was simply hidden away like an unwanted gift.
The mental health campaigns shouted at us to, “Speak up!” from giant billboards and glossy magazine advertisements. But when we did, we often found that nobody wanted to listen.
So that’s why we created our website Lives Not Labels and the Sorry My Mental Illness Isn’t Sexy Enough For You lived experience project. Yes, we know it’s a bit of a mouthful – it’s meant to be. Mental illness isn’t something that is easy to talk about. It’s awkward and inconvenient and not a polite topic of conversation at the dinner table. Yet we all deserve to have a voice to tell our own truths and realities of mental health. And you are welcome here- at our dinner table- no matter how ‘unsexy’ your mental illness may be.
Join Us
Find us on Instagram @livesnotlabels
Follow Katja on The BPD Bunch podcast, available on all major podcast platforms and on YouTube.
Instagram @thebpdbunch
Real Life
Read and share your story
Interpersonal Struggles and Relationships
Representation and Diversity of Experience
Tackling Stigma and Negative Perceptions
20+
Different conditions covered on the site
150+
Stories shared on our blog pages
Our Purpose
Our mission is to:
Challenge Misconceptions and Stereotypes
Here, you’ll find stories of mental illness and personality disorders. They’re raw, honest, and sometimes uncomfortable – because that’s the reality of living with mental illness.
Lived Experiences
We believe that every story deserves to be heard, whether it has a happy ending or not. By sharing these experiences, we hope to create a world where no one feels alone in their struggles.
“I spent most of my day distracted by worries about my relationship.”
“I could go from being excited, really outgoing and animated with rapid speech, to magical or deluded thinking.”
“It’s been a tough, constant cycle of self loathing and contempt I have for myself.”
Contact Us
If you wish to share your story, please go to our Contribute page for guidelines and how to submit.
@livesnotlabels.com
BPD Bunch
@thebpdbunch
enquiries@
livesnotlabels.com
Content Warning:
Please note that some stories featured on this website may be triggering or upsetting. We encourage you to check the tags on each story before reading.