Ex-gang member opens up on panic attacks after being stabbed

Jacob is only 19, but he's already been through more than most of us. Last year, he was stabbed in the street in an attack, having been caught up in gang culture in his earlier youth.

Violence and gang culture go hand in hand. Many gang members who have once been stabbed still commit stabbings themselves.

But ultimately, those gang members are humans, and the violence they suffer has the same effects on them as it would on anyone else.

After the attack, Jacob started having panic attacks. He stopped leaving the house and became a recluse, unable to carry on with his normal life.

It was then that Jacob got help. It started with cognitive behavioural therapy sessions, focused on his anxiety around leaving the house.

Sessions were initially online, and consisted of the teaching of coping strategies such as breathing and grounding techniques, as well as re-appraising negative, unhelpful thoughts. Jacob eventually began to leave the house more, although still suffering with anxiety, through travelling to a location for the sessions that he felt comfortable getting to.

Then he started counselling with Base 51 - a Nottingham and Nottinghamshire-based charity that helps young victims of violence. At this point, Jacob was leaving the house, but still struggled to go to work, where he was completing an apprenticeship.

Through his counselling, Jacob slowly built up confidence, setting short term goals and going back to work one day per week. He began to talk about the attack, and his anger and frustration at what happened, which helped his recovery, and eventually ended up back at work five days a week and tackling his studies too.

His counselling is now complete and Jacob says he feels more comfortable in open spaces when going out with friends. He copes with his anxiety with strategies he's learnt and reaches out for support if he needs it.

He is confident he'll complete his apprenticeship and get a full-time job. He feels like himself again and has regained the happiness he had since before the attack.

Base 51, which has been running for more than 30 years, is open to all 10-24 year olds impacted by serious violence, exploitation or both. Counselling is one-to-one, confidential and in a private place.

A range of issues including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, relational issues, adverse experiences, trauma, self-harm and suicidal thoughts are part of counsellor's remit, and the charity provides a range of programmes and services to help tackle those issues.

The counselling sessions take place at Base 51's new state-of-the-art building on Peachey Street in Nottingham city centre. A funding boost, in the shape of a £28,000 grant from the Nottinghamshire Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP), has opened the door to expanding the charity's offering.

The VRP is funded by the Home Office funded and aims to "prevent serious violence using a public health approach." The partnership's team is a part of Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden's office - with Godden also acting as the chair of the partnership.

He said: “Empowering people who have been impacted by crime in their recovery is an important part of making Nottinghamshire a safer place for all. We know that young people who have been affected by crime in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire require help from expert providers who can show them ways to overcome their issues.

“Investing in young people in this way now is an investment in making Nottinghamshire a safer place for all, by preventing these traumatic events in their early lives from dominating their adult lives and trying to stop that cycle of harm in our communities.

“Base 51 has a great set up in the heart of the city, and combining this with people who specialise in the therapeutic sessions is a recipe for success when it comes to supporting vulnerable people.”

Get in touch with Base 51 via email: counselling@base51.org.uk.