A Cumbrian musician has shared his experience of how producing new songs has helped him cope living with paranoid schizophrenia.

Richard Thomas, or Mint Biscuit as he is also known, from Cockermouth has been using lockdown to produce a number of new albums.

Richard, 39, uses a selection of acoustic, semi acoustic and electric guitars, amps and effects, and Audacity software on his laptop, to produce his tracks.

On what it’s like to to live with paranoid schizophrenia, Richard said: “It’s like being back at school and having everyone calling you names - saying that you’re worthless and that your life is a total mess. It feels like everyone is against you.

“I know it’s not real. But that doesn’t stop it from being real to me.

“I listen to a lot of house music. That’s very soothing and it helps me relax a great deal. I’ll listen to hours and hours of house music a lot of the time.

Richard has been making music at home since the breakup of his Durham University band, Mint, in 2003. He has also had air time on BBC Introducing in Cumbria.

Although he no longer gigs, Richard says he is happy recording his music from home and distributing it to family and friends.

His most recent albums include, Completing The Cycle (Apr 2021) and Quitting The Biscuits (May 2021).

“I’ve been getting back into the swing of playing on my guitar and it’s been helping to calm me down,” said Richard.

"I’m just trying to put out as much music as I can for people to listen to in their own time.

“It gives me a creative outlet and it re-establishes myself and my thoughts.”

Richard also said producing and distributing his new music has helped him get to know members of his community in Cockermouth a lot better.

He said: “It makes me feel like I belong."

Visit Richard's website to listen to his music, or you can find him on YouTube, Spotify and Amazon with the tag 'Mint Biscuit Sounds'.