Read stories of mental health struggles and recovery from Project UROK supporters and learn about incredible awareness raising and stigma fighting work from mental health advocates.
I fell into a deep depression. It got so bad when I was 18 that I began contemplating suicide. I wish I could say that was the moment I turned my life around, but it wasn’t, a couple months later weighing only 38kg, hair falling out from all the chemo meds, I was admitted to the hospital. As I lay in my hospital bed, the moment that completely changed my life was when my doctor told me things weren’t looking good, and that I could die.
Read MoreAlmost a year ago today I began experiencing psychosis. Before that I always had a very low mood. I’m now fourteen and have been diagnosed with depression with psychotic symptoms and also bulimia nervosa. The past year has been a tough one, but one I am forever grateful for. I have learnt things I never thought I would and met people I never would have if it wasn’t for my illness.
Read MoreAfter a few years of living with and managing my illness, I learned that I am still me despite my diagnosis and am a valuable and unique human being. I’m not just a collection of symptoms in a textbook. I would remind my younger self to not get so wrapped up in his diagnosis and tell him that it’s not the end of the world but also encourage him to learn from it and others who have it.
Read MoreI’m here to tell you, you’re not going insane- this is anxiety. It’s very common and in the words of Tom Jones, it’s not unusual. Contrary to what you may have thought before- anxiety is not just worrying.
Read MoreWhilst telling your parents might feel like the last thing you want to do, it’s important that you try. If you can’t tell them, then you need to speak to someone that you trust, maybe a grandparent or other relative. Talking about your problems can help you to feel better and understand how you’re feeling more clearly. Anxiety and depression can make you feel alone, but it’s important to remember that you’re not. Help is out there, and your parents will be able to offer you advice and guidance.
Read MoreI’ve been coping better with self-hatred by envisioning my inner self as a beaten and maimed person who needs to be nurtured and healed.Now, when I feel a surge of negative emotions coming on I turn to the nearest empty chair or space and visualize my hurt self in that emptiness. In my mind, I ask if he is alright and if he needs anything. I treat him as a friend in need.
Read MoreWhen I was in 5th grade, I suddenly became extremely aware of my appearance. It was a very abrupt realization. At eleven years old I was refusing to have my picture taken for the class photo, devastated that I was fat and ugly. Mirrors became my enemy.
Read MoreDo you know what it’s like to live your life never feeling normal? I do. I remember when I was young, no older than 6 or 7 years, and I threw up in the middle of the street while talking to a neighbor; a relative of mine hollered, “WHY CAN’T YOU BE NORMAL LIKE OTHER KIDS?” As I sat crying, wondering what exactly I could do to fix myself. I was a sickly child and no doctor or specialist could determine what was wrong), I began to feel less than adequate.
Read MoreHow did I get Here? Someone recently presented me with the question; “How did you get to where you are today? What made you realize you had to make a change?”Let me just say it wasn’t easy, but I will make my best attempt at answering those questions and sharing my journey.
Read MoreI am diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and struggle with intrusive thoughts. It’s not necessarily that I need to keep things tidy as some people think. In fact, for me, it is much more an obsessive state of mind that revolves around the ‘need’ for things to be a certain way. My symptoms range from some simple things like a series of checks and actions that I have to do before I go to sleep every night to the need to keep all of the information that comes my way and protectively store it.
Read MoreWhen you live with depression for a long time, there is no part of you that your depression doesn’t touch. Like, there is no aspect of your life it leaves alone. It can affect your friendships, your romance, your family, your grades, your work, your money, your hobbies, your passion, your sleep, your weight, your hygiene, your other illnesses if you happen to have any, and so much more. It’s everywhere, and it gets in everything. It runs through every hallway of your life and puts its hands all over everything it shouldn’t.
Read MoreOur community is fighting and it’s a beautiful thing to see. From mental health statement selfies on Instagram to semicolon tattoos; more and more people who live with mental illness are sharing their stories on social media. If you check out #MentalHealthAwareness on social media, you’ll see and feel a mixture of emotions: pride, sadness, motivation, and inspiration. People living with mental illness are doing more work than ever to change the perception of mental health. It’s incredible.
Read MoreIn 2012, I received a wake-up call as I sped on a Los Angeles highway wanting to die. A few days later, I walked into USC’s Student Counseling building, the same service I thought I didn’t need a few months before.I was such an emotional wreck that I had not one, but two school counselors staring at me as if I was minutes from my demise.
Read MoreI have struggled with anxiety ever since I can remember. I struggled with it even before I knew what to call it. I knew I worried a lot about anything and everything. It really didn’t matter what it was or who it involved. I knew that I was scared to do a lot of the things that children my age did. I knew that I got referred to as “worry wart” a good majority of the time. What I didn’t know is that this wasn’t normal—I just thought it was, simply because I had always felt that way.
Read MoreThere’s a road—a little dirt path off Regular Blvd.—that hurts my mind when I travel down it. I believe we all have those little side roads we avoid, because sometimes moving on doesn’t mean making peace with what happened. Sometimes it means exactly what it sounds like: going forward. But when one can go forward, one can go backwards as well.
Read MoreI started my work based on my personal experience as a rape survivor living with a dual diagnosis of epilepsy and bipolar and finding myself in a space where information and support were not easily available. So I started providing information and creating support systems. Mental health issues are slowing down and sometimes robbing society of powerful souls. A lot of people are going through things they don't know how to handle and need to be constantly reminded that they are not alone, that they are enough.
Read MoreI think that it's extremely important to help people not only cope with mental illness but also to help people embrace overall wellness that helps them optimize their quality of life. As a therapist, I think it's important to hold both the role of educator and provider, teaching clients about emotional health and conditions, if applicable, as well as providing new perspective and skills to help them live better lives in practice. My professional goals are to help promote conversations about mental illness and wellness especially in groups who tend to be underserved by mental health systems, such as people of color and LGBTQ+ folks.
Read MoreTamu Lewis is the Co-Founder of the Lee Thompson Young Foundation. She started the foundation with her mother, Dr. Velma Love, in honor of her brother, actor Lee Thompson Young, who died by suicide after struggling with bipolar disorder. The foundation seeks to end stigma associated with mental health through education, support, and resources. We asked her why her work is so important and how she approaches self-care. She says, "mental health impacts everyone and we need to be more aware of mental health challenges and resources in order to help ourselves and others."
Read MoreWhen I think of self-care, I think of rest and relaxation but I also think of things that make me feel happy. I'm an avid TV watcher, chocolate eater, explorer, shopper, and coffee-drinker. I love spending time with my friends and family also. Self-care is important because it allows you to recharge and present your best you.
Read MoreI am one of the co-founders and the associate editor at La Galería Magazine, a place to document and celebrate the stories of the Dominican Diaspora. La Galería Magazine is an independent, non-affiliated publication that discusses, deconstructs, and explores traditional Dominican symbols, ideologies, and customs in order to better understand our community, history, and culture.
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