Month: August 2017

Worth Living Ambassador Emma Pratt

Hi everyone! My name is Emma and I am 23 years old from Ottawa, Ontario. Mental health has been a part of my personal life for about seven years. It had found its way into almost every part of my life when I decided why not invite it in fully and make it my job! I am a Social Service Worker with a passion for mental health. I try to do all that I can to create conversations surrounding mental health and to reduce the stigma that surrounds it. I like to live by saying “When we replace the I in illness with a We, it becomes wellness,” and that is my goal in life.

Five Tips for Bad Body Image Days

When I was 19 years old, I developed an eating disorder. I engaged in disordered behaviours for about 14 months, but when I look back on my life before my disorder I realize that I have struggled with poor body image and a negative relationship with food from a very young age. Thankfully, with the help of supportive family, friends, and professional support, I am now in recovery. Despite not engaging in any symptoms of my eating disorder anymore, I still have days where my body image is awful. There are days where I feel so poorly about myself that it gets in the way of my life. I know I am not alone in this and with time I have found a few things that help me during these rough days. So without further ado, here are my tips on how to survive a bad body image day.

1.Look in the mirror. On days when my negative self-talk is particularly loud, I subconsciously avoid looking in mirrors. Though what I have found is that when I stand in front of the mirror, I am able to realize that the negative things I am saying about myself are not true.

2.Be mindful of your thoughts. Do not shut your thoughts out. Do not tell yourself to ignore them. Listen to the thoughts and the self-talk you’re engaging in. Listen to it and challenge it. For example, if you find that you are constantly telling yourself that you are “too big” to wear a certain article of clothing, don’t immediately give into that thought. By shutting your thoughts out, you give power to them. When you listen to them and you challenge them, you have the power.

3.Sleep. I find that on days where I am more tired or run down than usual, my body image tends to be lower. If I wake up and can tell that my headspace and body image are negative, and I don’t have work or other commitments, you can bet that I’m going to roll over and go back to sleep. In the event that I have work or another commitment, I may find the time to take a nap at some point. The way my body feels often impacts my mind, listening to both is key.

4.Meditate. Meditation is not for everyone, I get that. But if it’s for you, then use it! I’ve recently been working on incorporating meditation into my daily life (it’s a work in progress). Since I have begun practicing, I have noticed that I am able to use the skills at other points in my life. I personally enjoy guided meditations. I find that having someone guide me through a ten-minute meditation makes it all seem a bit more doable. I have found that Gabrielle Bernstein’s guided meditations are super helpful to me. I downloaded them to my phone so I can have them at my disposal! On my bad body image days I like to listen to her “Forgiving Meditation.” Poor body image has effects on all parts of me, and I end up in a vicious cycle of hating myself and then beating myself up for being too hard on myself and then it repeats. This particular meditation really helps me to release the anger and hate that I put myself through and work towards forgiving myself.

5.STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHER PEOPLE. This one is probably the hardest, but also probably the most important. We live in a time where people are sharing many parts of their lives with the world. Due to this, it’s easy to get caught up in comparing yourself to other people; whether it is someone’s body or their life. These comparisons are so harmful. First of all, it can create the internal notion that we are not as good as someone else. Second, the things people share on social media are not things to compare. I remember seeing a quote somewhere that said “Stop comparing your blooper cut to someone else’s highlight reel.” This is exactly how I feel when it comes to social media. People share the exciting and happy parts of their lives. They share when they look the best. When you are feeling at your worst, or lower than average, I urge you to remember that social media is a Hollywood movie version of someone’s life, not something  to which you should compare yours.

Body image is a tough thing and so is learning to love yourself. I would go so far as to say that it is nearly impossible to love yourself one hundred percent of the time, but in the moments you don’t I hope these tips can help you get through the tough days.

Worth Living Founder Keith Anderson

On Tour with The Rolling Stones – 6 concerts in 3 countries over 14 years – Keith’s journey through mental illness is mapped out through these concerts, from the darkness of depression to the brightness of good health. Along the path, he learned that he could have a second chance at a real life

Podcast – https://www.itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/fit-mind-matters-podcast/id1185076688
https://soundcloud.com/fit-mind-matters

Thanks to Fit Mind Matters, founded by Lee Havern of Ireland, for hosting the Podcast.  Lee is  a Mentor spreading the Happiness message through Mental Health and Well-being through Blogs and Podcasts. He is open to discussing everything!

Fit Minds Matter Social Media:
Website – www.fitmindmatters.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/FitMindMatters/
Twitter – https://www.twitter.com/FitMindMatters

Worth Living Ambassador Beth Allen

Beth Allen is a Mental Health Advocate, and an active video blogger who aims to be informative, fun, and truthful whilst showing life with Mental Illness. Having suffered in silence for 10 years with GAD, Emetophobia, Anorexia and Depression, Beth is 100% committed to showing the world that it’s okay to not be okay.

Welcome to Miss Anxiety

Welcome to the Miss Anxiety channel! This video is an introduction about what content to expect and a little information about Beth Allen. Keep in touch by subscribing to the channel. Thanks for watching and have a good day!

You can subscribe to Beth’s Youtube channel through the video,  twitter at  https://twitter.com/RealMissAnxiety, and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realmissanxiety/

Worth Living Ambassador Cierra Garrow

Cierra Garrow is a 22-year-old mental health advocate working as an IBI Therapist and a Community Based Psychiatric Rights Adviser in Northwestern Ontario. She recently completed a Bachelor of Psychology and Indigenous Learning from Lakehead University with First Class Standing. Due to Cierra’s struggles with borderline personality disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, dysthymia, and suicide, she has decided to pursue her passion of bringing mental health resources and services to the North. Currently, Cierra is pursuing a Master’s of Arts in Counselling Psychology with a specialization in Psychometric Testing and concentration in Crisis / Trauma Counselling.

Caution: Cierra discusses Suicide

Growing up in Northwestern Ontario, mental health resources were scarce. At age six, I was diagnosed with a mental illness. I struggled with staying still, paying attention, and completing tasks. These impairments followed me from elementary school, to high school, and then to University. I attempted suicide for the first time in Grade 8. My relationship with my peers was volatile and consisted of hostility.

The stigma around mental illness and taking medication was incapacitating. I was physically assaulted and the subject of ridicule from both my peers and my principal for being ‘sick’. I started self-harming to cope with everyday life. I felt like I was failing at every single aspect of my life. Following the suicide attempt, I was waitlisted for counselling. In high school, my grades continued to plummet. I started missing more classes than I attended. Most days were spent in bed; I would wake up, sometimes eat, maybe shower, go back to bed and repeat. Leaving the house became an impossible task because of debilitating anxiety that consumed me. I attempted suicide again in Grades 9 and 11.

Only then did my team of doctors, nurse practitioners, school counsellor, and family advocate for my admission to an inpatient Youth Psychiatric ward for treatment. It took four years for me to gain access to the help I needed to begin recovery. I started to regain my zest for life and completely restructured my lifestyle. I no longer spent each day counting down the seconds until I could collapse back into my bed. I decided than I wanted to be the change in my community. By having access to the appropriate resources such as counselling and medication saved my life. I would make it my life mission to ensure that no child had to reach their breaking point before receiving the help they needed. I became a passionate, driven and an engaged student and community member. I finished Grades 11 and 12 with a 90 plus average and was accepted into Lakehead University.

I participated in mental health advocacy by sharing my story at the local schools. I shared it with the local newspapers and on the radio. I became the ambassador for Clara Hughes Big Ride and Bell Let’s Talk for my community. I became the ambassador for Ride Don’t Hide and continue to work towards destigmatizing medication, suicide, and mental illness. I am also an ambassador for Worth Living and feel my story and give people hope. Recovery is an ongoing process and I am actively participating in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy to this day. My mental illness will always be a part of me, but it no longer controls my life. I am now a post-secondary graduate and completed two undergraduate degrees in three years’ time. I have maintained being on the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences Dean’s List and have achieved at the top 10-5% of psychology students in my university. I am thriving and have established a foundation of wellness. I am now healthy and prepared to be the change in my community.

I plan to practice inter-professional networking and connect with the schools, hospitals, and local organizations to provide the best care possible. By obtaining a Masters in Counseling Psychology from Yorkville University, it will allow me the best platform to achieve success and provide the quality care that my community needs and deserves.

Yorkville University has allowed me to return home and continue to nourish and sustain my community. I will gain the skills, insight, and knowledge I need to be an exemplary mental health counsellor. I have recently been hired on as an IBI Therapist and a Community Based Psychiatrics Right Adviser, which allow me to make change in my community.

Thank you for your time. I hope my story lightens your heart with hope. I have provided below a poem that I wrote in the middle of one of my “attacks”. It captures the debilitating and crippling experience of my mental illness. I didn’t think I would survive those moments, but here I am today not only thriving but realizing my life is worth living and so is yours… I’m glad you’re here <3 xo

Sincerely,

Cierra Garrow

Do you know who you are? Do you know why you’re here? Do you know how you got here?

There are few things worse than being unable to feel… Feeling like you’re completely and utterly alone is one of them. Isolated in your crumbling pain, a chaos of fuzzy emotions and unfathomable hurt.

A fist clenched around your gut, twisting and turning. A paralyzing fear that cripples you into a heaping mess of too lates and overambitious dreams.  I was supposed to be successful.

Watching the lives of others flash by on a screen as the encoded messages tell me what I’m missing. The pictures of smiles and laughter, friends and drinks, husbands and children fill my newsfeed.

But where am I? I sit here looking at an empty reflection. Trapped behinds a flood of tears and hopeless attempts to be more than nothing. A desperate plea to amount to some worth that exceeds the dirt on the floor.

How did I get here? The worlds spinning a screaming mess of anxiety and pressure. The lids about to explode. And yet, there is stillness. A frozen impairment of functionality and loss of grip with reality. A dissociation of identity that splits me apart from the shreds of humanity I desperately attempt to hold.

Why am I here? What purpose does my existence have on the people around me. My fading in and out of lives while I dance around the relationships I could have had. Did I put myself here? How did I get here.

A broken repercussion of high expectations and too many sleepless nights of unachievable perfection. The body I have been given feels sick and weak, everything radiates pain. The muscles feel as if they are untethering from the bone, yet they cling to the fabrics of my being.

It hurts. It hurts to be alive. It hurts to be alone. It hurts to be with people. It hurts to feel. This invisible barrier that separates me from connectedness. Like an animal in a zoo, staring at the happy families, giggling children and infatuated lovers. Segregated away from society… Perhaps it is better this way.

A blessing in disguise meant to save me from myself. At least here maybe I serve a purpose. An example of what sickness looks like. A girl whose dreams amounted to no more than the empty hands she owns. What purpose is there to exist? What use is there to feel this much pain. To barely feel as if i’m living. A zombie who catatonically goes through the motions of existence. Wake up, eat, sleep, repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

How many times does the broken record play, always skipping between a D flat and a C sharp. I feel too much, but I feel nothing at all.

So I sit here, alone. I have people around me, people who care but their worry and concerns flutter off my skin. The pit of my stomach churn and tears swell in my eyes. Why does it hurt. My acne ladden face filled with poison, a pity to look at really. Disgusting, a revolting circus act that is gawked at for the entertainment of the wicked. A dance for the devil, playing of flames licking the flats of my feet. It hurts.

It hurts to be mentally ill. It hurts to be alive.

Worth Living Ambassador Ashlee  Johnson

Hi I’m Ashlee, the face behind ‘The Tattooed Mumma  ( Instagram @thetattooedmumma). A first time mum and struggling with mental illness. I share my stories and inspiration on my page, my goal is to raise awareness for postnatal depression. It’s ok not to be ok.

Battling with the New Me

Today (4/07/17) marked one year since finally speaking up and admitting that I wasn’t ok….

You would have thought that I would be in a state of bliss and happiness with the arrival of my daughter a few weeks before. We had numerous visitors coming to congratulate us, bringing food and well wishes. That fake smile (that anyone with anxiety knows all too well) was plastered on my face and the usual response that I’m doing ok when people asked how I was, was being thrown around left right and center.

At first I thought it must have been hormones as well as adjusting to minimal sleep and this insane thing they call motherhood.
As the weeks went on, I found myself getting progressively worse. I started to feel dazed and I was losing memory of what I’d done that day. I would lose my temper over tiny things. I’d yell and scream, my mind would race and I would literally lose control of what I’d say and do. After a while my brain went into complete autopilot and my mental state just completely shut down. I dreaded having to see friends and family and the thought of their asking how I was left me in an absolute mess.

The anxiety eventually got worse and worse to the point where I couldn’t even put our daughter to bed because I’d be convinced that she wouldn’t go to sleep and that I’d be up all night. When it was my turn to do the bedtime routine, I would end up having huge panic attacks where I couldn’t breathe,  I’d end up in tears and hyperventilating or yelling.

My breaking point was one year ago today; the thought of it makes me feel sick.

It was my turn to do the bedtime routine, and I had a pretty good day. I felt good in myself and I felt confident in putting the baby to bed. All was going well until my daughter didn’t go to sleep, she was wide-awake and panic just took over…. I started to panic, I don’t know why? I had done this numerous times before but I felt my body getting tenser and tenser and them BAM! I exploded… I screamed as loud as I could, so loud that it woke my sleeping fiancé, scared the shit out of our daughter and left me completely stunned and frazzled. It was one of those moments that as much as I wanted to stop myself I couldn’t, my fiancé came and took her from me and got her to sleep while I sat on my bathroom floor (basically in foetal position) absolutely in hysterics.

I didn’t sleep much that night, I felt truly horrible. I couldn’t work out how in such a short time I had gotten so bad. This little human who is my entire world had managed to completely break me. By this stage my fiancé was back at work so the next day it was just me and my daughter. We sat in the chair and she had a bottle and it finally hit me that I am in fact not ok. I booked into my Doctor and she was very quick to diagnose me with Post Natal Depression. We made a mental health plan and I was referred to a psychologist. After a few sessions with the psychologist, I still felt like I was struggling to pull myself out of the darkness. I would leave my appointments in a really bad headspace and struggling to snap out of it and get on with my day. So I was then referred onto a psychiatrist for a second opinion. It was then that I was also diagnosed with ADHD and PTSD as well as my postnatal depression. At first I was a little shocked and in denial as to how it didn’t get picked up when I was much younger? I was hesitant to go on medication because it seemed whatever they gave me for PND would not work with my ADHD or vice versa. Finally with the help of my GP,  I was able to find a medication that was able to treat all my conditions, and I have been taking them since February this year and having a lot better time coping.

Late February I decided that I needed to find something that I could do to help me get my feelings out of my head and express myself a bit better so I launched a Instagram / blog page called ‘The Tattooed Mumma’ at first it was just for myself but I quickly gained followers and received emails from other mums in the same situation.  I decided instead of just being my little outlet it can be a place for support, a place for stories, advice, inspiration and anything else that I find that may be beneficial at the time. Since launching, I have collaborated with numerous small businesses to promote awareness for mental health for mums. I have participated in fundraisers for numerous charities and also released a small line of merchandise to raise funds for mental health charities.

I still have bad days, but since being on my medication I have become a whole new person. I can think about things clearly, I am able to recognize triggers for my anxiety and remove myself from the situation before I get bad. Some days I don’t want to get out of bed, but my now 1-year-old daughter makes sure I’m up and going. She is my motivation to share my story with as many people as I can so that more mums feel like they can speak up without any judgements and get the help they need or even just talk to someone.

My daughter has been a blessing in disguise for me. She has taught me that it is ok to not be ok, to embrace my mental illness and accept that it is part of who I am. A year on and it has been an absolute rollercoaster of ups and downs but I am now healthy and looking after myself and am truly happy

You can follow me on Instagram @thetattooedmumma

Worth Living Ambassador Daniella Malone

Hello! My name is Daniella, I’m 24 years young. I live with Borderline Personality Disorder, Social Anxiety, and Depression. I am very passionate about spreading awareness, fighting the stigma surrounding mental illness, and helping people share their stories and speak out. I know that if we all join together no-one will ever feel alone in this fight again.

How the Internet Affects the Growing Stigma

The internet can be a very dangerous place for those vulnerable and easily effected by offensive and hurtful comments. I like to use the internet to  write about my story, spread awareness, and educate people who are not as well knowledgeable when it comes to stigma surrounding mental illness.

However, I often feel I am faced with heated debates, arguments, and nasty comments from people who are quite frankly ignorant and uneducated.

I frequently hear comments like “she’s so skinny she must be anorexic” ,” I’m so OCD” , “cute but psycho.”  I don’t really understand when it was made okay to slander mental disorders this way. So many disorders are thrown around flippantly when describing day to day life, it’s wrong.

It breaks my heart the way mental illness is treated as such a minority and brushed aside as if it’s an unimportant issue. Society has done this to us and made it okay to brush aside important issues, and I personally take it as my job, my duty to enlighten and educate people that using these phrases as wrong!

So many people unknowingly use these phrases without thinking behind the meaning, thinking about the further growing stigma it adds to those of us with debilitating mental illnesses!

Mental health issues are serious. We need to join hands and come together  to educate each other and fight the stigma! If someone takes the time to explain how hurtful these phrases are LISTEN don’t just brush it off because we have been brushed aside and treated as a minority for too long. Using these ” turn of phrases” is wrong, hurtful, and quite frankly making a mockery of our suffering. People need to be aware how wrong these phrases are.

More and more studies are proving that 1 in 4 people suffer with their mental health, yet the stigma and the way we are treated as a minority is wrong and  it needs to stop! We need to make a stand and put an end to this! We will only beat this stigma together. United as one.

Worth Living Ambassador and Official DJ Scratchley Q

For this week’s countdown I asked Worth Living Ambassadors to list one song that leaves them feeling inspired/ that has inspired them. Here are 10 of those songs that they shared (not in any particular order) Enjoy! -Scratchley Q

Worth Living Countdown- Inspiration

Dream On- Aerosmith

Let It Be- The Beatles

I Lived- One Republic

You Gotta Be- Des’ree

Get Up Stand Up- Bob Marley

Paint It Black- Rolling Stones

Roll With It- Oasis

Beautiful Day- U2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co6WMzDOh1o\

Warrior- Demi Lovato

Rise Up- Andra Day

Worth Living Ambassador Jade Robledo

Penn State Psychology Student, Mental health advocate and Future Counselor/Mental Health Educator

Caution: this post is about Suicide

The New Plan

What do Robin Williams, Marilyn Monroe, Amy Winehouse, and Chester Bennington have in common?

Sadly, they’re all celebrities who have  died by suicide or had their death ruled as a possible suicide.

Suicide Stats
•Suicide is the 10th leading cause of the death in the US
•Men die by suicide 2.5x more often than woman
•On average, there are 121 suicides per day
-American Foundation of Suicide Prevention

Now, we all know that mental health isn’t treated as important as physical health.  Until these death and until movies/shows like Cyberbullying and 13 Reasons Why came out, Suicide had been a hush subject. Something that no one really wants to talk about.
Well, that really needs to stop. We need to talk about it! We need a new plan! We can reduce the daily and yearly rates of suicide by eliminating the stigma of mental illness, suicide and going to therapy. Also getting educated in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) or at least knowing how to approach someone who is or can be suicidal can seriously save lives.

Just being able to listen to someone when they are feeling this way can change so much. Just because someone is suicidal or having suicidal thoughts doesn’t mean they just need to be throw into a mental hospital, they could just need someone to talk to, someone to can. Then if they need it, it’ll be easier to suggest getting further help.

So, you may be thinking.. “I am not a mental health specialist or trained in MHFA… what can I do?”

Well, I have a great answer for you:

1. Get educated so you know when someone may be struggling or so you can identify warning signs. (Lucky for you, I have some info in this post! YAY)

2. Be loving, caring and supportive. Don’t lecture them, that’s the last thing they need. Just let them know that they are loved, cared about and their life matters. They really just need a better support system and there are better ways of bringing up getting the proper help with them and that comes with trust and comfort.

3. DO NOT tell them to “stop being negative,” or “Just be more happy or more positive” or that whatever they are upset about isn’t worth it or there are people out there who has it worst. DO NOT EVER SAY THAT. It’s just insulting to say that to someone who is thinking about hurting or killing themselves and it makes them feel worst then they already do makes them feel that they don’t even deserve someone that truly will talk to them about what’s wrong.

* And also it DOES NOT matter how much worse someone else has it, everything we feel, everything we see and hear is OUR own perspective and OUR OWN reality and that’s serious. You don’t know or can never know how badly someone is hurt because you ARE NOT them, you cannot feel their emotions or hear their thoughts. Everyone struggles, yes, some people may have it worst… but that doesn’t mean you can minimize someone else’s pain.

I know most of the things I’ve been saying in this post is get educated!

⇒Let’s say it one more time for the people in the back… GET EDUCATED! ⇐

My main philosophy for mental health education is ECCS: Education, Communication, Caring and Supporting. Four main things you can do need to do in talking to someone with a mental illness or talking to someone who is or can be suicidal. ECCS is very important in a one to one basis for making sure that person who is or can be suicidal gets better.

Now if this person IS suicidal and is trying to attempt or has a plan, follow MHFA’s AGLEE (5 step plan)

A ssess for risk of suicide or harm
L isten nonjudgmentally
G ive reassurance and information
E ncourage appropriate professional help
E ncourage self-help and other support strategies
– Mental Health First Aid

Getting Educated on Warning Signs

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline ( US ) : 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741 (USA)

Below are suicide prevention, warning signs and ways to approach situations that may lead to suicide and are provided by the National Alliance of Mental Illness and American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (I take no credit in any of the information below or any information in the blockquotes; links are all provided):

Know The Warning Signs
•Threats or comments about killing themselves, also known as suicidal ideation, can begin with seemingly harmless thoughts like “I wish I wasn’t here” but can become more overt and dangerous
•Increased alcohol and drug use
•Aggressive behavior
•Social withdrawal from friends, family and the community
•Dramatic mood swings
•Talking, writing or thinking about death
•Impulsive or reckless behavior

-National Alliance of Mental Illness

Warning Signs

Talk

If a person talks about:
•Being a burden to others
•Feeling trapped
•Experiencing unbearable pain
•Having no reason to live
•Killing themselves

Behavior

Specific things to look out for include:
•Increased use of alcohol or drugs
•Looking for a way to kill themselves, such as searching online for materials or means
•Acting recklessly
•Withdrawing from activities
•Isolating from family and friends
•Sleeping too much or too little
•Visiting or calling people to say goodbye
•Giving away prized possessions
•Aggression

Mood

People who are considering suicide often display one or more of the following moods:
•Depression
•Loss of interest
•Rage
•Irritability
•Humiliation
•Anxiety

-American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Approaching the Situation
•Remove means such as guns, knives or stockpiled pills
•Calmly ask simple and direct questions, such as “Can I help you call your psychiatrist?” rather than, “Would you rather I call your psychiatrist, your therapist or your case manager?”
•Talk openly and honestly about suicide. Don’t be afraid to ask questions such as “Are you having thoughts of suicide?” or “Do you have a plan for how you would kill yourself?”
•If there are multiple people, have one person speak at a time
•Ask what you can do to help
•Don’t argue, threaten or raise your voice
•Don’t debate whether suicide is right or wrong
•If your loved one asks for something, provide it, as long as the request is safe and reasonable
•If you are nervous, try not to fidget or pace
•If your loved one is having hallucinations or delusions, be gentle and sympathetic, but do not get in an argument about whether the delusions or hallucinations are real

If you are concerned about suicide and don’t know what to do, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

-National Alliance on Mental Illness

Together, we can all make a difference.. even if it’s difference in one life… it matters. Mental Health education needs to start and we need to seriously address suicide prevention plans!

Also as a reminder.. You matter so much. Please remember that. If you or anyone you know is suicidal, please please get help. I can’t stress how much you matter.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline : 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741 (USA)

You are amazing, you are loved, you are important,

With lots of love,

Jade♥

Please follow my personal blog https://lotsoflovebyjade.wordpress.com/2017/

Worth Living Ambassador Michele King

Hi! My name is Michele and I am 28 years old. Living with both depression and anxiety, I want to be a positive force of change to help end the stigma associated with mental illness, with hopes that what I share will help at least one person who comes across it.

Your Voice Matters.

The more I am getting involved in the Mental Health Community the more I am realizing how important it is to keep sharing your experiences with Mental Illnesses.

It can be pretty terrifying to be so open, especially when you are talking about something that is greatly misunderstood and overly stigmatized. Something that people may just glaze over.  It takes courage and an “I don’t give a ___” attitude.

I personally want to share my experiences because something releases in me when I do. I come out of it feeling lighter. Of course, a lot of times that is right after I am a little shaky and want to vomit because I was just being so vulnerable to whomever chooses to read what I am writing. (Yikes.)

I also choose to share because I spent a large portion of my life being quiet, not speaking up. This made me feel alone and powerless which in turn would drop me back into the depression loop which can be dangerous.

While I have never tried to harm myself physically or kill myself, we all know too well what can happen when someone is riding the depression loop and loses the battle.

We need to share our stories to educate those who may be ignorant to the reality of mental illnesses and the importance of Mental Health. Realistically, just about everyone will have to deal with their mental health at one point or another in their life and some people just have to do it Every. Damn. Day.

We need to speak for these people.

For the people who need to know they are not alone and that their feelings are valid.

For the people who are afraid to ask for help because they don’t want to be judged or ridiculed.

For the people who want to believe that things can get better but aren’t totally convinced.

The thing about mental illnesses is that HELLO! It takes place in your brain- a powerful organ that in some cases can leave you fighting to believe in the good and to believe in yourself.

I have been extremely lucky to have a group of supportive people surrounding me as I share my experiences. I know that isn’t always the case– but that is why it is VITAL that we all keep sharing our stories.

So, to those of you who are feeling like your aren’t making a difference or things will never get better. What you have to say matters.

YOUR voice matters.

Worth Living Ambassador Emma Pratt

 Hi everyone! My name is Emma and I am 23 years old from Ottawa, Ontario. Mental health has been a part of my personal life for about seven years. It had found its way into almost every part of my life when I decided why not invite it in fully and make it my job! I am a Social Service Worker with a passion for mental health. I try to do all that I can to create conversations surrounding mental health and to reduce the stigma that surrounds it. I like to live by saying “When we replace the I in illness with a We, it becomes wellness,” and that is my goal in life.

Can a Helper Ask for Help?

When I ask someone for help, I like to assume that they have the capabilities to help me. I put my trust and faith in this person in hopes that they can adequately help me navigate through the problems of my life. But what if I knew that the person I am trusting to help me needed the very same help that I am asking them for?

I am a helper. I help people. I do my best to guide people, to help them, and to advocate for them in situations where necessary. I am a social service worker. I have worked for two years in the field of mental health and am embarking on a new chapter of my career in a new role as an addiction support counsellor. Sometimes I worry that I am not cut out for this. I couldn’t count the number of times I have asked myself the following question, “How do you expect to help other people when you need help just as badly?”

I was diagnosed with depression when I was sixteen, and generalized anxiety disorder when I was eighteen. Mental health has been a part of my life for seven years. It’s the reason I chose the career path that I did, yet it’s the very reason I find myself questioning it.

During my dark days, this question sounds in my head with a resounding echo. However, on days when my mind is quieter, this question is one I can answer perfectly and with great certainty.

The struggles I have faced, and continue to face, have shaped me into the woman I am today. Would I want someone who has never gotten a tattoo before to tell me how badly getting a tattoo hurts? No. I would want someone who has gone through the experience themselves to tell me what it felt like and how I might find the experience myself. My own mental health status has not only brought me to do the work that I love to do, but I think it has made me even more well suited to it. I have a personal story to bring to the table, I can empathize with the people I work with, I can do my best to put myself in the shoes of another. But most of all, I can understand that when it comes to mental health, each and every story is different. The stories of what a mental illness looks like are as diverse as the people affected by mental illness. I have seen this diversity, I have felt it, and I try to live and breathe it into the work that I do.

I used to be scared that my mental health status would impede me from pursuing the work that I am passionate about. I used to think that there was no way I could be successful in this field. But what I try to tell myself now is that the struggles I have faced  and the difficulties I have endured made me passionate about this work. Without living through the darkness, I would not have been able to embrace the person that the darkness made me.

Mental illness has been a part of my life for many years, but mental health will be a part of me for the rest of my life. I am proud to share with clients the places I have been and the places I hope to go. I am proud to see the light go on behind their eyes when they see that they can get there too  wherever there is for them. I am proud to be a helper who needs to ask for help sometimes.