As the prevalence of mental health issues increases and affects an ever larger number of our friends and family, it becomes essential that we create spaces for folks to talk about how they overcame or persisted despite mental health challenges. Here, we’ve tried to create a safe space for people to come together and discuss their stories, experiences, triumphs and failures with managing their mental health issues.
Eden Holt
For me, overcoming challenges related to mental health has not been about pretending the hard things didn’t happen or forcing myself to ‘stay strong’ at all costs. It has been about learning to be honest with myself, ask for support, and give myself permission to heal in layers. Read More>>
Grace Davenport
It’s funny to be answering this question right now as I’m currently going through what might be the toughest season of my life. I’ve endured several hardships throughout my life, and I have found that what keeps me going is my desire to show up for others and encourage them to keep going. Read More>>
Dinesh Sunar
Since childhood, my life was full of struggle. My father and mother separated when I was very young, and I grew up without proper guidance, support, or stability. There were many painful moments in my life where I felt alone and emotionally broken. Coming from a backward and discriminated community in Nepal around 20 years ago was extremely difficult. Read More>>
Cassidy Mister
Mental health challenges have been a challenge for me ever since I was a young child. Dealing with anxiety, depression and complex post traumatic stress disorder shaped my days. Some activities felt too hard to do at times but my dreams were bigger. I wanted to overcome my mental health conditions in order to do what I knew I was capable of. Read More>>
Olumide Ajayi
Art became one of the ways I learned to navigate difficult emotions. Instead of ignoring what I was feeling, I began channeling it into paintings and writing. Creating gave me a space to reflect, process, and make sense of my experiences. While challenges don’t disappear overnight, art has helped me keep moving forward with honesty, self-awareness, and hope Read More>>
Deanna Repose Oaks
I am in the process of overcoming, and I always will be. My process is quite simple and yet so complex. I began writing poetry in the seventh grade, to hide my feelings from my adoptive mother who gaslit me constantly about what was real and what was not. I wrote poems with hidden undertones that she couldn’t see, which made them solid. Read More>>