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.
Ashley Smith
Working in high stress situations and managing anxiety can be tricky, and although I’m not always aware of the trigger, I have become very familiar with the signs.
Pacing the floor, shallow breathing, a hamster wheel of negative thoughts, fidgeting, tapping, etc. Read More>>
ERICA YOUNG
So I battled anxiety before it was being recognized and accepted. Even to this day I think my family ignores the conversation about mental health. However, once my mother was diagnosed with cancer, I started addressing my anxiety issues after numerous panic attacks. I became so overwhelmed in life and work after a while, I was afraid I would not live long. Anxiety was causing my blood pressure to increase and me to constantly panic. I finally had a heart to heart with my mom and she recommended counseling to help me cope. She knew I had the pressure of taking care of her and my family, as well as trying to achieve my career goals. Read More>>
Ayanna Burke
Mental health incorporates a bigger scope than I think a lot of people realize. From me, I deal with depression, anxiety and adhd. All of these affect my mental in one way or another and a lot of time it can affect my creativity or connection to my brand. Read More>>
Natalie Marie
I have experienced a great deal of trauma throughout my life ranging from sexual assault to most recently, domestic violence and narcissistic abuse. These events have contributed to overwhelming PTSD, depression, and anxiety. At one point, I lived with agoraphobia, which is the fear of places and situations. Read More>>
CORLISA HOCKLESS
Simply trusting God and understanding that troubles does not last always. It’s been a struggle but it has helped. Knowing that there are others who face similar issues has put things into perspective for me. Read More>>
Ryan Jane Murphy
Artistic expression has without a doubt been the most valuable & healthiest coping mechanism utilized throughout my mental health journey. For as long as I can remember, I’ve struggled with body dysmorphia, depression, anxiety, dissociation and eventually PTSD. The mediums that have helped me the most is portraiture and illustration work. When I am at one of my lowest points and struggling with communication, it often draws back to lack of recent artistic release. Read More>>
Nessa Amherst
I have three mental health illnesses – major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder – and it’s not an easy life to have with three primary conditions impacting your life! Read More>>
Marquita Livingston
A few years ago, I was having really bad headaches and ringing in my ear. There wasn’t a day that had went by that I wasn’t suffering from either that or the vertigo. Causing my world to spin whether my eyes were open or closed. At any given time and anywhere. As you can imagine, my day was lived unexpectedly. Not knowing what it would bring. If I would be able to work, write or even just have a good day. As the days went by, it seemed as though I was getting less productive and more anxious. I started to feel claustrophobic in cars. Read More>>
Kristien King
At the end of 2022 I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Then a few months later came my autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and things started to make sense for me. Read More>>
Celeste Burns
Life is challenging, for everyone. I learned about mental health struggles as a child, having developed intense anxiety and depression at a very young age after being diagnosed with a chronic illness. I found photography when I entered high school, as mandatory curriculum in my education. I didn’t expect to fall in love with it as passionately as I did, but from the moment I stepped foot into the darkroom, my heart was lit on fire! I loved everything about it Read More>>
Ebony Dodson
Bipolar 1 is one of my diagnosis’. I’m on four different medications. I was diagnosed with bipolar 1 at age 19. Bipolar disorder- is a serious mental illness that causes unusual shifts in mood, ranging from extreme highs (mania or “manic” episodes) to lows (depression or “depressive” episode). A person who has bipolar disorder also experiences changes in their energy, thinking, behavior, and sleep. Read More>>
Ryan Adams
When I was younger, I thought I was fairly normal. I liked sports, video games, playing outside. You know, kid stuff. But, I also liked other things. Poetry, music, acting, doodling, and obsessing over something before getting obsessed with another. It wasn’t until alcohol was introduced into my life in my teens that I begun to realize I was, in fact, very different from most of my peers. Read More>>
Cookie B
I never let go of my desire to see the other side. I chased light and everything good with everything I had. In the midst of some turmoil in my life, I found myself questioning everything about my existence and recognized patterns that led me to uncover every lie that was sticking to my existence and motivating my decisions. All the things that hindered me from experiencing a good life internally regardless of how my external space looked. Read More>>
