Sometimes the trauma we experience is not definable in terms of scientific research or assessments. Sometimes depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues are never actually diagnosed but somehow those of us who experience these issues deal with them on a daily basis and find inspiration and hope in our communities and inside ourselves.  

I, like many others, have experienced multiple traumas in my life including rape, abandonment, intimate partner violence, a diagnosis of a “terminal” disease, homelessness, and drug addiction.  Yet, somehow, I have made it through these experiences and found help along the way.  Not from the system of care (as many of us know, the system of care is not really designed to “care”), I found help in the support and love from others who have also experienced similar things.  It is their courage and compassion that gave me the strength to keep moving forward.  It is their determination and insight that helped me work through the pain and fear.  

I am forever grateful for those who guided me along the way.  Your support will never be forgotten.  Your support helped me to not only find a new way to live but to follow my passion and help others.  Even though I have been dragged through the mud, I know my worth and value has not changed.  Today, I am working on a PhD. and hope that the work I do, the community bridges from research and academia to the real world I build, can help inspire others.  May you find love and peace in your hearts

My name is Krystal and I currently reside in TN.  I have had an ongoing childhood trauma, as well as adult trauma, including but limited to; depression, PTSD, anxiety, insomnia, etc… I have encountered law enforcement and their injustice to mental health several times.  Just since living in TN, it has been a nightmare.  They do not care about my mental health or my behavior due to my mental health and it has been so hard to obtain or find a competent mental health therapist or psychiatrist that is competent to help me with my needs.  I was advised to go over an hour away from home by insurance, to do this.   This is an ergency just like a broken bone or some type of long term physical ailment…why is mental  health such a low priority to the US.?   It isn’t a made up BS disease.  This is f****** real and needs to be made aware of the realness.

June 3, 2014

Thank you for your interest in my recovery story. I have been in mental health treatment for the past thirty-three years. It began at age eight when I was sexually molested by a close relative. I did not tell anyone out of shame and guilt for ten years. I became anorexic immediately following the assault, which turned into bulimia, severe depression and anxiety through my teenage years. My parents would not allow hospitalization or medication because of their ignorance and the stigma involved. Suicide was constantly on my mind. My parents did allow for weekly psychotherapy treatments.

At seventeen, I suffered a major mental breakdown and was limited in my high school attendance. I disclosed facts about the abuse during therapy, but no charges were filed, once again due to the perceived stigma. At eighteen, I took myself to the psychiatrist and received my first prescription for an anti-depressant. Lack of effectiveness and side effects caused me to spend the next fifteen years trying different medicine combinations.

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I have been dealing with depression, anxiety, and OCD for almost a year now. It all began when my ex and I broke up. All of the stress from the break up had dragged on for months and I didn’t know how to cope with it, which lead to my first depressive episode, along with severe, constant anxiety. Because of this, I was always over analyzing everything, looking for reassurance, tense from the waist up, crying uncontrollably, and so much more. I never experienced self harm or substance abuse, however I also never attempted therapy or medication. There are a few positives to this story, of course. I’ve learned a lot about both myself and my life, and I now know how to control, cope, and relieve myself of any mental illness’. Throughout all of this, I never made much progress towards getting better and getting a fresh start. If anything, I made things worse with my bad thought patterns and bad habits. It wasn’t until I had a shift in my mindset and lifestyle that I began to notice drastic improvement over a very short period of time. Since then, I have gotten my life as a whole back on track and am very excited to see where I am heading as far as health. If you’re in a rut, just remember this: don’t give up and keep on trying. 

I am Kamara and I am a 14-year mental health survivor.  I am an African America woman, 52 years old (53 on Nov 15th).  There is a stigma in the Black community when it comes to mental health.  I have had people say to me, “You just need to pray.“  My own quote is, "You cannot ‘pray’ depression.  You better pray … AND find you a therapist.  It literally saved my life.”

My journey with mental health has not been an easy one. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2011. I was constantly having panic attacks at bight time which prevented me from sleeping. I finally decided that it was time to get the help I very much so needed. I did, and every since then I can better manage my mental health with the tools that my therapist has given me. There is light and hope even after the darkest of storms. Keep fighting ❤️

My father was a drug addict, paranoid schizophrenic, dealer and hoarder.

Growing up was traumatic to say the least, I ended up moving out at age 15.

Currently I am 28, a father to be, high school teacher and martial arts instructor.

My whole life I have been dealing with depression, anxiety and other mental health concerns.

I found that the best therapy came from writing my story, first in the form of poetry then in a book. Even if you only write for your self, please do it. It will help!

My mental health story dates back to 2002. After witnessing a messy divorce at the end of high school, I developed test anxiety as a college student. I couldn’t understand why I was struggling in my coursework and while I utilized counseling services at my university, my anxiety was so crippling that I changed my major from pre-med/biology to environmental science. I still graduated from college with a degree in environmental analysis and double minored in biology and public health in 2005, however, I still wanted to work in healthcare-related career, so I looked at physical therapy. While I was in physical therapy school, I still struggled with test anxiety and was unable to complete the program. I fell into a very dark depression and was suicidal. However, I was proactive and with the support of my boyfriend and now husband, I went to counseling to work through this failure in my life and determine another career calling.

Getting an advanced degree was important enough for me, so shortly after getting married and relocating to a new city, I changed careers and looked into getting an MBA. In 2013, with the support of my spouse and my family, I successfully completed my MBA with a 3.8 GPA, while working part-time.

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Helpless, hopeless, burnt out, in a hole, and unable to rescue one’s self. Have you ever been in a situation where all hope was lost? No one knew the depth of your pain? Your inward taunts, fears, and screams were heard by no one? I know the pain all too well. While attempting to complete my professional degree, long hours and frustration took a toll on my life. I found myself in utter exhaustion. Being from a community where it was taboo to speak of depression, I suffered in silence.

 There were days when I literally could not get out of bed. I felt a weight that was indescribable, however, I didn’t possess the vernacular to describe my emotions.  My thoughts and fears continuously played over and over in my head. I felt trapped by an invisible wall that I created. My grades as well as my confidence began to slip. I no longer socialized or enjoyed my favorite activities. When combated with depression, the very essence of my character changed and it became very challenging to step out in faith to live a life of victory and success. Depression obstructed my perception. I was unable to think clear, precise thoughts. Eventually, I left dental school because I was unable meet the vigorous demands.

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