Stories of Hope
The sharing of a personal story can be self-reflective, educational, de-stigmatizing and incredibly empowering. During Mental Health Awareness Month, we share stories of hope, resilience and recovery from those who have experienced mental health and substance use issues. These individuals are sharing their stories in the hope that others will be inspired to seek help, and join them on the path to recovery.
“I turned to alcohol for relief. My self-stigma was so ingrained that I preferred to be considered an alcoholic than to be mentally ill,” said Yoshi who first experienced mental health stigma at age 4 when her mother had a psychotic break and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.
Daniel, who started smoking and drinking at age 12, and cocaine, speed and needles by age 18, shares, ” My inner world was dark, cold and lonely and I used drugs to cope with the feelings of failure and depression, believing it had ruined my life and was beyond redemption or salvation. Those years were the darkest and most dismal years of my life.“
Read their stories and more at on the BHRS online newsletter Wellness Matters.
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