My Mental Health Journey: A Lifelong Commitment to Awareness

As you can see in my story, I’ve been through an intense mental health journey—a journey that, in truth, will never end. And that’s okay. If anything, I don’t want it to end. If even one person can avoid what I went through by reading this, or by using what they learn here to help someone they know, it will all be worth it. My hope is to reach and help millions.

I know for a fact that I’ve already brought awareness to hundreds in my life, simply because they knew who I was and had known me for a long time. But now, I’m facing the challenge of reaching those who don’t know me personally. I believe that if people can get to know me now—understand who I am—they can look back at my life and see how everything came crashing down.

Though I don’t like putting myself out there, I’ve started posting on social media and launched a podcast. These platforms allow people to gradually understand what happened to me. It’s not just about sharing my own experience, but also helping others understand what the people around me went through. I believe that if people can understand either side—let alone both—they’ll be better equipped to recognize when someone they care about is going through something similar.

This brings us to the ultimate question: How do you help someone in that scenario? As I went through my struggles, dozens of people reached out to me. They could all sense something was wrong, but no one knew exactly what it was. Some people disappeared, some distanced themselves, and others pulled me in close. Without those who pulled me in close, I wouldn’t be here today. I would be dead.

One friend told me afterward that he wanted to literally knock some sense into me. But I can tell you, that wouldn’t have accomplished anything. In my mind, I felt I was working for something bigger, and if you weren’t with me, you were against me. I’m not saying that anyone responded the “wrong” way—no one knew what was really going on. But what I am saying is this: if you see someone going through something similar, be an ally. Listen to what they’re saying. Don’t necessarily be agreeable, but make sure they feel that you believe them. At the same time, gently challenge them and try to plant seeds of rationality. If you take away anything from this, let it be this: Keep them close.

Supporting someone through a mental health crisis isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. As my mother once told me, you really find out who your true friends are when something like this happens. So, as I write my first post on this website, I want to say thank you. Thank you to my mother, my family—both immediate and distant—and all of my friends who have been there since day one.