Samantha, 22 

I’ve struggled with my mental health for as long as I can remember. From a young age, I was in and out of therapy and on and off various medications. When I was 12, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, which I struggled with throughout my adolescence. I was always a very independent person, and because of that, it made it hard for me to reach out for help when I needed it. While I am lucky that my family and friends were always a strong support network, I still felt very alone in my struggles with anxiety and depression. I never wanted to come off as attention-seeking or not be taken seriously, which led me to isolate myself. For years I wondered what was wrong with me, why couldn’t I be “normal” and find the energy and strength to be like my peers, like my brother, like my friends. I often felt like a burden to my family and didn’t want them to worry about me more than they already did, so I kept how I felt to myself. Depression and anxiety made it hard to function; it affected me every day in school, work, friendships, and my home life. 

Throughout the years, I have worked hard to manage my mental health, and though it feels like a never-ending process, I am mentally in a better place now than I have been in years. Therapy was essential in helping me open up about my struggles and provided much-needed guidance on how to heal, grow, and manage to live with anxiety and depression. I’ve seen many therapists in my life, and it’s essential to make sure you find one that’s a good fit for you. You want to feel completely comfortable and safe around your therapist, and there’s no harm in trying out different providers until you find the right match. Finding the right medication for me was also pivotal in my mental health journey. I was always wary of taking medication based on a few bad experiences and years of trial and error with a variety of anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications. I didn’t think that taking medication was right for me, but when I found one that worked to help alleviate the hopelessness and stress, it improved my life beyond what I felt was capable. Finding the right medication for me allowed me to once again feel motivation, joy, and overall relief from the worst symptoms of my mental illness. A combination of therapy, medication, and learning that it’s okay to be vulnerable and ask for help were all essential in my mental health journey. For once in my life, I feel like I am in control of managing my mental health and feel proud of the progress I have made in reclaiming my life from my mental illness.