Share your story – Grace Fauchelle

Tell us a little about yourself

I am 22 years old.  I love writing books and drawing/painting.  I have a published book already with many more to come.  I currently work 2 jobs at a gym and a restaurant, which is an absolute blessing for me.

In 2015 alone I lost 4 jobs.   I have suffered with mental illness and addiction for 8 years.   In the last four years from 2012,  I was challenged with  many large issues that have broken me.

What mental health challenges have you experienced?

Self harm, depression, suicide thoughts/attempts.

How did you get support for your mental illness? 

I tried many counselors throughout college and after. My college counselors were very helpful.  One counselors after college was not and caused me to self harm again without regret.

My second oldest brother was the most helpful, as he had gone through similar  issues.  My parents blamed and condemned me, leading me to try suicide in 2015.   Writing and art helped, as well as my current life coach and a therapist I had in 2015  My friends were also helpful by their presence and understanding.  Music was a great help too.

God was my best help.  He turned my whole life around and used the Bible to speak love and truth into my life 🙂

Anything further you would like to share?

I am still going through my challenges but I am stronger than I have ever been.  I often feel blessed and content. I am so grateful  to be alive! The key is to hold on to hope and to never give up. keep fighting and keep trying!

If you have a mental health story to share, please click here.  Your story may inspire, encourage or save a life!

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About The Author

Zoe

Zoe met Eze (Chuck) in the 14th year of what turned out to be an 18 year ‘journey’ with mental illness. They got married less than a year of meeting with Zoe fully knowing Chuck had a diagnosis of mental illness. In the 18th year, Chuck defied the odds of mental illness. A consultant psychiatrist signed him off the mental health system with a bill of NO MENTAL ILLNESS. The consultant was so amazed by Chuck’s astonishing recovery that he even questioned how Chuck was diagnosed with mental illness all those years before, in the first place! Today Chuck is free from medication, its dependency and hospitalizations. Zoe’s award nominated book, DEFYING THE ODDS, chronicles the highs and ‘lows’ of this journey. Zoe, often writing from the standpoint of a caregiver, clearly understands that mental illness does not only affect an individual challenged with the disease, but also families, marriages and society as a whole.

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