Share Your Story – Kay
Tell us a little about yourself
I’m 20 year old. I manage a page that helps to raise the awareness of mental health and stop the stigma!
‘This is what a person with mental illness looks like’ is a page to show everyone and us who live with mental illness that we aren’t alone and that it can affect anyone, no matter on your age, sex and where you’re from!
What mental health challenges have you experienced?
I have lived with anxiety most of my life. I was always the ‘over sensitive kid’. I used to self harm, had a depression and an eating disorder. I have recently been diagnosed with OCD, anxiety and panic disorder which led to agoraphobia. I have faced a lot of stigma from people around me. Mostly because they don’t actually understand any of those illnesses. Financial issues have also been hard for me because I haven’t managed to keep any job for long, and in 2015 especially, it was hard for me to get a job.
I have only been diagnosed with OCD recently and before that I would’ve never thought that I had it. It’s been very challenging to accept that and to realise that a lot of things that I have been doing for years were actually due to it! There’s also a massive stigma around OCD and the way media portrays it and other mental illness is dreadful!
How did you get support for your mental illness?
I have seen a couple of counselors but they never actually helped that much. I used to take herbal medications like Kalms or Remedy Rescue to help with the anxiety. I only take them occasionally now and would definitely recommend them to anyone who doesn’t want to take stronger medications.
My family has never understood or been very supportive. My mum especially made it a lot harder for me because she convinced me that I could ‘get over it’ . When I didn’t, it would only make me feel a lot worse, unfortunately. As much as I tried and still try to explain, she just doesn’t get it or maybe doesn’t want to.
I developed agoraphobia which made it harder for me to go to the doctors. I got told that I would have to wait 6+ weeks to see a therapist! I have read a lot about people seeing a therapist online. I found an amazing website online called Big White Wall within a week I had my first appointment. I am currently doing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and allowing myself to get better.
I also love expressing my feelings through art and I’ve been doing photography for about 5 years now, and I got a lot of other media of art, such as painting and drawing which helps me so much!
Anything further you would like to share?
I wanted to help people so much, so I’ve made a page where people can share their stories and where I can help people too!
If you have a mental health story to share, please click here. Your story may inspire, encourage or save a life!
Any links on this page does not necessarily mean they have been endorsed by Defying Mental Illness.
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