My Short Vers. Of My Mental Health Story
Short to the key but basic enough to get an idea… read to find out more:
My diagnosis is: ADHD, depression and anxiety disorder. I have suffered with depression for 5 years and my anxiety for 1–2 years. I have fully recovered from my depression and have slowly, even without realizing it, found ways to cope with anxiety. And lastly, my ADHD, I’ve realized I have to cope with it for the rest of my life. I take Concerta medication from my doctor to help me cope/manage my ADHD symptoms.
I did a year of college, studying Office Administration. I suffered with my depression in that year in college, just barely made it through the year alive. Right now I am just taking time to work and do research and figure out what I want to do. I have thought about being a counsellor, teacher, or anything that involves helping those with mental health problems, where I can inspire others in tough situations, and such. I may be going back to Conestoga college to take one of the courses I failed online and the other at a different college maybe Sheridan that’s closer to home. But I’m more set on going to college for mental health counsellor or teacher. But need to do more research on both.
Some of my passions are:
Listening to music: At times when I’m feeling anxious, music helps me ease my thoughts on the situation and when I feel ready to react properly to the situation, I feel more confident and more aware of what I should feel and think in the situation.
Inspiring others: I’m passionate about inspiring others with all that I’ve gained knowledge my experiences. I’ve inspired people with my first blog (Tumblr) and have helped people in tough times, (including those who suffer with mental illnesses: able to relate from personal experience; which I intend to help them through those hard yet unbearable times with mental health), and advice. Now currently have a new blog on Tumblr (hopelessromanticbelieber: Laura’s Blog) where I still inspire others. Used to have a blog called Laura1646 on tumblr that was active for a few years till it was deleted for a personal reason April 29th 2015. Have more in dept detail of both bogs in my story on medium in link at the bottom.
Being creative: finding new ways from thinking differently/creatively in everything I possibly can when I set my mind to something. Those things that I want, I make sure it’s inspiring (positive), beautiful, encouraging, uplifting, happy and creative.
Being optimistic: I’ve come to realize from the things that I do and believe in (excluding the negative, bad and unsuccessful things), that I never give up, always find a way to make it work. Thinking of the movie: Tomorrowland with Britt Robertson and George Clooney which I felt I could relate to a lot for I believed that nothing is impossible (quoting: Cloud 9) and I don’t give up just like a few of these characters in the movie. I love how I’m so optimistic and I can’t wait to share my talent to inspire, creative mind and optimism with the world to show what I can do and what I’m capable of when I set my mind to the things that matter the world to me: aka my dreams and my life purpose!
Now that I’ve finished recovering from my depression, I realize now that I feel like I can fully embrace the person that I’ve been hiding even before the depression. Knowing the right things and not letting anyone or anything hold me back. Being confident, loving myself for the first time and others too that I feel I have accomplished with my recovery. But now that I’ve accomplished my recovery, I have so many plans I want to do with my life (as for I made it out alive from my depression) and also the fact that I feel more myself than I’ve ever felt in the 19, almost 20 years of my life. And lastly, I am proud to say that I’m truly ever so proud for all that I have accomplished with my recovery and all it gave me in return.
I may have suffered from life-threatening illnesses but I am here alive and mentally healthy and happy which I will never take for granted for any reason at all. Near the end of my recovery, I actually started to really and honestly feel that love within myself; loving myself for the very first time. It feels so amazing, I never thought it would feel Iike this.
To someone just diagnosed with a mental health condition: I would talk to them about their struggles with their mental illness(s) to help them slowly open up about them and find ways to help them get through it alive and mentally too. Tell them the things anyone who cares: that they matter, they are important, worthy, special, beautiful, amazing, and that they don’t have to go through it alone, as for many others are suffering from mental illnesses just like them which hoping will make them understand that they aren’t alone with their mental illness.
