I thought “yeah, that’s just an excuse for some people to get attention” and “that’s not a real sickness” until it was my turn.

What kind of stigma did you experience/observe?

Around 3 years ago, I met someone who has become my bff. One day she mentioned she gets panic attacks with uneven numbers. Our home was 109. Needless to say, she couldn’t look or think about my house number because of it. I thought “yeah, that’s just an excuse for some people to get attention” and “that’s not a real sickness” until it was my turn.

Nearly 7 months ago, I had my first panic attack as a result of a nervous breakdown. This was all new to me. I had to even check myself into the ED. Suicide ran through my mind at that time. It was precisely then that I understood that this is VERY real.

I joined a church, started going to therapy, and my primary care doctor made sure I was on the right track. I have now decided to be an advocate for suicide prevention as a result of my experience and learning how real mental illnesses are. I’ve started a page on Facebook to celebrate life with a daily prayer & motivational video to inspire and motivate others every day. It’s also to SPEAK about it and let others know that it’s OK to talk about it. It’s OK for others to know. The more people in your circle know, the better your support system will be. My motto’s now: live, love, pray, bless, motivate, uplift, and encourage!

Help others by sharing a brief, positive message.

Motivate, uplift, bless, love, live, pray, encourage. Please know that you’re not alone!