By sharing my story, I hope to change the perception of mental health and help save, influence and inspire people suffering with mental health problems by exploring tools, methods and techniques which I know from experience will be crucial to helping feel mind-free and more positive.
My name's Joseph Bryant, I'm 18, and this is my story.
Throughout all of my childhood I had dealt with bullying. Got into pointless fights, jumped twice, lost best friends, spent many lonely lunchtimes and was even told by my teacher that I would get no where in life. Unfortunately, because of all the pain and anger I had generated throughout school I even made some bad mistakes myself and done things I regretted. I got in trouble with the police on more than one occasion and it's my parents were ashamed of me. After being humiliated, embarrassed and in mental pain for so long I made an extremely stupid decision and went to sixth-form because I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Half way through the first year I started really stressed very easily and i had no idea why. I started to over-think everything and i wanted to know why. So I started delving into some deep research into the symptoms I was having to find out the truth to what was happening to me. And after 4 months of in-depth research you wouldn't believe what I had. I had OCD. That's when it finally hit me, I kept on over-thinking and over-analysing every little thing I was doing; To writing in school, to playing games, exercising, even have conversations as if I was holding a chain on my back. All the pain. All the embarrassment. All the guilt that I had dealt with still haunted me in my mind and I had to fight my demons. So, I didn't want to go and see a doctor about it because I knew that any sort of medication they would give me would only give me temporary short bursts of happiness and I needed long-term happiness. I started developing research on different methods and techniques I could use to overcome this intense torture. So, I started to improve my exercise pattern more optimally, I slept with better quality, had a better diet, started meditating, saying affirmations, surrounded myself with chilled music and leaped myself into the self-help world where indulged into a world of endless knowledge on how to improve myself.
That is why I've landed here. I want to help change the way many people perceive mental health. It's not easy to get over, you can't just take medication and magically be happy. It's take a hell amount of time to be able to overcome, bit you also have to be willing to believe you can as well.
After suffering with OCD for up to 8 months now on August 24th 2018 I said to myself "That's it... I'm ending it all today." What I meant by that was "I'm going to overcome my OCD today." And I remember running up this huge mountain in the Garth and just feeling so insanely determined to just get to the top of the mountain and get over the BS in my head. So I was running, going up tiring steps, slippery paths, cold weathers but still didn't stop, it was windy, my whole body was asking and my feet felt drench-foot by I didn't stop, my heart was pounding, my movement was ridged, my mind screamed for me to give up but I didn't stop and as I got closer and closer and closer to the mountain I saw the edge of the horizon and I only had to run for just a bit longer and then finally I reached to the top of the mountain and I screamed like my lungs depended on it "Screw you fear, I'm not afraid of you." x10. And then, the feeling I felt then was indescribable. For once in ages I had felt completely free. I just felt that my mind was so clear, like I could only see and control positive thoughts of the future. I wasn't over-thinking anything from the past, present or future I was just relaxed and mind-free in the present. And I remember just feeling so relieved and crying with tears of immense joy. It felt weird, like something out of an inspiring movie. I felt euphoric because for once in ages I had full clarity on my thoughts i had full clarity on who I was and who i needed to be.
That is why I've landed here. I want to help change the way many people perceive mental health. It's not easy to get over, you can't just take medication and magically be happy. It's take a hell amount of time to be able to overcome, bit you also have to be willing to believe you can as well. I knew that pharmaceutical drugs wouldn't help me and despite my family being there for me in the toughest time of my life I didn't want them to see me taking drugs for my mental health because I knew it would worry them. When i was on that mountain I had so much time to think of how I could help inspire people through this story. That is a huge reason why I'm here. What if I can help people to overcome their mental health issues without having to take drugs and instead use different techniques and methods like I did to help others overcome their mental illness. I don't believe it's possible I know it's possible an i want to share my ideas and advice to people who need so I can help to save lives who need control of their minds for the rest of their lives. I want to help transform and fulfill people's lives. My name's Joseph Bryant, and this is my life purpose... What's yours?