This is my fourth year of being a Time to Change Wales Champion, and it just gets better.
Being part of the fight against stigma and discrimination was one reason why I signed up. When I discovered my then-11 year old had been born with anxiety, I wanted to share my experience of living with depression and being a mum to four beautiful children. If my story can help one person, then it means that my battle with depression wasn’t in vain.
‘It was overwhelming’
My life became really dark for a long time. I couldn’t see a way out at times. I remember the pain of thinking, “This is my life, forever”. It was overwhelming.
And then a damaging, heart-breaking thought forced me to transform my life, and I had hope for the first time in a very long time. Being able to share that there is hope, that there is a way to be yourself again, is rewarding and worthwhile. Everyone deserves to be themselves and happy.
‘Platform to openly and safely share’
Conversations around mental health and mental ill health are deemed to be difficult, so having a platform to openly and safely share the darkness and the light of depression can be life-transforming for the person listening who has been afraid of reaching out or feeling the deep shame that can accompany mental ill health. For that person listening, it can feel like being given permission to not be okay and to ask for help.
The best bit is the powerful discussions and sharing that have happened in talks where someone has felt empowered enough to share their story when they have never shared before – and the emails that let us know that staff members have reached out and they are now getting the help and support they need. That for me is the icing on the cake.
‘Missing jigsaw puzzle pieces in my story’
The power of sharing my story also empowers me. I have learnt a few things that have been missing jigsaw puzzle pieces in my story, information that continues to help me develop, understand myself better and grow as a person and Champion.
In the next year, I would like to do more in-person talks. I’ve missed the interaction. Video is great, but there is no replacement for the energy in the room.