My name is Kate. My journey with mental illness is not done yet.
I have struggled with mental illness my entire life. I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when I was a child. Do I have this now? I am not sure; I do know that I was diagnosed with mild depression and anxiety.
I have encountered self-harm, suicidal thoughts, bouts of panic, & rage. Because of this, I have also encountered judgment. Judgment because of what I struggle with; the judgment that led to verbal and emotional abuse from some family. I often lost myself in music and art as a way to cope with everything I was feeling.
I’ve gotten help on an off throughout my life. But never had a place to go where I could find resources and not feel like I was being judged.
Recently I had a bad spell. The past several years I found it difficult to get out of bed and function. I tried changing things in my life to try and aid my mental health but nothing worked. I switched jobs; I switched my eating; I tried exercising. Nothing was working. Then I lost an Idol.
Chester Bennington, a well-known musician, succumbed to his depression. I became devasted. The music from his band got me through so many troubling times and gave me the strength to try to get better. I was angry and sad for a while; then I snapped.
I did something very drastic. I quit my fulltime job. Within four months of doing that I have made a drastic turnaround. I have been focusing on myself both mentally and physically. I also decided to create this website.
I wanted to not just share my story with others but also create a space for anyone to turn to should they need a supportive environment. A place where you can find whatever resources you need. A place created by people who are going through some similar struggles. A place where no one is judged by their illness. A place that would truly #MakeChesterProud.
