Your support changes lives. Thank you!
Learn More
Menopause is a natural stage in a woman’s life, signaling the end of her reproductive years. While…
Read Personal Mental Health Stories
by Allison Kugel
07.12.2017
At 3 AM on a July 2012 morning, I lay helpless on an emergency room cot, unable to experience any emotion other than fear and the physical sensations that racked my body. My extreme levels of anxiety did not cease; my body showed me no mercy, perhaps because my racing mind did not extend that courtesy to my body. I was wrapped in a backless hospital gown and meagerly strewn blanket that had been nuked in a microwave to keep me warm.
by Rivka Bennun, Shulamith High School for Girls
05.25.2017
Rivka Bennun is a fourteen year old freshman at Shulamith High School for Girls in Cedarhurst, NY. She loves to read in her free time and play piano. She had to research something to write about for a class research project but also wanted to research something she was familiar with, as she definitely feels stressed on a day-to-day basis. Her is what she wrote...
05.22.2017
Research is no longer solely the province of the lab coat-wearing scientist. People diagnosed with mental illnesses, their family caregivers, healthcare providers, and social workers all can play a role in the research that affects the treatment of mental health.
by Kayleigh Ballantyne
05.22.2017
I have battled more at the age of 25 than most humans do in a lifetime. Take a moment to think of the most dreadfully painful experience you have had – I can empathize with you. In my life, I have overcome two near death experiences. One at the age of 11 which left me in a coma, the other at 21 where I was fighting against a collapsed lung and losing a lot of blood. My suffering has not only been painful physically but mentally.
by Bailey Kay - Miss Sandy City International
12.06.2016
I was in seventh grade when I discovered I had anxiety. I didn't go to school for 2 months because every day my mom would take me, and I would end up on the floor of the car sobbing and hyperventilating. I was a sophomore in high school when I was diagnosed with depression. I skipped class a lot, I would cry over everything, and I would never leave the house.
by Jenni Schaefer
10.11.2016
After lots of falling down and getting back up again in the process of recovery, I now know that PTSD is not a life sentence. Today my nightmares are gone, I rarely startle, and incredibly I have fallen in love with life. The world isn’t out to get me after all, and I feel safe. Finally, I am living in real time and not trapped in the past.
Share Your Story and Your Voice.
Help #breakthestigma Around Mental Health.
Read Personal Stories From People Just Like You.
ADAA features a variety of personal stories shared by individuals who have experienced mental health challenges. These stories are meant to provide hope, raise awareness, and reduce stigma by showcasing real-life experiences. They often focus on overcoming obstacles related to anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions, sharing coping strategies, and emphasizing the importance of seeking help.
Reading these stories can be a great way to feel less alone in your own journey, as well as learn helpful tips and coping mechanisms from others who’ve gone through similar experiences.
Do you have a story about your personal mental health journey? Your voice and your story can help transform the lives of many, help decrease stigma, and make one feel less alone.
We welcome written personal stories and short 2-3 minute videos, or a 1-2 minute recording, that we will share on the ADAA website, through our Triumph e-newsletter, and across our social media platforms.
In a story of 500 -750 words (or a 2-3 minute video), please describe your mental health journey and how it has affected your life. Please provide a brief title and focus on the therapy or other treatments that have helped you manage or overcome your illness. Please include how ADAA's website or resources have helped you. In order to publish you story on our website and to share it on our social media platforms, we require that you use your real name and include a photo.
Please note that we do not accept advertorials (these stories should not include any call-outs for personal websites or publications or sell any products). We reserve the right to reject any story that we do not feel is appropriate to share.
NOTE: ADAA reserves the right to edit for clarity, length, and editorial style. We do not guarantee that every submission will be published. If your story is accepted, you will be notified. If you have not heard from ADAA within one week of submission that means that your story has not been accepted. Once your story is posted on this website, it is the property of ADAA.
Boost Search Results
Off
