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My music persona “Goldyngambit” has become my brand to be an advocate of mental health awareness. And had I not battled this illness, I wouldn’t have been able to create my art.

As an athlete struggling with mental health issues, there came a time when I had to step away from the physical game and concentrate on the mental game. It was not an easy decision.

As a kid, mental health was a confusing mystery that no adult that I knew addressed with me. Coping skills, stress, anxiety, depression, and substance use all seemed like things to figure out on my own or with kids my own age who knew little more than I did.

The story behind my newest single, "Over the Moon," stemmed from my absolute rock bottom. It’s as if the walls around me were caving in one after the other. Growing up became mandatory, and the light of being a carefree twenty-something blew out.

Living with Emetophobia is a constant challenge. Nausea plagues me relentlessly, feeding into a vicious cycle of anxiety. Despite the hardships, I hold onto hope for progress.

I would always reminisce on everything I had said or did during the day and beat myself up for it. I felt that my life could potentially change but I still had no idea how to change my habits or get out of the state of mind I had now lived in for 2 years.

After a while, my life began to take on meaning. I let myself feel. I unearthed pain, raw emotions, and intense feelings. These are not minor feats, especially for anyone suffering from depression or anxiety.

Anxiety can come on randomly at any time—it’s normal! I’ve learned that grounding is the best way to bring yourself back down from an attack. Here is one technique I’ve learned which uses the five senses.

With everything that has happened in my life, I’ve come to learn that every second and every moment cannot, and should not, be taken for granted. Anything can happen in a split second and life can instantly change course forever. I make an effort to not just go through, but conquer each and every day.

Anxiety and depression took over and consumed every aspect of life, I didn’t shower for weeks because I was so pre-occupied with fear and panic!

At the young age of 7 years old, I was diagnosed with agoraphobia. At the time, I didn't understand such a big word. Nobody does when you are that young. As I grew older, things only felt like they were getting worse.

Getting sick was both sudden and gradual. The timeline of my mental health disorder, or rather disorders because I endured several, was so erratic, waxing and waning, often corresponding to a momentous event in my life or the birth of one of my children or the death of a loved one.