Landing Page Hero Image

Read Personal Stories 

Filter by:
by Gordon Fraser
“As traumatized children, we always dreamed that someone would come and save us. We never dreamed that it would, in fact, be ourselves as adults.” – Alice Little 
by Daneisha Carter
My name is Daneisha and I'm an African American woman who suffers from severe anxiety and stress. I was around 18 years old when I had my first panic attack. I couldn't breathe and it felt like I was going to die.
by Carmen M. Tumialan Lynas, PhD
Most would agree that treating invasive cancer when it is still just the size of a mustard seed has a much better prognosis than waiting and treating it when it metastasizes into a larger, less curable disease. My cancer experience makes me more resolute about treating anxiety early. 
by Shigeko Ito
Growing up in Japan with a workaholic surgeon father and an often-absent socialite mother, I was raised by a revolving cast of caregivers who worked at my father's hospital. An unstable home environment and lack of a consistent caregiver created in me a melancholic, anxious child prone to insomnia.
by Shanean Henry
My mental and physical state was so strained but I could not find time to show weakness because I was a mother of two and needed to get back to work in 2 weeks.
by Brandon Karasinski (AESTHETIC))
For many years music helped me to feel less alone going through something I hadn’t come to understand about myself until recently. My new song CARE describes that fork in the road we all come across in our lives where we have two paths to choose walking down.

Share Your Story and Your Voice.

Help #breakthestigma Around Mental Health.

Read Stories From People Just Like You.

We invite you to explore personal stories submitted from ADAA's community to learn how people living with an anxiety disorder, OCD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, depression or a co-occurring disorder have struggled, coped, and triumphed. 

 

Do you have a story about your 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 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. 

 

SUBMIT YOUR STORY


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
On
Educational Resources
Tips & Strategies from our Member Experts and Public Community
Block reference
Blog
Check out our ADAA members' new books that offer help for the public and support for professionals.
Webinar
When a teen seems depressed or talks about suicide it can be hard to know what to do as a caregiver…
PERSONAL STORY
I know the road to recovery is long and fraught with challenges, but with the support of my…