Tags: by Gayathri Ramprasad | Apr 18, 2016 | hope, mental health and wellness, You Can Recover
Since the first time I met Robyn at the Aleternatives Conference in 2015, I have been in awe of her sense of adventure and huge heart. Although she just turned 50, she has lived and worked in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, propogating the power of peer support around the world. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder, she has never let other people’s perceptions of what she can and cannot do deter her from living the life of her dreams. When asked what has helped her recover and thrive, she said, “the love and support of her global network of family and friends, her dog, and meaningful work.” Robyn is the embodiment of the quote: “Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.” Thank you Robyn for bringing hope and healing to people struggling with mental health issues around the world. You are a HOPEBRINGER!...
Tags: by Gayathri Ramprasad | Mar 28, 2016 |
As a little girl, Khatera moved with her family from Afghanistan to the U.S. Growing up, she felt like an outsider and was overwhelmed with the responsibility of interpreting and advocating for the survival of her family. Over the years, she struggled with ADHD, anxiety and depression. Today, Khatera is a mother and mental health activist. She wants to let people struggling with mental health issues around the world know that “no matter what your struggles are, YOU CAN RECOVER.” SEE MORE RECOVERY VIDEOS DO YOU HAVE A RECOVERY STORY? Stories have the power to inform, inspire and transform lives. If you have a recovery story, please submit your story today. Your story will educate people about mental health issues, eliminate stigma, and give HOPE to people struggling with mental health issues, and let them know recovery is possible. The post You Can Recover: Khatera’s Message of Hope appeared first on Shadows in the Sun by Gayathri...
Tags: by Gayathri Ramprasad | Mar 16, 2016 |
On August 23, 2015, Bekah Miles sat in her chair, staring. Could she do it? Would she do it? No. Yes. She was so tired of hiding, tired of pretending, tired of her illness. But since that wasn’t going to change anytime soon, maybe it was time to change her approach. To take her life back, if she could. After ten minutes of debating, she did what millions do every minute – she clicked the “post” button. Then she walked away from Facebook, torn between chewing her fingernails down to stubs and shrugging her shoulders and insisting it was no big deal. Bekah’s Facebook post was only intended for family and friends, but within days it had reached millions, starting a national and international conversation about depression. Mental health issues are a leading impediment to the health and wellbeing of high school and college students. Left untreated, mental illness – including anxiety, depression and eating disorders, can lead to school failure, family conflicts, substance abuse, violence, juvenile & criminal justice involvement, and even suicide. Sadly, suicide is the second leading cause of death among those 15-24 years old. More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza and chronic lung disease combined. Treatment is effective. Yet, because of the shame and stigma surrounding these issues, mental health is not discussed and too many students are suffering in silence. Bekah wants to change that – She wants to share her story to dispel the stigma surrounding mental illness, and encourage fellow students to seek the help and support they need to recover and...
Tags: by Gayathri Ramprasad | Jan 8, 2016 |
A year ago, a dear friend lost her brother to suicide. Overwhelmed with grief, she didn’t know how to talk to her 9-year-old son about his uncle’s death. As a mother and mental health advocate I understand how difficult it is for parents to talk about suicide with their children. But it is critical we do. Given that suicide is the second leading cause of death among those ages 15-24, and the third leading cause of death among children ages 10-14 year old, it is time we take the time to talk to our children about suicide. And, here is a valuable article to help us… The post How to Talk to Your Kids About Suicide: Experts Share Tips for Parents appeared first on Shadows in the Sun by Gayathri...
Tags: by Gayathri Ramprasad | Dec 6, 2015 |
Thrilled to share that my memoir, Shadows in the Sun was listed as number 2 among 31 Books That Will Help You Better Understand Mental Illness And Disorders on the Buzz Feed website. It is an honor to be included with many of my favorite authors. I sincerely pray that my story will bring hope and healing to people struggling with depression. The post Shadows in the Sun listed on Buzz Feed’s List of Books appeared first on Shadows in the Sun by Gayathri...
Tags: by Gayathri Ramprasad | Oct 29, 2015 |
I was born and raised in India amidst ancient traditions and a large loving extended family of twenty –three – grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. My happy childhoo, however, gave way to a traumatic adolescence. By the time I was 18, I was debilitated by generalized anxiety disorder and panic attacks. At 23, as a young mother in America, I struggled to free myself from the death-hold of depression. Over the years, my life became a blur of doctor visits, medications, hospitalizations, ECTs, and failed suicide attempts. Like millions of people struggling with mental illness around the world, I eventually gave up hope for recovery. I felt alone, afraid and ashamed. But, in April 1989, a stranger came to visit me in the most unlikely of places, a psychiatric ward, and gave me the gift of HOPE that changed my life forever. Her name was Aida. In the short time we spent together, Aida held me in her arms and shared her struggles with depression, and her relentless pursuit of recovery. Although Aida’s visit was short, she gave me the gift of HOPE that has sustained me for a lifetime. On October 10th, in celebration of World Mental health, my nonprofit organization, ASHA International, launched the You Can Recover Project. The You Can Recover Project’s mission is to give HOPE to people struggling with mental health issues around the world, and inspire them with personal insights on how to recover and rebuild a healthy, meaningful, productive life. I sincerely hope that the stories shared in the You Can Recover Project will give HOPE to people struggling with mental health issues around the world, and let them know they can recover, just as...
