Tags: by Gayathri Ramprasad | Jun 14, 2020 | My Story MY SUPERPOWER, Resilience, Youth mental health
Over the last few years, we have had the privilege of mentoring youth storytellers Hanna Kane, Jaxon Buell, Hoda AbouEich & Eric Martz. Their stories have inspired and empowered thousands of youth and adults to take charge of their mental health and well-being. Their courage, resilience and activism will lead us into a better world of equity & inclusion. Please join us in congratulating the class of 2020, and wishing them the very best. Hanna Kane This fall I will be attending the Honors College at University of Washington with a plan to study constitutional law and American history. My goal is to become an attorney practicing constitutional law with a focus on social justice and big data. In college I am looking forward to connecting with the queer community, taking as varied classes as I can, and perhaps studying abroad in Ireland. Becoming an ASHA storyteller has allowed me to reclaim control of my story, sharing my struggles to empower others and myself in the process. It has taught me the power of both a single story and a community coming together to support healing and growth. I will always be a storyteller at heart, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities I’ve had with the organization. Jaxon Buell This fall I will be a private in the Marine Corps with a M.O.S. of intelligence. My goal is to become a data analyst for one of the US intelligence agencies. During my time in the Marine Corps, I look forward to making new and lifelong friends and comrades, as well as being able to...
Tags: by Gayathri Ramprasad | Jun 14, 2020 | Mental health & wellness, Resilience, You are not alone
I’ve lost track of how many weeks it has been in this quarantine. I’ve lost track of the day and date more than a few times. I have been isolated in my house, with my dog, 24/7. We are in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Oregon did not get hit the hardest, thanks to early physical distancing. But our confirmed cases and the death toll are still rising. Society is being tested to the extreme. How are we going to survive collectively? What will life look like after the pandemic? Before we can answer those questions, there’s a more pressing one: how are we going to survive together, individually? In order to give that question some thought, I want to share my mental health journey when I was challenged by USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) almost exactly a year ago, as I’m noticing many parallels between the two experiences. I was facing the danger of deportation. During that time, my mind was in a constant fight-or-flight state. I was hypervigilant, anxious, scared, and traumatized. I constantly felt alone, isolated, disconnected, and unseen. Even my closest people could not understand my pain. I was screaming inside, silently, and no one could hear me. But I avoided talking about it. I felt ashamed and exhausted. However, I was fortunate enough to find mental health professionals to help with my anxiety and PTSD. Does that sound familiar? In quarantine, how many of us constantly feel not only physically, but also spiritually or mentally isolated from other people, even people who are close to us? How many of us have tried...
Tags: by Gayathri Ramprasad | May 14, 2020 | Depression, PTSD, Resilience, Youth mental health
The COVID-19 pandemic is having a severe impact on my mental health. I am unable to go to school and finish off my senior year the way I had dreamed of for the last four years. I am unable to leave the house unless I am working or need “essential goods”. Staying at home has been extremely overwhelming to the point where I’ve needed to leave home for the sake of my own mental health. I’ve learned to put my mental health first. I realized that being stuck at home all day with people that were not supportive or understanding of my situation whatsoever was detrimental to my mental health. I was so angry and anxious all the time, and when I realized when the root of the problem was, I was able to pinpoint it and fix it. While I can’t go out with my friends, we are definitely staying in contact over Face Time and text. It is very important to me to check in with my friends to make sure that they are okay and doing well during this time as well. I also really enjoy keeping in contact with my school whether that be my principal, teachers, administrators, school counselors, etc. It makes me very happy when I see an email or a message from someone I really look up to at my school because it is a constant reminder that they have not forgotten about me. Here are 3 tips I want to share with you as we navigate through these difficult times: Hope you find them helpful. Try something new: pick up a...
Tags: by Gayathri Ramprasad | May 14, 2020 | Bipolar Disorder, Mental health & wellness, Resilience
Can a person be not okay and okay at the same time? I want the answer to be “yes” and I do believe this is possible. I want it to be because I am not feeling okay. The coronavirus pandemic is a reality. Here’s a glimpse into my mind’s confusion. It starts like this: I am a child psychiatrist and I am supposed to feel and be okay. This is what my “tyranny of should” tells me. I mean if I don’t feel okay how can I be of help to someone who feels the same or even worse? My inner critic tells me that I should be coping par excellence and not be grappling with anxiety, fear, and sorrow. Or if I do, only a little, not for too long, and it must not interfere with my life. My inner judge also tells me compared with the world’s sorrow and families who are burying their loved ones in the hundreds of thousands, what do I have to feel sad or bad about? Don’t you feel ashamed of yourself? Stop the insipid wallowing. Who do you think you are? What if your colleagues knew you felt this way? Better keep those thoughts and emotions hidden. Be silent. Show only strength. Be a role model of resilience. I’m a mother and isn’t it my job to be strong for my daughter? As a grandmother aren’t I supposed to bring happiness and not a hint of sadness when I arrive for my 6 feet away and face mask visit? As a sister what good does it do to share my worry?...
