At Tracking Happiness, we’re dedicated to helping others around the world overcome struggles of mental health.
In 2022, we published a survey of 5,521 respondents and found:
In order to break the stigma that surrounds mental health struggles, we’re looking to share your stories.
They say that everyone you meet is engaged in a great struggle. No matter how well someone manages to hide it, there’s always something to overcome, a struggle to deal with, an obstacle to climb.
And when someone is engaged in a struggle, that person is looking for others to join him. Because we, as human beings, don’t thrive when we feel alone in facing a struggle.
Overcoming your struggles is like defeating an angry giant. You try to throw rocks at it, but how much damage is one little rock gonna do?
Tracking Happiness can become your partner in facing this giant. We are on a mission to share all your stories of overcoming mental health struggles. By doing so, we want to help inspire you to overcome the things that you’re struggling with, while also breaking the stigma of mental health.
Which explains the phrase: “Let’s throw rocks together”.
Let’s throw rocks together, and become better at overcoming our struggles collectively. If you’re interested in becoming a part of this and sharing your story, click this link!
“Physical activity calms the mind, creating a clearer state to confront and address your problems. It’s a common tendency to do the opposite when we’re depressed: lying in bed, staying inactive. But it’s crucial to break this cycle.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Breakup
Depression
“There were constant thoughts that I wasn’t good enough. If my own parents could leave me, and I wasn’t enough for them to stay and want to be part of my life, despite all my great accomplishments, anyone can and will.”
Struggled with:
Anger
Childhood trauma
Self-sabotage
Suicidal
“Something that I wish I had known earlier in my mental health journey is that my mental illness does not need to define me. I stopped using the phrase ‘I am Bipolar/BPD’ and instead I say, ‘I have…’ I did this when I noticed how overidentifying with my diagnosis was hindering rather than helping me.”
“I began medication, which can be a bit of a taboo in the wellness and yoga worlds. A lot of people believe you can ‘heal’ yourself through diet and meditation. But I had been trying that approach my whole life and though I definitely had periods where my anxiety was lessened, this was a point where I needed way more help.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Postpartum depression
Stress
“At my worst moments, post-college, I think I truly hated myself. Again, to the outside eye, I was high-functioning, but I was making really poor decisions. I was cheating on my boyfriend at the time, partying for all hours, and doing anything I could to escape my reality.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Eating disorder
Miscarriage
Negative body image
“The struggle with social anxiety prevented me from forming meaningful connections and enjoying the richness of life’s social interactions. It wasn’t merely a fleeting discomfort; it was a pervasive and persistent presence that tainted my experiences.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Loneliness
Racism
Stress
Helped by:
Self-acceptance
Self-improvement
Therapy
“At first, the body-based techniques seemed too woo-woo for me to explore and yet I was also drawn to them. Thankfully I could hold the conflict and let myself learn anyway. Somatic work helped me reclaim my body and I finally believed my body was my own instead of an object for others.”
Struggled with:
Assault
Childhood trauma
CPTSD
“I never understood why I couldn’t just be happy. I would beat myself up over it, wondering why I couldn’t be content with my beautiful home and fulfilling life. But my PTSD and trauma had a profound impact on my happiness and the happiness of my family.”
Struggled with:
Childhood trauma
Loneliness
PTSD
Stress
“The part that was hardest to deal with was waking up every day, for months, going through your day, and doing the bare minimum. Because I just could not find a reason to do anything. I did not have the energy to live my life and that crushed me the most.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Breakup
Depression
Panic attacks
Stress
“What if it could prevent someone else’s journey from taking the destructive twists and turns mine had? What if it could help caregivers and medical providers anticipate the road ahead and help the survivor navigate? What if MY journey could have been a little smoother because I had read or heard about someone else’s journey? Before I knew it, I was on a path to publishing.”