“I lost three family members in a short period of time and I felt like I was going to lose everyone (my father and grandfather also have serious illnesses) before I could go back to Japan to visit them. I couldn’t stop crying when I thought about what I had lost, so I just kept busy, working, and going out with my husband and his family.”
Struggled with:
Grief
Helped by:
Self-improvement
“One thing I did was to force myself to get back into the water, something I loved instead of staying in the house crying. Getting back to surfing began my journey to a new “me”. The ocean has a way of washing away whatever feels wrong. This was my best therapy. I strongly advise others to find something they love to do and rekindle their spirit to make good things happen.”
Struggled with:
Depression
Grief
Stress
Helped by:
Reinventing yourself
“In the span of 6 months, I lost my dad, was forced to move out of his house by family, and also ended a years-long relationship with my partner at the time. The pain that I felt was so deep that I spiraled into the deepest depression yet.”
Struggled with:
Depression
Divorce
Grief
“I discovered that grieving, healing, and living aren’t linear processes, but intertwined strands of our existence. Healing isn’t about forgetting; it’s about learning to live with loss, about embracing love and pain simultaneously.”
Struggled with:
Grief
Helped by:
Music
Volunteering
“The pregnancy ended up being even more high risk than my prior ones and I was placed in the hospital for six weeks. Depression and anxiety returned as my young daughter bounced between family and friends during my absence. I missed her terribly and my body ached without her presence, but I pushed forward knowing that each day I stayed pregnant brought us one day closer to our baby.”
“Reflecting on my journey reminds me of the progress I’ve made and the strength that I have now. It’s a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. You need to take the first step and reach out. Someone is there to help you!”
Struggled with:
Depression
Grief
Helped by:
Journaling
Self-Care
Therapy
“I was in a fog, so confused, and felt all over the place. I had to relearn myself when to anticipate these challenges occurring and plan for prevention, do more outreach for support and be really open with my partner about all of the above. This is really difficult to do all while trying to figure out what’s going on with your body and brain, and a new human to care for.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Depression
Grief
Postpartum depression
Helped by:
Journaling
Self-Care
“When I was in the garden photographing the red squirrels I could forget everything and I found peace with myself and in my head. I also reached the national geographic finals in 2019. That motivated me to enter more photography contests and take my photography to the next level. I totally stopped drinking in 2022 just to focus more on my photography.”
Struggled with:
Depression
Grief
Helped by:
Self-improvement
“I found myself pounding on the wall of my shower, crying my heart out, convinced that my wife and kids would be better off if I killed myself. I had put them through enough stress over the years with my risky business ventures. My life insurance policy would take care of them better than I could.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Depression
Grief
Suicidal
Helped by:
Self-Care
“I responded to dangerous incidents with no fear. That’s not to say I was courageous, rather, I didn’t care if anything happened to me. I didn’t think anyone would miss me if I was killed on duty. I didn’t wish for it, but it was a possibility in my line of work and it didn’t scare me.”
Struggled with:
Childhood trauma
Grief