Your Stories

Growing up, I was a saver. Money that I got in cards or throughout the year would go into my little, clear jar that had a label saying, ‘Lauren’s money....

*Thank you to Michelle of Schizophrenic.NYC for allowing us to share this piece. You can see more of her content here and her website here.* Schizophrenia is not a hopeless diagnosis. While it is a...

I took my daughter to see the movie version of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and it was incredible. All her best songs from each album of her life put together...

*Thank you to Donna of Kia Maia for allowing us to share this piece. You can see more of her content here and her website here.*   Boundaries are the invisible force fields that safeguard our...

It’s no secret there are a lot of … less-than-helpful depictions of mental health in the media. We have stereotyped behaviours, negative (and untrue) stories, and more. You might say,...

I live and work in an active environment - this is where I thrive. Rest is an unfamiliar term for me. It feels unnatural. I refer to myself as an...

*Thank you to Noēll Ratapu for allowing us to share this piece. You can see more of her content here and her website here.*   Trigger warning: this piece discusses themes of grief and depression. ...

Growing up, I was a Sesame Street and The Muppets kind of gal. Last week, you may have seen social media blow up after the beloved red monster of Sesame...

From someone who is autistic and has mental health conditions, I want you to know you are not alone. According to various studies, around 40% of autistic people have at...

The place I was born in, The people who raised me, The words that they spoke, The ways that it changed me. The road that I drive down To visit...

*Thank you to Alana of Alana is Recovering for allowing us to share this piece. You can see more of her content here.*  Being diagnosed with a mental illness can be scary...

Hey you! Yes, you! I’ve got some important reminders. You’re worthy of all the good things that are coming.  You’re beautiful. You’re smart. You’re worth it. Your feelings are valid. ...

The holidays have well and truly come to an end and ‘normal life’ – at least for me – has returned with full force! Gone are the ‘sleep-in-until-noon’ days; my...

Back in 2019, when I was fighting my mind alone, I said, ‘Every day feels like a battle, and I don’t know when this will end.’ A month later, I...

Behind every person is a story to tell… so here’s mine.  From the age of 12, my journey with mental health began, and over time it became worse. It started...

So, as the new year draws in, I’ll be acknowledging everything I did to make sure I felt mentally and physically okay this year.

Know that, no matter where you are in your recovery, or healing, journey, it is possible and it is worth it. 

This helps me to know what to expect as well and gives me a sense of control over my own choices. Not everything has to change.

You are all kinds of wonderful and the world needs to see just how great you truly are - even if you can’t see that yet.

When you do the things that bring you joy and surround yourself with those who bring you peace, regardless of the time of year, I’d say that’s time well spent. 

Nothing has to be perfect. Just do your best and that’ll be enough.

You’re struggling. And that’s okay. You’ll get through it.

By allowing myself to open up to a couple of people, they gave me the space to talk about what I usually keep in my head.

It takes persistence, but I hope you can use what works for you: logic, changing it up, humour, or something else, to get through any rough patches that arise so...

You don’t need to be in competition with people you don’t know - in fact, you don’t need to be in competition with anyone, whether you know them or not.

Know that it’s okay to let yourself cry and it’s okay to allow yourself time to work through difficult emotions.

You are already good enough! You won’t always get it right, there will be hard times this season and in all the seasons to come. You can get through it!

It’s important to acknowledge the good and bad, to feel the feelings we might not want to, and the ones we wish others and ourselves to always have.

I hope you can enjoy at least one thing this season and if not, I will be proud of you for still being here.

I am now experiencing love, joy, happiness and freedom - something I thought could never ever happen again.

Everyone has innate creativity within them - it’s just about practice and passion - learning to hone your skills and exploring your own style.

It’s exam season. And with that, there is a lot of stress and a lot of studying. Don’t overdo it and don’t be hard on yourself. The grades you get...

When you come to face monstrous threats, you will do so together, and you will triumph jointly against incalculable odds.

And while it’s a constant work in progress, it’s happening!

Trigger warning: this piece discusses themes of anorexia, depression, suicidal ideation, and trauma.  Lately, it’s been hard. I’ve been experiencing thoughts and urges around anorexia again - something I thought...

Trigger warning: this piece discusses themes of anxiety and eating disorders. My boyfriend and I were discussing the merits of New York compared to our current home in Los Angeles....

Milestones can be really hard to beat - trust me, I know! I have heaps of milestones I can and will hit but sometimes it feels impossible. You want to...

The thing about life is that we are in a race, We are running towards a goal, racing against time. Just like a race, we could start out strong and...

A game is more than just a game. Despite being a hobby that is often associated with laziness or immaturity, there is also a myriad of video games that explore...

Trigger warning: this piece discusses disordered eating.  Eating can be really hard. So hard that it feels impossible. I can understand that. I also understand that people need food to...

As someone who never believed that cognitive switch could happen, I assure you, it can.

As with mental illness, the ways we all cope are different and unique to each individual.

What’s one of the best mental health tips you’ve ever been given? We recently asked you, our beautiful Voices of Hope community, to share some of the best mental health...

Trigger warning: this piece discusses themes of anxiety and substance abuse.  Recently, the legend Matthew Perry passed away. Many know him for his incredible performance as Chandler Bing in the TV...

Halloween, for some, can be a time to have fun and embrace your inner child - which is great! Things such as dressing up, eating yummy treats, decorating, and more...

I ended up going to school, doing normal things, and engaging with family and friends.

There are many adaptations that can be made to this to fit whatever you may be going through.

There are many resources and people who want to help you find yourself again.