Anxiety disorders

Bruno Feldeisen

Reprinted from the Supporting Parents issue of Visions Journal, 2021, 17 (1), pp. 10-11

Michael found depression and anxiety harder to manage, and tried to book an appointment with a mental health clinic in town—the closest large town to his small community. The next appointment was a month away, an eternity for someone who needed help right away. Living in a small community has wonderful benefits, but it also means that help is not always easy to access when you need it. After a suicide attempt and short hospitalization, Michael was sent out on his own again with an address for a counselling clinic, and now must navigate a setback from COVID-19.

Arjun felt isolated and bullied, in part due to the stigma of mental health problems in his South Asian community. Through his passion and success in bhangra, he discovered that music and dance are an important opportunity to change the way we think about mental health. Now a dance instructor, he uses his own experiences to help his students find their own well-being.

Anita entered government care at 13, when it wasn't safe to be at home. They dropped out of school—less than half of foster kids graduate—and battled depression. Mental illness was a monster, and Anita was scared to ask for help. The care system leaves people on their own too early, and youth in care need more. Now, Anita uses their experiences and insights to fight for others, advocating for better support for foster kids aging out of care.

After seven years of active symptoms, a dozen medications, three hospitalizations and a course of electroconvulsive therapy, Daphnée has leaned into young adulthood equipping herself with a host of relapse prevention tools. But perhaps most foundational of all is the role loved ones have in her life during setbacks.