Every story shared brings change and helps to end stigma. Here’s mine:
I never aspired to be a mental health advocate. I’m an entrepreneur, a business guy, a creative type with an appreciation for the bottom line. If things don’t work, you fix them.
When one of my three beautiful children became sick with a mental illness, our family faced tremendous pain and confusion. Stigma kept our struggle private, fear kept us on heightened alert, and treatment options were hard to navigate. We were now on the front lines of mental illness, and experiencing stigma first hand.
My daughter, Emily, lost her courageous battle with a borderline personality disorder and depression on March 17, 2013. She is forever in our hearts.
In her honor, our family has vowed to end the terrible stigma that surrounds mental health challenges and to promote wellness. Our hope is that other families never confront such pain and loss.
As the Chairman of the Board of BC2M, I am humbled to see the number of people that we have touched through our website, PSAs, social media sites, and programs. We are creating change, and starting conversations where there once was silence.
To keep the conversation going, I am compelled to help raise funds to support BC2M. This month, my company, mybody Advanced Probiotic Skincare, will partner to support Bring Change 2 Mind by donating 20% of the proceeds from the sales of our best selling products. I hope you will consider purchasing a product or donating to support this mission. mybody skincare products use innovative probiotic technology to bring positive change to skin for better health and wellness, inside and out.
That’s my story, and one example of how I am going to fight stigma. What’s yours?
Join us. Help us. #StartTheConversation
David Watson is the Chair of Bring Change 2 Mind’s Board of Directors, and the Owner and Managing Partner of mybody, a skincare company dedicated to the wellness of the skin and body.
My family has been dealing with my daughter’s diagnosis’ of depression, anxiety, nvld, etc.. for three years now. I am so distraught when I share things with people and they don’t believe what we have been dealing with. So many times people have negated what I’ve said as just teenage behavior but they really don’t get it until it starts to happen to them. It’s my biggest frustration about my friends and people in general. It’s just too late for other’s at that point to recognize it can happen to them. I never would have thought my family would be dealing with what we are dealing with.
Hi Liz,
Thank you for your reply. I am sorry that you too are going through this but you are not alone. Forget what other people say as ignorance is bliss and they know not what they say.
The road seems never-ending but with your strength and vigilance good things will come. Try to see the world through your daughters eyes as that will help you understand.
My love to you and your family. you will always be in my thoughts.
Feel free to reach out if you ever need someone who understands to listen. My email is [email protected]
Liz this is exactly my story with my daughter. We have also been going through this for 3 years. My daughter has anxiety depression and borderline personality disorder. I struggle with people telling me that is normal teen behavior. I want to show them the scars on her legs from cutting and the handful of medicine that she takes everyday. But I just say it is a little more than that. Since this started I have felt very alone. I have a lot of people around me and great family support but no one understands. I am trying to make the best choices for my daughter and research everything but sometimes it would be nice to have help and someone to discuss it with who understands. My goal right now is to keep my daughter healthy and teach her how to live with her mental illness. We talk openly about it which makes many people uncomfortable at first but over time they get past it. I tell her and other people that if she had any other illness we would try to hide it so why hide this. I think it has really helped her to accept it.
Anna,
I want you to know that you are not alone. I went through this with my daughter for 13 years and gained incredible insight into the world of brain disorders (I dont like the term mental illness).
I am available to you anytime as my mission in life is to help others suffering in the way Emily did so they dont feel so hopeless that they make the ultimate sacrifice.
I have just posted a video on our corporate website http://www.mybodyskincare.com that you may find hard to watch but equally compelling.
[email protected] is my email. I hope to hear from you.
Your friend, David
Whether you’re white, black, Asian, Hispanic, male, female, gay, straight, have a mental illness or are physically disabled…no one should EVER have to feel ashamed for how they were born.
Self acceptance and self love is the most powerful thing. But it can be so hard when you’ve been taught to be ashamed of who you are.
Dave, Please accept my sincere sympathy for the loss of your daughter Emily. Thank you for speaking out about mental illness, and helping to end the stigma. I too have a daughter that has battled for 10 years with mental illness, bi-polar depression. She is bright, educated, funny, giving, humble and caring young woman.It swallows the whole family at times, but we are not giving up. My best to you and your family.
Thank you Marcie for taking the time to leave this message. It helps.
Your daughter sounds wonderful! I am happy to hear of your dedication to your daughter and the rest of your family as well.
stay the course.
David, my heart bleeds for you. What a great foundation. Keep the conversation going. All my bests to you and your family.
Thank you.
David: I am an old Vermont friend of Jane and Bill’s living in Prescott. Our family, too, has been through the journey and are grateful for your decisive action. I’m ordering some products right now!
Thank you Abbie. If we all open our mouths and yell out, eventually we will be heard.
Vermont to Prescott is quite a change. Great Fourth of July celebration on whiskey row if I remember correctly
Prescott is a lot like Vermont except that it’s sunny and the politics are not to our liking, but otherwise we love it. Thank you again for your work on this cause.